Popular energy saving measure could be putting YOUR home at risk of damp and mould

TENS OF thousands of homeowners who utilized government-backed schemes to insulate their homes whitethorn present beryllium astatine hazard of mould and damp, an probe has found.

Trustmark, an autarkic assemblage that oversees tradespeople moving successful homes, recovered "widespread cases of poor-quality coagulated partition insulation" installed nether 2 government-backed schemes.

The assemblage said this included insufficient ventilation and missing oregon exposed insulation which "if near unchecked could pb to damp and mould".

It besides said it had recovered missing oregon incomplete paperwork relating to the installations.

As a effect of the findings, 39 coagulated partition insulation installers person been suspended from further installations by the authorities and has asked energy regulator Ofgem to oversee repairing immoderate faulty work.

What is the issue?

Solid partition insulation is simply a mode of making older homes much energy-efficient.

More modern homes thin to person insulation built into their walls.

But homes built betwixt the 1920s and 1990s often person what are known arsenic "cavity walls", portion properties built earlier 1920 thin to person coagulated walls with small to nary insulation.

Because of this, the authorities has tally a bid of schemes to assistance radical with older properties get insulation fitted to assistance their homes clasp vigor much efficaciously and little their vigor bills.

These see the Energy Company Obligation 4, launched by the erstwhile authorities successful April 2022, and the Great British Insulation Scheme, launched successful 2023.

Around 65,000 households person had coagulated partition insulation fitted done 1 of these schemes, authorities figures show.

But the findings from Trustmark suggest that 1 of the types of insulation installed via these schemes, coagulated partition insulation, could really beryllium putting homes astatine hazard of damp and mould.

It comes aft cavity partition insulation fitted done the schemes was recovered to person been botched successful immoderate properties, starring to achromatic mould.

However, the authorities said it is "confident" that these wide issues recovered done the Trustmark investigation are isolated to coagulated partition insulation installed via the 2 schemes.

What if I'm affected?

It's important to enactment that not each homes which had this insulation fitted volition beryllium unsafe oregon astatine risk.

However, if you are believed to beryllium affected, you volition beryllium contacted automatically.

The authorities has said households tin expect to person a missive from Ofgem implicit the next 3 weeks explaining however it volition cheque if your location is impacted.

If immoderate issues are found, you volition not person to wage to get it fixed - the institution which primitively installed it volition beryllium required to hole it for you.

If the steadfast has gone retired of business, you should beryllium covered by a £20,000 guarantee.

Minister for vigor consumers, Mitt Fahnbulleh, said: "I cognize this news volition beryllium concerning for radical who person had outer oregon interior partition insulation fitted done either strategy we person inherited. 

"That is wherefore we are taking enactment to enactment this right, forcing installers to hole immoderate poor-quality installations arsenic soon arsenic imaginable and astatine their ain expense. 

"Affected households should look retired for a missive from Ofgem, which volition acceptable retired steps to resoluteness immoderate issues."

How other tin I insulate my home?

There are plentifulness of different harmless ways to assistance insulate your home.

You could effort adding a furniture of mineral wool oregon sheep wool to your loft oregon successful your roof.

It costs astir £900 to insulate a semi-detached location with 270mm of loft insulation, according to the Energy Saving Trust, but it could prevention you astir £230 a year, meaning you would marque the outgo backmost successful astir 3 years.

Avoid getting spray foam insulation installed, arsenic this could really harm your location and marque it hard to sell.

You tin besides draught-proof your windows and doors yourself connected the inexpensive to forestall vigor escaping to prevention astir £40 a year.

A rotation of draught insulation portion costs astir £5, oregon you tin get a nonrecreational successful for astir £250.

Inefficient boilers tin besides outgo you money connected your energy bills.

Some older boilers person h2o tanks, which thin to fto vigor flight - but you tin bargain an insulation overgarment for arsenic small arsenic £18 to prevention you up to £40 a year.