Cavity Wall Insulation in Northern Ireland: Complete 2024 Guide

Uninsulated walls account for around 33% of all heat loss in a home, leading to soaring energy bills, an uncomfortable living environment, and a domestic carbon footprint that seriously harms our planet. Cavity walls make up around 71% of all properties in the UK. In Northern Ireland, only 69% of such homes have proper insulation, according to an Ulster University study.  

Cavity walls are some of the easiest, quickest, and non-invasive wall types to insulate. Taking just 1 - 2 hours in total, the process involves an installer drilling holes in your outer wall, injecting insulation into the cavity space, and sealing the holes up with cement. 

This GreenMatch UK guide will give you everything you need to know as a Northern Ireland resident seeking cavity wall insulation. Read on to learn more about the best methods, costs, grants, pros, cons and much more!

Ready to get cavity wall insulation? Look no further than GreenMatch UK for your one-stop solution on all the best bargains. Instead of spending countless hours researching and vetting, spend just 30 seconds filling out our simple form, and you can receive up to 3 free home-tailored quotes right from our trusted network. Free of charge and non-binding. Click below to begin!

The best way to get cavity wall insulation in Northern Ireland depends on a series of factors: your wall condition, chosen insulation material, budget range, and even personal preferences.

The most important choice you will make will likely be your insulation material. There are three key options for you to consider:

Regardless of your chosen material, retrofit cavity wall insulation is installed in a relatively quick and non-invasive way. Taking just 1 - 2 hours, a professional installer drills a series of evenly spaced holes through your outer wall. Then, a special applicator is used to inject the insulation material into the cavity space, before sealing up the holes with cement for a seamless finish.

There’s some good news; cavity wall insulation in Northern Ireland costs relatively less than it does throughout the rest of the UK. Generally, your costs will be based on a combination of your chosen insulation material, and type of home. 

Here’s a breakdown of what you could expect to pay for cavity wall insulation per property type:

As always, your final investment will depend on a slew of factors. This may also include your location, namely whether you live in a suburban, or dense urban area. Your chosen installer will also matter, as it's recommended to work with a professional and accredited installer. 

That’s why it’s important to get multiple quotes from various installers. It’s your best bet at understanding the price range, as well as potentially landing some great bargains.

In Northern Ireland, energy efficiency grants and schemes are mainly offered through the Northern Ireland Sustainable Energy Programme (NISEP), an umbrella scheme that functions as an equivalent to the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4). 

The NISEP is a collective fund made up of contributions from all Northern Irish electricity customers via a public service obligation (PSO). This fund - totalling around £8 million - is then distributed to fuel-poor and financially vulnerable homes for domestic energy upgrades, including cavity wall insulation.

For homes not eligible for the NISEP full coverage, the Efficiency Plus Insulation Cashback scheme might be an option. This initiative enables Northern Ireland residents to receive a one-third cost coverage towards cavity wall insulation, with full funding for LED lightbulbs and stone shower heads. 

For a full breakdown of all the sub-schemes offered by NISEP, you can visit the Energy Saving Trust UK website to view the list of schemes for 2024 - 2025, as well as a detailed breakdown of qualification criteria and how to apply.

Do you not qualify for these options? Not to worry, there’s one last initiative called the Affordable Warmth Scheme (AWS) that may help out. Delivered by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE), this scheme is designed to aid low-income households with up to £7,500 to improve thermal efficiency through insulation and heating.  

One of the best perks of cavity wall insulation is the reduction of your home heat loss by up to 33%. This leads to huge savings on your annual energy bills, effectively allowing you to pay off your cavity wall insulation in as little as 3 - 5 years. 

Here’s a breakdown of how much you could expect to save annually on energy bills per property type and size:

Without a doubt, cavity wall insulation is one of the most worthy home efficiency upgrades anyone can undertake. It brings a wealth of benefits 

While the pros take the cake when it comes to cavity wall insulation, poor installations can still make way for some problems. Shabby craftsmanship often causes cavity wall damp issues if improperly installed. To avoid this, work with a professional installer. 

Cavity wall insulation in Northern Ireland is absolutely worth it. Being far more affordable to undertake than in the rest of the UK, and with plenty of grant support, cavity wall insulation will bring your home annual savings and comfort for decades to come. 

However, any large-scale upgrade to your home will require you to work with a professional and accredited installer. That way, you can make sure you get a high-quality job, and avoid shabby installations that later lead to hefty repairs. 

Finding a great installer within budget can sometimes feel like looking for a needle in a haystack. It requires endless hours of cross-referencing, researching, and vetting to land the best option for your home. Luckily, GreenMatch UK can handle all of this for you! 

With our nationwide network of pre-vetter professionals, we can save you countless hours of burdensome research and vetting. All you need to do is fill out our simple 30-second form, and we’ll deliver up to 3 free home-tailored quotes right to you. The best part? Our services are completely free and without obligations. Click the button below to begin!