It doesn’t matter whether you live in a new-build home or whether you live in a period property, the chances are that you want your home to be as energy efficient as possible. The buzz words of the day are green, sustainable and environmentally friendly. While these notions are all very admirable and you do care about the planet and doing your bit, an energy inefficient home will also cost you money. Your home has every chances of becoming a money pit as you spend too much money on heating bills, your waste water, and you struggle to cool your home down in the hot summer months.
Having an energy efficient home can take more effort if you live in a pad that was built a hundred years ago. Back then, builders did not have energy efficiency at the top of their priority list when constructing homes. Instead, homes were built to be structurally sound and watertight, to provide roofs over the head of a nation’s population. Nowadays, we understand the role of architecture and construction in the building of more energy efficient homes. If you feel like your home is costing you more money than it should, take a look at these steps that you can take to make your home more energy efficient.
Heating
If you find yourself strolling past your thermostat every day during winter only to keep cranking it up, then your home isn’t retaining heat like it should. It’s time to head into your loft space to check whether you have adequate insulation in your roof space. You need at least one hundred millimeter thickness. As the name suggests, this material helps to insulate your home and retain heat. As heat rises naturally, you need a cushion to keep the heat that your home generates within your four walls rather than it escaping through the roofing of your dwelling.
Heating your home will require the use of a boiler, so try to purchase the most energy efficient example as possible. The more it costs to fire up, the more you can add onto your heating bills. Heating your home is vital throughout the winter months if you work from home and to keep your brood warm and safe and secure. You don’t want your utility bill to be through the roof so think about the measures you can take to keep it down. All of these measures will also have the knock on effect of helping the environment.
Consider investing in your home to futureproof it. If you want to be a beacon of sustainability, why not install some solar panels onto your roof? Rather than paying a small fortune to purchase electricity and gas from the grid to heat and light your home, you can utilize your own solar panels. These convert energy from the sun to power your pad. This means you can be virtually off-grid, not needing the national grid to power your dwelling at all. You may even generate too much energy for your home. If this is the case, you can sell the excess energy that you have back to the grid, possibly even making money.
If solar panels are still a little alien to you, you should at least consider the prospect of a smart thermostat. These incredible pieces of kit allow you to control the temperature of your home from your smartphone. If you are heading back home from work and the evening is much warmer than you were expecting, then it makes sense that you can head onto an app and turn your thermostat down or turn your heating off completely. This saves you from venturing into a boiling hot home and wasting your money.
If it is tricky to cool your home down during the summer months, think about investing in an energy efficient air conditioning unit. By opting to employ the services of a company like Clean Air Comfort Systems, who specialize in both heating and cooling systems, you can be sure of a balanced approach when it comes to regulating the temperature of your home. Your air con unit and your boiler should be serviced annually to make sure that you can maintain an energy efficient home.
Your windows also need to be fit for purpose. Just because you have double glazing doesn’t mean that you can retain heat. Ensure that you have fascias and seals that are intact. If they are not, you will find that cold drafts enter your home and warmth leaves your home in the winter making for higher heating bills.
Water
Water wastage is also a massive concern for many homeowners. The thought of paying water rates can be a pain for many as the collective payment for water usage is not always deemed fair. You may find that you use a lot less water than your neighbors but that you are paying the same amount monthly. Instead, consider installing a water meter in your home. This way, you will only pay for the water that your household uses in the same way as you pay for your electricity or gas. This will make you more mindful of your water usage and will encourage you to save water. You will be more likely to boil a full kettle, take shorter showers and only bathe when necessary.
Roof
It’s crucial that you look up when considering the upkeep of your home. While the interior of your pad may be warm, cozy, and draft free, your roof might not be as structurally sound as you think. Small water leaks can quickly become larger issues as damp and moisture can seep into your timberwork and joists. To combat this, you need to fix that slipped tile or repair a hole in your rooftop. If your roof looks to be bowing, water may have already built up costing you more of your hard-earned cash. Ensure that you check your roof once a month and prepare as much as possible prior to the winter months.
Your home needs to be fit for purpose for the twenty first century. By following this guide, you can ensure that your home is energy efficient while saving you money at the same time.
Kori
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