Homeowners are discovering the joy of cladding as an aspirational yet practical choice to transform the look of a home and cover existing façade defects. But cladding can also help to improve a home’s energy efficiency, says Freefoam’s Commercial Director Colin St John
In April this year, the Government announced ambitious new targets in the fight against climate change, committing the country to cutting carbon emissions by 78% by 2035. One of the key areas which will need to improve to meet these targets is the efficiency of homes. Importantly it’s existing housing stock, rather than new builds, where the biggest challenge – and potential - lies.
Government drive for energy efficiency is matched by consumer enthusiasm. Survey after survey shows reducing heating bills is a big concern for homeowners and a top priority when making home improvements. This demand for energy efficient products is on an upward trajectory and a growing opportunity for installers with the right products to offer.
Cladding: skyrocketing sales
PVC cladding is fast becoming an important trend in home improvements. Inspired by the New England colonial design trend, more and more homeowners are choosing cladding for its ability to transform facades with a stylish makeover and a splash of colour. For example, Freefoam’s Fortex and X-Wood cladding ranges come in a choice of attractive colours and foils to help homeowners find the perfect look for their homes. Cladding is also a popular choice for covering up old timber cladding, hanging tiles or pebble dashing which can be costly to remove or replace. Long-lasting and low maintenance, PVC cladding is a fitter’s dream as it’s easy to handle and install, and doesn’t require any surface preparation or treatment.
Unsurprisingly, sales have skyrocketed and Freefoam’s top cladding customers have seen an average 55% increase in cladding sales over the past two years.
But while many people opt for cladding for its aesthetic benefits alone, it can also be used to improve the energy efficiency of the building envelope, giving installers another reason to add this ‘ultimate’ home improvement product to their portfolio.
When fitted on its own, cladding will only save the homeowner a marginal amount of money on their fuel bills. However, when fitted with an insulating layer in between the cladding and the external wall, the results are very impressive. So much so the BRE has given PVC weatherboarding installations with an insulation layer an A+ rating.
Recent research by the Nationwide building society suggests that households could be wasting as much as £330 a year because of inefficient heating and poor insulation. With cladding and insulation fitted, these homeowners could reduce the amount of money they spend on heating their homes while cosmetically improving the look of the exterior. And it won’t cost anywhere near as much as some other energy saving measures on the market, such as upgrading the heating system or installing solar panels.
A cladding and insulation combination is suitable for all types of building envelope including brick, block, masonry and concrete. The energy-saving impact will be most noticeable on homes with solid walls, as these allow more heat to escape than cavity walls – in fact, figures from the Energy Saving Trust suggest homeowners could save up £455 a year by insulating their solid walls.
There are other advantages of insulating external walls with cladding too – for example, any cracks or gaps in the brick work will be filled to reduce draughts, and it improves the weatherproofing of the walls and protects them to increase their lifespan. Cladding and insulation can also help to reduce condensation on inner walls and prevent damp.
When used together with a thermal insulating layer, PVC cladding offers homeowners the best of both worlds; reduced fuel costs and carbon emissions and improved comfort levels in the house, coupled with a stylish low-maintenance transformation for the exterior of their home to give it a whole new lease of life. And it feels a lot cosier too.
Any of the Freefoam range of cladding can be fitted with insulation. View the complete cladding range here
If you’re new to cladding, why not take a visit to your local Freefoam supplier to pick up brochures and samples. Our stockist customers are also on hand to help calculate how much cladding board and trim is needed for each job. Installers who join Freefoam’s free Registered Installer scheme also benefit from a clever product visual and quality sales leads through our consumer-facing website www.mycladding.com. In addition, we offer comprehensive marketing support including brochures, flyers and cladding samples. For useful hints and tips visit Freefoam’s FAQ page and our technical advisors are always happy to help with queries.
Do you need a sample of Freefoam cladding?
Order a FREEE sample here
Want to find out how many cladding boards you need for your project?
Use our handy cladding calculator
Want to experiment with colour cladding option for your project?
Go to our Cladding Visualiser and have a play!
Want to find a trusted local installation company to fit cladding to your property?
Go to mycladding.com and we'll put you in touch
Want to find out the cost of cladding from a local Freefoam stockist?
User our handy Stockist Finder to contact a supplier in your area – who will be happy to advise on price and availability.