FAQs

Yes, your loft will need to be empty of items and the majority of the boarding will need to be removed in order for a property assessment to take place. Assuming the property is suitable for loft insulation, then everything will need to be removed again to allow for the full amount of insulation to be placed. If you have any concerns about this, please speak to your surveyor or installer. Once the insulation has been installed it is not advisable to place items directly on top of the insulation, as squashing it will reduce its effectiveness and could put undesirable pressure on the ceilings. If you want to store items in the loft you could consider fitting struts to form a storage platform above the insulation.

Today’s building regulations require loft insulation to be around 11 inches (270mm) thick. Many older properties may have a smaller amount of insulation already installed but by today’s standard, this may not be sufficient. If your existing loft insulation is less than 7.5 inches (200mm) thick, then the Connected for Warmth programme can help to top it up to the required level. Alternatively, you may still be eligible for cavity wall insulation even if your loft is fully insulated. You do not need to be eligible for both cavity wall and loft insulation to benefit from this programme.

No, cavity wall insulation will have no impact on the appearance of your internal walls.

No, quite the opposite – properly installed insulation will improve the energy efficiency of your home and studies have shown that this will increase its value.

Spray foam insulation is not one of the measures offered by Connected for Warmth. There are advantages and disadvantages to the use of such insulation and every property and situation is different, but it isn’t required to effectively insulate cavity walls and lofts.

Insulation can cause damp and other issues if it is not properly installed. The contractors that are part of the Connected for Warmth programme operate to the Government’s stringent Trustmark standards, and offer guarantees that cover the quality of the workmanship. Damp may also be a concern if a property is not properly ventilated. You can read about ventilation and the difference between controlled and uncontrolled ventilation on the Energy Saving Trust website.

No, cavity wall insulation only requires minimal intervention, and the holes made to fill the cavity will be made good.

Yes

The installation processes for loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, heating controls and small energy saving measures are all relatively unobtrusive and will be completed in a matter of a few hours. To make a property safe for the work to take place may take longer – for example if a loft has to be cleared. This will generally be the responsibility of the householder but the installation company may be able to assist in certain circumstances – please ask your surveyor for more information.

A property assessment involves a qualified property assessor checking whether your property is suitable for having insulation installed. If you have a loft, the assessor will need access to the loft space to check what insulation (if any) already exists and how much space there is to install new insulation. If you have cavity walls, the assessor will need to drill a couple of holes into your wall to check the size of the cavities and whether or not any insulation has been installed before. The assessor will also need to take photos of both the inside and outside of your property.

Yes. The property assessment can take up to two hours to complete and will require access to both the outside and inside of your property. We will give you a ring before arranging the property assessment to ensure the date and time chosen is convenient for you.

There will be some noise, especially for the cavity wall insulation which will require small holes to be drilled into your wall in order to fill the cavity wall with insulation.

Details of your warranty cover will be provided by your installer following your installation and will depend on the measure(s) installed.

If you have any questions about your property assessment, please email us at insulation@connectedforwarmth.org.uk or call us on 0800 107 8576.

Your assigned installer will be able to answer any questions you have about your installation. Your installer’s contact details will have been provided by email confirming that your property has been deemed eligible for an installation.

Your assigned installer will be able to provide you with more information about the measures available and will also provide you with a factsheet related to the measure(s) you are interested in. You can also find further information on independent websites such as the Energy Saving Trust: https://energysavingtrust.org.uk

All our chosen installers are registered with Trustmark, a government-endorsed organisation focused on ensuring quality installations in your home. Our work will be carried out in line with Trustmark’s Licence Plus scheme, which ensures property assessments and installations are undertaken by trained professionals and to all relevant quality standards. For more information on Trustmark, visit their website: www.trustmark.org.uk

The contract for the work will be between the homeowner and your assigned installer, who will be chosen based on the location of your property.

You don’t need to pay anything. The programme is being fully funded by National Grid and does not require any contribution from homeowners or landlords.

The homeowner of the property will own the measure(s) once installed. For private rental properties, the ownership will be with the landlord.

The homeowner or private rental landlord will be responsible for any future maintenance responsibilities / costs once the measure(s) has been installed. Details of your warranty cover will be provided by your installer following your installation.

If you own the freehold of the property then it is unlikely that you will need any permission to have these works installed for you. The exception would be if you live in a listed building or in a conservation area. It is the homeowner’s responsibility to check if any special permissions are required for such buildings – please see the Historic England website for more information. If you are a leaseholder then it will be your responsibility to confirm that you are able to authorise works proceeding. If you are a landlord then you must have the permission of your tenant as we will need access to the inside of the property for the property assessment and installation. We will contact your tenant using the contact details that you have supplied as part of your application.