How do we insulate our solid walled house?

Question

The outside walls of our Victorian house are solid non-cavity brick and we would like to reduce our heating bills by improving the insulation but are unsure of our options. We would welcome suggestions.

Answer

Cladding the outside walls would have the added benefit preventing damp passing through the solid brickwork. Panels of polystyrene or mineral wool should cover the walls following which tile hanging, composite non-wood weatherboarding or rendering should be applied as a weather proof cladding, but the appearance might not be suitable for a Victorian property.

Alternatively, you could line the internal surfaces of the outside walls with insulated plasterboard which is about 40mm thick but might involve adjusting skirting boards and floor coverings. The cost of such solutions needs to be considered because it could take many years of saving on heating to recover the cost of work. Lining the inside of external walls with polystyrene veneer applied just like wall paper, then papering over with heavyweight lining paper would provide some insulation and protection from condensation at much lower cost.

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