When looking at your home, it can be daunting to know where to start. So let's break it down. Think: Windows and Walls, Floor and Roof, and heating.

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Windows

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If you aren't sure if your windows are single, double or triple glazed you can perform a few tests.

You can find your window registration certificate on the FENSA database. This confirms that your window (and doors) are installed in line with government Building Regulations and are registered with the local council.

Check window frame labels: Some manufacturers place labels or markings on the window frame or spacer bar, which may indicate if it's double glazed.

• Single Glazed Windows: These windows have only one layer of glass and are not very good at keeping the house warm and saving energy.
• Double Glazing installed in the last twenty years: These windows have two layers of glass and were fitted in the last twenty years, after new regulation came in to improve the performance of double glazing. You can find the install date on your FENSA certificate.
• Double Glazing older than 20 years: These windows have two layers of glass and were fitted over 20 years ago, before new regulation came in. They help keep the house warm but might not be as good as newer ones.
• Double Glazing with high performance features: New double glazing can outperform average double glazing by using a thermally broken frame, and high-performing inert gases such as Krypton in the glazed unit. This will result in improved thermal performance and thermal comfort.
• Secondary Glazing: This is when an extra layer of glass or plastic is added to an existing window to make it better at keeping the house warm and saving energy.
• Triple Glazing: These windows have three layers of glass. They are excellent at keeping the house warm and saving energy.

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Heating Systems

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75% of UK homes are heated with Gas Central Heating. You may have a Hot Water Cylinder for heating hot water or a combi boiler that provides both heating and hot water directly from one unit.

If you aren't sure if you have a cylinder, look for a large, cylindrical tank. Typically located in an airing cupboard, utility space or loft. It's often insulated with a foam or fabric cover. If it isn't, you'll need to select the 'limited cylinder insulation' option.

If you have a combi boiler, you won't have that separate cylinder. With a combi boiler, you'll get hot water on demand, without waiting for the cylinder to heat up.

Here are the options Kuppa will ask you to select from. If you aren't sure, leave us a message via the chat function.

• Gas Boiler with Radiators: Burns natural gas to heats water and circulate through radiators to warms rooms. This is common, cost-effective, but emits carbon.
• Gas Boiler with Low Flow Temperature: More efficient gas boiler which uses lower water temperatures and still distributes heat evenly. The efficient design saves energy, reduces emissions. You can adjust your flow temperature yourself.
• Gas Boiler, limited cylinder insulation: With this setup, you'll have a boiler and a hot water cylinder. Select this option if you have little or no insulation around your hot water cylinder.
• Air Source Heat Pump: Absorbs heat from outside air and transfers to home heating system. This works year round, even when it's colder outside than in. Heat pumps are run on electricity as opposed to gas which powers most boilers.
• Oil Boiler: Uses oil as fuel to heat water and warms home through radiators. Oil boilers are less common than gas boilers, and are more likely to be found in rural areas.
• Electric Storage Heater: A type of electric heater that stores thermal energy during off-peak hours (usually at night) when electricity is cheaper. The stored heat is then released throughout the day as needed. These may work with an Economy 7 or flexible tariffs.

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Roofs and Lofts

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Use the guidance below to identify your roof type and shape. If you need to check the levels of insulation in the loft use a measuring tape or ruler to determine the thickness of the insulation layer. Insulation is typically installed between and over the joists.

You can also check coverage, ensuring that the insulation is evenly distributed and covers the entire attic or loft floor.

Remember to always practice safety when accessing your attic or loft, and if you're unsure about any of the steps, consider consulting a professional.

• Roof - Uninsulated Pitched Roof: This type of roof slopes downward. An uninsulated pitched roof doesn't have any insulating material (such as wool) or insulated boards it to keep the house warm and stop heat from escaping.
• Pitched Roof - 150mm Loft Insulation: This means that a layer of insulation is put in the space between the roof and the ceiling to keep the house warm and stop heat from escaping. The material is put in to a depth of 150mm.
• Pitched Roof - 300mm Loft Insulation: This means that layers of insulation is put in the space between the roof and the ceiling to keep the house warm and stop heat from escaping.The material is put in to a depth of 300mm, typically with multiple layers.
• Flat Roof with Insulation: A flat roof, as the name suggests, is a roof that is completely or almost level. A flat roof is typically insulated during construction, and often this is done with insulation board.
• Flat Roof without Insulation: This type of roof is flat. An uninsulated flat roof doesn't have anything put in it to keep the house warm and stop heat from escaping

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Floors

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In the UK, there are two main types of floors: suspended and solid. Here's how you can determine which type you have in your property:

Bounce test: Walk across the floor and feel for any bounce or give, which suggests a suspended floor. Solid floors feel firmer underfoot.

Access or inspection hatch: If your property has an access or inspection hatch, open it to see the floor structure beneath. Suspended floors have visible wooden or concrete joists, while solid floors are a continuous slab of concrete or screed.

Floor vents: Suspended timber floors require ventilation to prevent dampness. Check for air vents or bricks along the exterior walls near ground level.

Property age: Older properties (pre-1900s) often have suspended timber floors, while properties built after the 1930s are more likely to have solid concrete floors. This is not always the case.

• Suspended Floor: This type of floor is lifted off the ground using special beams or supports. It's often used in houses that have a space underneath the floor.
• Suspended Floor Insulated: This type of suspended floor has an insulating material or insulating boards put in between the beams or supports to keep the house warm and stop heat from escaping.
• Solid Floor: This type of floor sits directly on the ground. It's often used in houses that don't have a space underneath the floor.
• Solid Floor Insulated: This type of solid floor has insulating material put above or below the floor to keep the house warm and stop heat from escaping.

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Walls

If you are unsure as to whether your walls are solid walls or cavity walls, follow the steps below.

Measure the thickness of an external wall by measuring the width of a door or window opening. A cavity wall is typically at least 10.5 inches (270 mm) thick, while a solid wall is usually around 9 inches (230 mm) thick or less.

Inspect the brick pattern on the outside of your home. Cavity walls often have a uniform pattern, with bricks laid lengthwise. Solid walls typically have alternating long and short bricks (these are known as header and stretcher courses).

The age of your property can give clues. Cavity walls became common in the UK from the 1930s onwards, while older properties likely have solid walls.

If you're still unsure, ask a qualified building professional or surveyor to examine your walls and provide a definitive answer.

• Solid Wall: This type of wall is made of one or two layers of bricks or stones. It's often found in older houses.
• Insulated Solid Wall: This means that insulating material or boards are put on the outside, or the inside, of the house walls to keep the house warm and stop heat from escaping.
• Insulated Cavity Wall: This type of cavity wall has insulating material put in the gap to keep the house warm and stop heat from escaping.
• Uninsulated Cavity Wall: This type of wall is made up of two walls of bricks with a small gap in the middle, called a "cavity". An uninsulated cavity wall doesn't have any insulated material put in the gap to keep the house warm and stop heat from escaping.

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