How do you make your home energy efficient?
Energy efficiency is more important than it has ever been before so how do you make your home energy efficient?
The world around us is changing, and it owes to the fact that there are more humans than ever before, producing more CO2 than ever before. On an individual level, the efficiency of our homes and the objects within it helps to define how much CO2 we, personally, put out into the environment.
The average British home produces an astonishing 5 tonnes of CO2 a year, for reference. Cumulatively, that CO2 has a significant impact on the environment.
Of course, that’s not the only reason many of us are looking to improve our energy efficiency. For lots of British homeowners, the primary driver is their energy bills.
Energy prices have risen dramatically in recent years, despite more low-cost renewable energy than ever entering the grid. It’s proven to be a difficult pill for many homes to swallow, with many homes looking for ways to improve their efficiency.
In this guide, we’re going to share with you how to know whether your home is energy efficient and how to improve your efficiency. So, let’s get started.
How do you know if your house is energy efficient?
By UK law, any property which is built, sold or rented must have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). The EPC contains information about the property’s typical energy use and costs, alongside recommendations on how to improve energy efficiency.
The first port of call for discovering the energy efficiency of your home should be the EPC Register. Simply click the link, enter your postcode and click your property for a PDF of the certificate.
Should your property lack an EPC, you’ll find that some energy companies offer free surveys which generate similar reports to the EPC, like nPower.
What can you do to improve efficiency?
No two homes are exactly alike and, consequently, no two energy profiles are either. There are a million ways, little and large, you can improve the energy efficiency of a home, it’s merely a matter of which apply to your property. What follows are just a few ideas that any home can incorporate:
Insulate – A huge amount of heat is lost through roofs, floors and walls. By installing insulation throughout your house, you can dramatically improve the thermal properties of your home for a warmer winter and colder summer, in addition to huge energy savings.
Check your Boiler – On average a boiler accounts for 55% of the energy used in a house, so it’s worth checking whether it’s worth buying a new, more efficient model. Old boilers not only perform poorly but they suck up massive amounts of energy. The same goes for any old appliance, as newer models are almost always far more energy efficient.
Replace/Repair Windows – Windows which leak air, are broken or are single glazed can dramatically cool your property, resulting in much higher energy usage. Check them and repair/replace is possible.
We can go through your home and advise and help you when you are planning on making any of the changes above, reconfiguring or extending. Just give us a call for an informal chat!
