The heat loss test for the windows grant
SEAI's windows and doors grant needs the home to reach a Good or Very Good Heat Loss Indicator (HLI) on the BER Advisory Report after the upgrade. SEAI says an HLI below 2.3 meets it. Attic and wall insulation rated Good or Very Good on your report means you meet the standard.
What the Heat Loss Indicator measures, why it's 2.3, and how homes like yours score.
Free, no obligation. One registered contractor prices it, not five.
- Below 2.3the HLI SEAI says meets the standard
- 49%of older homes with a BER pass now
- 2.65median HLI, detached houses
- 1.88median HLI, apartments
What the HLI is
The Heat Loss Indicator is the heat a home loses through its walls, roof, floor, windows, doors and draughts, for each degree of difference between inside and out, divided by its floor area. Lower is better. It's worked out by the BER assessor and printed on the BER Advisory Report.
SEAI's windows and doors grant asks for a Good or Very Good HLI after the work, and SEAI's own answer is that an HLI below 2.3 meets it. The rule is on seai.ie.
How older homes score
Of homes built before 2011 that have an HLI on their BER (leaving out BERs done for grant claims), 49% are below 2.3 already. The rest need work first. Detached houses score worst: they have the most outside wall and roof for their floor area.
| Home type | A quarter of homes are below | Median HLI | A quarter are above |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detached | 2.18 | 2.65 | 3.84 |
| Semi-detached | 2.05 | 2.35 | 3.08 |
| End of terrace | 2.07 | 2.45 | 3.74 |
| Mid-terrace | 1.83 | 2.3 | 3.4 |
| Apartment | 1.55 | 1.88 | 2.34 |
A median above 2.3 means more than half of those homes would not pass today.
Is your home ready for the windows grant?
Four quick taps. You see where your home stands, what has to come first and every grant on the way. Your number is only asked for at the end, if you want a price.
A semi-D with the attic done and cavity walls never filled: 1 step first, the €1,300 cavity grant, then €3,000 for the windows and up to €1,600 for two doors.
How this is worked out
SEAI's windows and doors grant needs a Good or Very Good Heat Loss Indicator on the BER Advisory Report after the work, which SEAI says an HLI below 2.3 meets. Attic and wall insulation rated Good or Very Good on your report means you meet the standard. The grants are SEAI's fixed amounts for your home type, and the doors grant is shown for two doors. The check is a guide: a BER assessor and SEAI decide.
Your county
The share of older homes with a BER whose HLI is already below 2.3, and the county's median HLI.
| County | Below 2.3 now | Median HLI |
|---|---|---|
| Laois | 55% | 2.23 |
| Kildare | 55% | 2.24 |
| Cavan | 54% | 2.23 |
| Monaghan | 54% | 2.22 |
| Longford | 54% | 2.24 |
| Galway | 53% | 2.25 |
| Sligo | 53% | 2.26 |
| Meath | 52% | 2.27 |
| Dublin | 51% | 2.27 |
| Carlow | 51% | 2.29 |
| Limerick | 49% | 2.32 |
| Offaly | 48% | 2.32 |
| Kilkenny | 48% | 2.34 |
| Louth | 48% | 2.33 |
| Kerry | 47% | 2.35 |
| Westmeath | 47% | 2.35 |
| Donegal | 47% | 2.36 |
| Waterford | 46% | 2.36 |
| Clare | 46% | 2.36 |
| Cork | 46% | 2.38 |
| Leitrim | 46% | 2.37 |
| Wicklow | 43% | 2.43 |
| Mayo | 43% | 2.43 |
| Wexford | 42% | 2.42 |
| Roscommon | 40% | 2.55 |
| Tipperary | 40% | 2.54 |
County pages for the windows grant itself are on windowgrants.ie.
What brings it down
- The attic. Often the quickest heat loss to fix, with its own SEAI grant.
- The walls. An empty cavity or a solid wall loses heat across the whole outside of the house. Each wall type has a grant.
- The windows and doors. They count too, which is why the test is done after the upgrade, not before.
- Draughts. Air leaking round old frames and doors adds to the figure.
Insulate first has the grants.
Questions people ask
What HLI do I need for the windows grant?
A Good or Very Good Heat Loss Indicator on the BER Advisory Report after the upgrade. SEAI says an HLI below 2.3 meets the requirement.
Is the HLI checked before or after the windows?
After. SEAI's rule is that the home must reach a Good or Very Good HLI after the upgrade, and the post-works BER shows it.
Where do I find my HLI?
On your BER Advisory Report, done by a registered BER assessor.
My HLI is above 2.3. Can I still get the grant?
Yes, once the home is upgraded. SEAI says homes without adequate attic and wall insulation can qualify after that work, and it has grants for it.
Check your home in four taps
Where you stand, what comes first and every grant on the way. Then, if you want, one SEAI-registered contractor who covers your county rings with a price.