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Original poster

Insulate Britain - not looking like nutters now, are they?

76 replies

jlpartnerrs · 06/09/2022 22:34

5 billion is what they said it would cost to get insulating the nations leaky homes starting with social housing
With the govt spending up to £130 billion a year (predicted) to cap our energy costs, that's revenue expenditure not capital investment like insulation would have been .... which of those actions look the most sane?

OP posts:
Perfectlystill · 08/09/2022 21:44

SpiderinaWingMirror · 07/09/2022 02:19

What the ones that glued themselves to the M25? Nutters.

This

tilder · 08/09/2022 22:01

Totally agree they went about it the wrong way.

They are correct on the insulation though. There are lots of free online resources that show the benefits. E.g. energysavingtrust.org.uk/energy-at-home/reducing-home-heat-loss/

Savings aren't instant, not all measures suit everyone. And when you're struggling to pay the bills most can't find the extra to pay for something when the financial benefit won't be apparent for a few years.

Insulation used to be subsidised. But the Tories scrapped it. Total nutters.

Loachworks · 08/09/2022 22:14

The mother and son I know live in a house on a beautiful crescent of homes. They aren't insulated...

TrashPandas · 08/09/2022 22:20

Yeah, they still look like twats.

User148563 · 08/09/2022 22:30

I'd rather not have my home insulated so it gets all damp inside, thank you

User148563 · 08/09/2022 22:32

If it only costs 5 billion for all you can tell it would be a cheap job

Calyco · 08/09/2022 22:37

They certainly still look like nutters. They caused a lot of unnecessary anxiety and were careless with the lives of other. I for one was super concerned about them gluing themselves to the road because I was pregnant at the time and concerned about being able to get to the hospital if something happened--especially when they started gluing themselves to Wandsworth Bridge since it was one of my routes to the hospital. Hyperbolic environmental terrorists. I try to do my best for the environment, but even I felt like throwing in the towel and just not caring at all any more because of their actions. (Of course I still care, but they are utterly infuriating).

DirtyCarrots · 08/09/2022 22:39

I think we all got the message about the 'climate emergency'. Just not sure what they're proposing to do about it...

SwordToFlamethrower · 08/09/2022 22:50

I applaud them.

Loopyloopy · 08/09/2022 22:58

thegcatsmother · 07/09/2022 01:32

However, if we are going to have warmer summers, then how do you cool an over insulated house? Mine is adequately insulated, and as an older house needs to breathe anyway, but we were having trouble cooling the house. If it got down to 21.5 in the hall, we were doing well.

I live in a very hot climate - you open the doors and windows overnight, and close them during the day. The insulation keeps the house cool.

Ariela · 08/09/2022 23:01

thegcatsmother · 07/09/2022 01:32

However, if we are going to have warmer summers, then how do you cool an over insulated house? Mine is adequately insulated, and as an older house needs to breathe anyway, but we were having trouble cooling the house. If it got down to 21.5 in the hall, we were doing well.

Being insulated, you simply try to prevent heat entering your house. SO open the windows wide and let the hot air escape overnight. Shut them by day, draw the curtains and keep the windows and doors shut and you won't be letting the heat in. If you've south facing windows, draw the curtains. If you can add shutters or an outdoor shade to keep the sun out so much the better.

wonkylegs · 09/09/2022 19:24

User148563 · 08/09/2022 22:30

I'd rather not have my home insulated so it gets all damp inside, thank you

Insulation isn't the problem it's poor fitting and advice. Insulation needs to be fitted correctly and in tandem with ventilation unfortunately people and companies just whack in the insulation without thought or plan.

Discovereads · 09/09/2022 19:26

No, they’re still nutters. You can be a nutter with a good cause.

MarshaBradyo · 09/09/2022 19:27

I think they look more extreme now - just due to their tactics rather than what’s behind it

Breezycheesetrees · 09/09/2022 19:29

thegcatsmother · 07/09/2022 01:32

However, if we are going to have warmer summers, then how do you cool an over insulated house? Mine is adequately insulated, and as an older house needs to breathe anyway, but we were having trouble cooling the house. If it got down to 21.5 in the hall, we were doing well.

Apologies if someone has already pointed this out, but a better-insulated house will stay cooler in hot weather.

declutteringmymind · 09/09/2022 19:35

It's a case of a good point, badly made.

carefullycourageous · 09/09/2022 19:37

thegcatsmother · 07/09/2022 01:32

However, if we are going to have warmer summers, then how do you cool an over insulated house? Mine is adequately insulated, and as an older house needs to breathe anyway, but we were having trouble cooling the house. If it got down to 21.5 in the hall, we were doing well.

Insulation works both ways.

The heat in summer does not originate inside the house, it originates outside the house.

carefullycourageous · 09/09/2022 19:38

RagingWoke · 08/09/2022 10:46

There have also been grants available for insulation for years. I worked on one of them 15 years ago and they did thousands for free or very discounted. It's been an option for a long time.

Insulate Britain made poor choices in how they went about their protests, their messages and methods did nothing to help the cause. They aren't gong to repair that damage.

You are living in the past. The Tories cut these grants except to the very poorest.

carefullycourageous · 09/09/2022 19:40

RagingWoke · 07/09/2022 19:42

I genuinely don't understand their logic.
Insulation is good, obviously, but it doesn't generate heat and compared to the other environmental damage being done would insulation really make that much difference it's worth the ridiculous and dangerous protests?

And even with insulation people would still need to use heating in homes, it's not such a huge saving that it would resolve the issues of rising bills. Lessen it sure, but not to the degree that the group could be considered sane or reasonable and the government would still have the same problems wrt energy prices.

OMG. Insulation makes a massive difference. You need to learn some science.

MarshaBradyo · 09/09/2022 19:41

RagingWoke · 08/09/2022 10:46

There have also been grants available for insulation for years. I worked on one of them 15 years ago and they did thousands for free or very discounted. It's been an option for a long time.

Insulate Britain made poor choices in how they went about their protests, their messages and methods did nothing to help the cause. They aren't gong to repair that damage.

How did people get selected? What was the process

I hear about the grants you mention but no idea

We don’t need anything but just out of interest

User148563 · 09/09/2022 19:42

My poorly insulated 1930s house was quite cool in the heatwaves compared to some peoples much newer houses on here which must have had better insulation that mine

Madamecastafiore · 09/09/2022 19:51

Fuck me all that and all they wanted was us to slap some cotton wool between the joists.

Got lost in translation for me, as soon as the super glue came out I went straight to bunch of fucking nutters territory.

roarfeckingroarr · 09/09/2022 20:01

It wasn't their cause, it was their methods.

eurochick · 09/09/2022 20:10

I never disagreed with their cause( and we are about to spend tens of thousands insulating an old property that we bought last year, putting our money where our mouth is) but their methods are crackers and we're never going to take people with them.

LangClegsInSpace · 09/09/2022 20:38

Hmmph · 07/09/2022 19:30

I wish they would couple their activism with some actual help/advice for people.

How do you know what insulation your house has? Or what it should have? The only option is going to some (potentially) dodgy company that obviously wants to sell you something or getting an EPC for the house which involves someone looking at your house and guessing.

A not for profit organisation who advises on insulation would be a great help

I found this site which looks useful (haven't read through it):

https://www.simpleenergyadvice.org.uk/