Make Your Home More Energy Efficient

An Efficient Home Means Lower Energy Bills and Higher Selling Price

According to Rightmove, homeowners are getting as much as 16% extra on average when selling their properties if the energy performance certificate (EPC) rating has improved.

Those who had upgraded their rating from an F to a C added an average of 16% to the price achieved for their home. Moving from an E to a C banked sellers an extra 8% on average, and moving from a D to a C resulted in an average of 4% extra. There are also very early signs that better-rated homes could sell more quickly than poorly rated ones.

Read on to find out big and small tips that work together to make a truly energy-efficient home.

Upgrade Windows and Doors

A lot of heat in your home can leak through the windows. Installing double or triple glazing might cost you more initially. Still, energy-efficient windows will save you money in the long term, plus you’ll get other benefits such as reduced external noise and better protection from the outside elements. 

Double glazing is the most common type, made up of two panes of glass with a sealed gap between, filled with air or inert gas.  Triple glazing comprises three panes of glass with two gaps and can be more effective than double glazing. 

Insulate Your Home

Insulation can bring the most significant benefits in terms of retaining heat in your home and reducing the need for heating. In most cases, it will pay for itself in 5 years or less – then roll on the savings from there.

It’s believed that one-quarter of heat is lost through the roof of a house which isn’t insulated. Installing insulation in your loft, attic, or flat roof will significantly reduce heat loss and heating bills. 

Add wall insulation also. Check what type of walls you have, solid walls or cavity walls. You need to know how your walls are built because the methods of insulating each type are quite different. 

Savings related to floor insulation are small compared to wall or roof insulation, but the methods tend to be simpler and less expensive. Keep your house warm by insulating the ground floor.

Draught Proofing

Draught-proofing is one of the cheapest and most effective ways to save energy and money.,

Controlled ventilation helps reduce condensation and dampness by letting fresh air in when needed. To draught-proof your home, you should block up unwanted gaps that let cold air in and warm air out. Saving warm air means you’ll use less energy to heat your home, save money, and make your home snug and warm.

Upgrade Your Boiler

Old boilers tend to lose a lot of heat and are less efficient. Upgrading to a newer model means it will be cheaper to run, and you’ll be kind to the environment by reducing your home’s carbon dioxide emissions. It is estimated that replacing an old G-rated boiler with a modern A-rated boiler with a complete set of heating controls will save you around £340 a year on your gas bill.

Use Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs

Energy-efficient light bulbs last up to 12 times as long as traditional bulbs, using less electricity to emit the same amount of light as a conventional bulb. They’re an energy-efficient option, helping you reduce your home’s carbon footprint. The most common energy-saving light bulbs are light emitting diode (LED), compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) and halogen incandescent. 

For the average home, energy-saving light bulbs can save about £35 a year and 120kg of carbon dioxide.

Invest in Solar Panels

According to a government report in 2020, more than 970,000 UK homes have solar panels – and numbers are “increasing rapidly”.

Powering your home with solar energy is the world’s fastest-growing renewable energy solution. And it’s not surprising, as typically, a 12-panel solar system and a 5.2kW battery could see savings of up to £809 a year on your home’s electricity bill.

The three key benefits of solar panels are:

• Electricity all year round.
• Increase the market value of your property and earn money from solar grants.
• Reduce your carbon footprint. 

The UK has committed to an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Taking more energy-efficient measures in your home will save energy and reduce your annual bills. 

We hope this helps!

Foundation are a group of local property experts, offering our services in Canterbury, Faversham, Sandwich, Whitstable, Deal and the surrounding areas.

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