Making Your Home More Energy Efficient

Mortgages & Money

Why make your home more energy efficient? Put simply, it will save you money in the long term and make your house more pleasant in the chilly winter months and cooler on stuffy summer days by improving its energy efficiency. Efforts to reduce your energy consumption can help you to reduce your carbon footprint and contribute to protecting the environment as well as increasing the value of your home at the same time. It’s a win-win.

Improve your home’s energy efficiency with these simple tips and methods.

Boiler upgrades

Old boilers waste a lot of heat and can be inefficient. Your home’s CO2 emissions will be reduced by updating to a better model, making it more cost-effective to operate. Modern condensing boilers are the most energy efficient available, and virtually all of them in the UK have an A energy rating, which is the highest possible. If you replace an old G-rated boiler with a contemporary A-rated boiler with a full set of heating controls, you’ll save over £300 on your gas bill each year.

It’s important to bear in mind that building regulations approval is required. It is possible to obtain building regs approval by hiring a boiler contractor who belongs to an approved scheme. It is possible for them to certify that their work complies with building requirements.

Insulation

When it comes to preserving heat in your house, insulation is the most effective way to do it. Investing in a warm, well-equipped house can decrease the risk of dampness later and increase the value of the property. In the summer, insulation will make it simpler to keep your home cool. The following are the primary insulating choices available to homeowners.

Attic Insulation

Insulating the roof of a home is said to prevent one-quarter of the heat from escaping. A well-insulated attic or flat roof will considerably minimise heat loss and heating expenses. Between the joists, mineral wool insulation rolls are typically utilised, and treated cellulose or polyurethane foam is often used in difficult to reach places.

Solid wall insulation

Heat escape in older homes and Victorian-era structures is not unusual. Solid masonry walls are common in these houses, and they are easy to insulate by attaching insulation boards to the inside walls or attaching insulation to the outside walls, and then completing the insulation with render or siding. Both internally and externally, adding insulation to solid walls needs careful attention. Building inspectors in your area can provide assistance and advice.

Renovation work on 25 percent or more of an exterior wall, that is, installing a new layer or replacing an existing layer, is subject to building regulations. Your local council’s building control authority will be pleased to give advice and assistance with your home renovation.

Cavity Walls

In certain houses, the inner and outer walls feature hollow gaps in between them that serve as insulation. It takes only a few hours to insulate these gaps, and it’s not nearly as expensive as insulate solid walls. One big advantage when done from outside of your house is that no mess is created. What is the process for accomplishing this? Outside the exterior wall, small holes are made and then insulation is injected into the cavities. It is then necessary to fill in any remaining holes using a material that matches the existing surface finish.

Contractors that do cavity wall insulation are likely to be registered with the Cavity Wall Insulation Self Certification Scheme (CWISC) and a notification of the installation will be submitted to the local building control department.

Floor insulation

Floor insulation saves less than wall or roof insulation, but the procedures are easier and less expensive. Insulating ground floors is the primary goal and yields the most benefits. You don’t need to insulate higher floors unless they’re above unheated areas, such as a garage.

In older houses, it’s probable that the flooring is suspended timber; you can confirm this by checking underneath the carpet. Lift the floorboards and place mineral wool insulation over a layer of netting between the joists to insulate the floor surface.

Smart Meters

Smart metres let you keep track of how much energy is consumed, when it is consumed and how much it will cost you. Energy management will improve as a result of real-time access to correct information, which will reduce waste and save money in the long run. Using smart controls, you may target different parts of your home or modify timings and settings while you’re away from home. This can be done with the convenience of using your smartphone.

Your energy company will give you the smart metres and IHD devices free of charge. The cost of the smart metre is largely covered by your energy bills.

Despite the fact that you are not legally required to have one, the government plans to make smart metres commonplace throughout the UK by 2024. This is part of the UK government’s commitment to carbon reduction and sustainability goals.

Windows

A lot of heat may seep out of a building via the windows. Energy efficient windows-double or triple glazing-may cost more initially, but they will save you money in the long run. They will also minimise external noise and provide better protection against the weather.

In the Building Regulations, external windows are classified as ‘controlled fittings’ and must comply with specific criteria when erected or changed. Among them is the maximum amount of heat that may be conveyed through the glass.

If your windows are installed by a Competent Person Scheme-registered installer, you will not need to apply for building control permission. You’ll receive a certificate of conformity with building regulations after the work is completed.