External Wall Insulation Reviews and Homeowner Experiences

There’s no better way to assess the actual worth of external wall insulation than to ask people who have had it installed.

Below is a collection of extracts from interviews with people who have had EWI installed, taken from a report produced by the Centre for Sustainable Energy.

Also listed are comments from some of YES Energy Solutions recent EWI customers.

Impact of EWI on homeowners

Customer feedback on improved warmth:

Occupier of 1940s steel frame, semi-detached house

“A lot of heat wasn’t coming in; it was going out. If I turned it [the thermostat] up as high as it is now you couldn’t live in the house…it would be like a sauna, that’s the difference. Like I say it’s using a lower temperature to get to the heat I would normally have with the old system up high. I was burning money just to keep warm. Now it’s right the way down.”

Occupier of 1940s steel frame, semi-detached house

“We reduced it [heating timer] by an hour a day…and cut the temperature that the water runs at on the back boiler…we didn’t need the heating on. …Before I used to put the heating back on because it was cold…but now I don’t do that.”

Occupier of ‘Cornish house’, semi-detached house

“I've always been very careful with having the heating on, but I've not been so careful this year. In fact, I've even had it on when it was cold a couple of weeks ago. But what I've noticed is the house heats up very quickly…it heats up quicker, it's not all going to just disappear.”

Occupier of Park Home property

“I mean the first winter, obviously it was exceptionally cold, but because I’d had the insulation done my bills didn’t go sky high which they would have done had I not had it done…I think that I am able to keep myself warmer in the winter without increasing the cost too much.”

Occupier of 1940s steel frame, semi-detached house

“It surpasses it, absolutely surpasses it [expectations]. I didn’t really think it was going to make a lot of difference; I thought it might make some difference, but it’s way beyond my expectations.

“If I’d been out say and it’s [the heating] been off practically all day and I come back in and it doesn’t strike you like it used to, you think ‘oh there’s nothing on but it feels really snugly and warm”

“I’m less likely to find other ways of trying to keep warm other than actual heating. Whereas before I might have a couple of fleeces that I would put round and a hot water bottle, two hot water bottles when it was really cold sometimes.”

Occupier of 1940s steel frame, semi-detached house

“As I say, it’s using a lower temperature to get to the heat I would normally have - in the old system I would have to have it up high. If I turned it up that high now you couldn’t live in the house. It would be just too much, it would be like a sauna, that’s the difference in the two, they are miles apart.”

Customer feedback on comfort in the summer:

Occupier of Park Home property

“My bedroom, at night, because the sun comes round that way at night, it used to be like really hot but I did notice it was so much different and I suppose that is partly because it [the insulation] keeps the heat out as well as holding it in one way or another”

Occupier of 1930s, semi-detached house

“Also I think in the summer, it stays a shade cooler. Which I’m glad of because I don’t like it hot.”

Occupier of Park Home property

“I did notice that in other years when I’ve had to get out my free standing fan, I didn’t need to get it out at all last year. So I think it does keep it a little bit cooler although I wouldn’t say drastically so.”

Customer feedback on the finish and ongoing maintenance:

Occupier of 1940s steel frame, semi-detached house

“The thing I like most about it is the fact obviously, it’s going to be that much warmer and hopefully, my bills will be down. But also, there’s no maintenance for me, I mean, everything’s cladded… the contrast with the white, it really does look nice… So yeah, I’m really pleased with it. So many people have stopped and said, ‘Oh, I see you’ve had work done. What’s it like, how’s it been and it looks really nice.’”

Occupier of Park Home property

“The finish on it, it’s guaranteed for so long, I forget, it’ll see my lifetime, 25 years I think it was. There’s no upkeep, now it’s there, it’s there. I haven’t got to bother with it at all. Whereas previously, the place had to be done over every so many years with stone cement stuff…Thank goodness I don’t have to put up with that anymore.”

Customer feedback on noise:

Occupier of 1940s steel frame, semi-detached house

“I’ll tell you something else; it’s not so noisy either. We can’t hear the things outside so much… we don’t hear so much traffic.”

Customer feedback on damp:

Occupier of 1930s detached bungalow

“…Last year we were actually wiping our hand over the wall behind the bed and it has come away wet… Now that seems to be cured.”

YES Energy Solutions - Customer Reviews:

Click on the links below to read the full reviews of our EWI installs:

"Just got home to a lovely house looking really good. I have to say that I’ve been delighted with the whole process from start to finish. The installers have done a fantastic job."
"I can’t believe how quiet the house is now that the walls have been insulated."
"We could tell the difference as soon as they put the boards on...our bills have come down to around £69 a month now..."
"Our house feels warmer and looks warmer!"

See all our customer reviews here.

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