If you’re fed up of high energy bills and worried about the effect your home is having on the environment, there are people you can consult to help you change this. From roofers to gas engineers, there are several tradesmen qualified to make houses greener.
By carrying out an environmental makeover of your property, not only will you reduce its carbon footprint, but also make it more efficient, which means you could soon be enjoying lower energy bills. For our guide to the top eco renovations, read on.
Update your central heating
While once all properties in the UK would have been heated by coal or log fires, today there are all manner of heating systems available in houses and flats. From those running on gas to those powered by the sun, there’s plenty to choose from if you’re updating your existing system.
The most popular option is central heating, where a central gas boiler powers radiators in each room of your home. However, even here there is quite a bit of variety when it comes to the finer details. For instance, you can choose between a regular or combination boiler, the first of which has a programmer and water cylinder, while the latter heats the water supply directly. In terms of efficiency, a condensing boiler is the best option on the market today, as it is able to recover a higher proportion of the gas it burns to convert into heat than older appliances.
It’s not all about gas though, and other options include oil and biomass boilers. The latter is particularly green as it makes use of sustainable fuel – usually wood. Or, you might have electric storage heaters, which are a particularly common fixture in rented flats. These were once an economical option as they ran on off-peak electricity, but today they are more costly in terms of bills and also generate more carbon dioxide than other heating options. You could find a greener option is to use a gas condensing boiler in conjunction with solar panels, which store energy from the sun and use it to heat the water supply. A heating engineer will be able to advise you on the best appliances for your property and household’s needs.
Invest in insulation
Once you have updated your heating system, the last thing you want is to see all that hot air flowing out of your home and being lost. Poor insulation is another factor that can push up energy bills substantially, as households feel forced to counter this lost heat by turning up their radiators or leaving them on for longer.
Luckily, there are plenty of ways to cut the amount of hot air that leaks from your property through the roof, floor and brickwork. Contact an insulation installer to check your loft, walls and floor and see where improvements can be made. An important job you can do yourself is draught-proofing – and you’ll be surprised at what a difference this can make to the amount you pay for your heating.
Another good move is to invest in double glazing. In the UK, some older listed properties are not permitted to have these windows but seek the services of an expert for advice. Often, it is possible to have secondary glazing – an additional pane of glass fitted behind the original windows – installed and this acts in a similar way.
Modernise your electrics
The third of the main areas where you can make your home more efficient is its electrical system. Appliances that run on electricity account for a substantial amount of your annual bills – and investing in the latest efficient models is not the only way to save money.
If you have never had your home’s wiring checked, it is worth getting this done by a qualified electrician. They may be able to advise you of ways to make it greener and will also identify any problems, which could potentially be dangerous. Of course, simply turning off plug sockets and appliances when not in use can save you money, while giving your lighting a revamp by replacing old fixtures with ones that use LED bulbs is a particularly good step. However, just because you have purchased greener bulbs, don’t think you can get away with not turning the lights off before you leave a room!
