Louth · checked 29 October 2026

Window grants in Louth

The grant is national. The homes in Louth aren't. What SEAI's BER register and Census 2022 say about homes in Drogheda, Dundalk and Ardee, and what it means for new windows.

Figures checked against seai.ie on 29 October 2026.

windowgrants.ie is not SEAI or a government body and does not award grants.

48%of Louth pre-2011 BERs pass the heat loss test

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  • €4,000 detached, €1,800 mid-terrace, €1,500 apartment
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In Louth, 48% of BER certificates for homes built before 2011 already pass the heat loss test SEAI sets for the window grant, below the 49% for Ireland. 50.1 BERs per 1,000 older homes were done for SEAI grant claims this year, against 42.1 nationally.

The grant itself is the same in every county: €1,500 to €4,000 for the windows by home type, plus €800 a door for up to two (seai.ie, checked 29 October 2026). We pass your request to one SEAI-registered contractor who covers Louth.

What stands out about Louth homes

SEAI pays the same grant in every county. The homes aren't the same. Against the national figures, these are the things that stand out in Louth, from Drogheda, Dundalk and Ardee to the rest of the county:

  • 48% of Louth's pre-2011 BERs pass the heat loss test, against 49% nationally, the 12th highest of the 26 counties. That's the share of homes ready for the window grant without insulating first.
  • Grant claims in Louth run above the national rate. 2,191 BERs were done for SEAI grant claims in 2026 to 29 October, 50.1 per 1,000 homes built before 2011, against 42.1 nationally. Every grant needs a BER after the work, so this tracks finished grant jobs.
  • Windows here are bigger than average. The median Louth detached house has 26.5 m² of window on its BER, against 23.7 m² nationally. The grant is fixed, so more glass means more of the bill is yours.
  • 8.8% of Louth's pre-2011 BERs show single glazing, against 7.3% nationally, the 2nd highest of the 26 counties. Single glazing loses the most heat, and it's the first thing the grant was made for.

Louth and Ireland compared

LouthIrelandRank of 26
Households, Census 202249,3321,836,728
Built before 2011, inside the grant89%90%
Built 2011 or later9%8%4th
Detached houses39%41%24th
BERs for homes built before 201117,886751,700
HLI below 2.3: passes the heat loss test48%49%12th
Single glazing (U-value 4.0 or more)8.8%7.3%2nd
Older double glazing (2.5 to 4.0)56%58%14th
BERs for grant claims per 1,000 pre-2011 homes, 202650.142.15th
Heating degree days a year1,9512,07917th

Households and year built: CSO Census 2022 (table F2007A), councils in the county added together. BER figures: SEAI BER Research Tool, the full public file downloaded 29 October 2026: 751,700 certificates for existing homes built before 2011, leaving out the BERs done for grant claims. Degree days near Drogheda: our sum from Met Éireann's 1991–2020 grid. Ranks are ours, 1st being the highest.

Next door, the share of pre-2011 BERs that pass the heat loss test: Meath 52%, Monaghan 54%. All 26 counties side by side.

The heat loss test in Louth

SEAI only pays for windows in a home that holds its heat. After the work, the BER advisory report must show Good or Very Good heat loss. An HLI below 2.3 on your current BER, or roof and walls rated Good, already meets it (seai.ie). Of the 5,728 Louth certificates for homes built before 2011 that show an HLI, 48% are below 2.3 and the median is 2.33.

Home typeMedian HLI, LouthIrelandThe median home
Detached house2.542.652.3 or more: insulate first
Semi-D2.312.352.3 or more: insulate first
End of terrace2.472.452.3 or more: insulate first
Mid-terrace2.362.302.3 or more: insulate first
Apartment1.981.88Below 2.3: passes

W/K/m², BER certificates for homes built before 2011 that show an HLI. Below 2.3 meets the heat loss test. Source: SEAI's BER register, as above. Our medians.

In Louth the median detached house, semi-D, end of terrace and mid-terrace all sit at or above 2.3, so a typical one needs attic or wall insulation before SEAI pays for windows. The median apartment is already below it. Compared with Ireland as a whole, more Louth homes need that work first.

Wall and attic insulation have their own SEAI grants, and a previous SEAI insulation grant also counts towards showing the home is insulated (SEAI, 20 Feb 2026). Our sister sites cover cavity wall insulation in Louth and external wall insulation in Louth. How to read your own BER: window grant eligibility.

The windows on Louth BERs

The grant is for replacing single-glazed and older double-glazed windows. On Louth's BER certificates for homes built before 2011, 8.8% show single glazing and 56% older double glazing. In homes built before 1978 the single glazing share is 20%, against 17% nationally (SEAI's BER register).

Glazing on the BER (U-value)LouthIreland
Single glazing (4.0 or more)8.8%7.3%
Older double glazing (2.5 to 4.0)56%58%
Newer double glazing (1.6 to 2.5)30%30%
1.6 or better5%5%

Source: SEAI's BER register, as above. Bands are ours.

The size of the job is the glass. SEAI's grant is fixed by home type, so the more window a house has, the more of the bill is left to you. Of Louth houses built before 2011, the commonest type is the detached house (Census 2022). On BERs the median detached house has 26.5 m² of window, against 23.7 m² nationally, so the fixed grant leaves more to pay. SEAI publishes its median costs nationally, not by county: a windows upgrade on a semi-D cost a median €7,110 from January to June 2026, and on a detached house €10,453 (SEAI's median costs PDF).

Home typeWindow area, LouthIreland
Detached house26.5 m²23.7 m²
Semi-D16.1 m²17.0 m²
End of terrace13.0 m²13.7 m²
Mid-terrace11.7 m²12.5 m²
Apartment8.5 m²9.2 m²

Median window area recorded on BER certificates for Louth homes built before 2011: SEAI's BER register, as above. Our medians.

Heating, weather and grant claims in Louth

The grant doesn't depend on the fuel, but the fuel prices the heat a window loses. 42% of Louth households heat mainly with oil (CSO Census 2022), and SEAI's fuel cost comparison of 1 July 2026 puts heating oil at 12.6c per kWh, VAT included (SEAI). Electricity, at 34.38c, costs more than twice as much per unit of heat as oil or gas.

Main central heatingLouthIreland
Oil42%39%
Natural gas40%33%
Electricity7%12%
Coal, peat or wood3%9%

Share of all households, including those that didn't state a fuel: CSO Census 2022, table SAP2022T6T5CTY.

Drogheda has about 1,951 heating degree days a year on Met Éireann's 1991–2020 averages, against 2,079 for Ireland (our sum, base 15.5°C). The heat a window loses rises in step with that number.

Every SEAI home grant needs a BER after the work, so the BERs done for grant claims track finished grant jobs of every kind. In Louth there were 1,532 in 2024, 1,512 in 2025 and 2,191 in 2026 up to 29 October: 50.1 per 1,000 homes built before 2011, against 42.1 nationally (SEAI's BER register). SEAI received over 7,000 windows and doors applications nationally in the first three months of the grant (SEAI).

The window grant by home type

The grant is the same in Louth as in every other county: a fixed amount for the windows by home type, whatever the number of windows, plus €800 for each external door, up to two.

Home typeWindows grantDoors (up to two)Most you can get
Detached house€4,000€800 each€5,600
Semi-D or end of terrace€3,000€800 each€4,600
Mid-terrace€1,800€800 each€3,400
Apartment€1,500€800 each€3,100

Source: SEAI windows and doors grant, checked 29 October 2026.

What's left after the grant, on SEAI's national median costs for January to June 2026. No county medians are published, so none are given here:

Home typeSEAI median cost, windowsWindows grantTypical cost after grant
Detached house€10,453€4,000€6,453
Semi-D or end of terrace€7,110€3,000€4,110
Mid-terrace€4,650€1,800€2,850
Apartment€4,196€1,500€2,696

Costs: SEAI median costs, January to June 2026, from SEAI's median costs PDF (a sample of 23,412 completed upgrades; the cost each contractor submitted to SEAI at grant payment; VAT status not stated on the PDF), read 29 October 2026. Grants: seai.ie, checked 29 October 2026.

  • A home built and occupied before 2011, with an MPRN
  • Single or older double glazing being replaced
  • Good or Very Good heat loss on the BER after the work
  • An SEAI-registered contractor, and SEAI's approval before work starts

The rules in full: SEAI window grant, door grant, how to apply and One Stop Shop or apply yourself. Over 66? Your council's grant is on window grants over 66.

FAQ

Louth questions

Is the window grant different in Louth?

No. SEAI pays the same fixed amounts in every county: €1,500 to €4,000 for windows by home type, plus €800 a door, up to two. What differs is the homes: 48% of Louth's pre-2011 BERs already pass the heat loss test, against 49% nationally.

How many Louth homes pass the heat loss test?

48% of BER certificates for Louth homes built before 2011 that show an HLI are below 2.3, the 12th highest share of the 26 counties. The median is 2.33. The median detached house, semi-D, end of terrace and mid-terrace is at or above 2.3.

How many Louth homes still have single glazing?

8.8% of BERs for Louth homes built before 2011 show single glazing, and 56% older double glazing with a U-value of 2.5 or worse. Both count for the grant.

How many Louth homes are too new for the grant?

Census 2022 counted 4,356 Louth households in homes built in 2011 or later, 9% of the total. SEAI's windows grant is only for homes built and occupied before 2011.

Who will ring me in Louth?

One SEAI-registered contractor who covers Louth. They look at the windows and doors, ask about your BER and give you a written price. Nothing is booked until you say yes, and SEAI approves the grant before any work starts.

Your grant

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Tap your home type, when it was built and what you're replacing. Your SEAI grant shows as you go. Then leave your number and one SEAI-registered contractor who covers your area rings you with a price.

What type of home is it?

SEAI pays a fixed amount for the windows by type of home.

By sending, you agree to Window Grants passing your details to one SEAI-registered contractor who covers your area, so they can contact you about the job. windowgrants.ie is not SEAI or a government body and does not award grants. Privacy notice