Energy consumption is quickly becoming a hugely prominent factor when it comes to buying and selling property. With energy-ratings playing a crucial part in determining house prices, there are more than just environmental benefits to think about. Here’s a few pointers to creating an energy-saving home.
Insulation
Insulation is imperative in every new build home, and it’s easy to see why. Heat rises – and so trapping that heat and preventing it from escaping by padding out the inner lining of your loft, attic of roofing can have great benefits. 25% of your home’s heat is lost through the loft. As a result, the Energy Saving Trust recommends 270mm depth of insulation at the top of your home.
35% of heat is lost through the walls too. Ensure your house has cavity walls as opposed to solid walls. Solid walls don’t have the inner duvet-like lining that cavity walls have. Houses built before the 1930s or 1920s tend to have solid walls. If you’re looking to further insulate the walls, consider the various materials and types such as matting, loose-fill, blown insulation or rigid insulation boards. Bear in mind, insulation could save you up to £320 per year alone.
Skylights, Conservatories & Orangeries
Why have the need to switch the boiler on when you can let the sun do the work? Heat your home from above by inviting the sun’s rays into your home with skylights or windows in the ceiling of your home. Skylight windows on the top of your roof or even tilted windows at an angle are great for allowing sunlight into the house.
Conservatories and orangeries tend to use a greater ratio of windows to walls than regular extensions or walls, allowing for your home to trap more light and heat. Of course, you’ll need high quality windows in order to prevent any cooler air to enter during the colder months.
High-Quality Windows & Doors
High quality windows & doors are energy efficient. Modern, professionally fitted uPVC windows with double-glazing as standard already do a great job keeping out the drafts and cold and keeping in the precious warm air.
Older homes are likely to have outdated doors and windows that don’t have the energy saving and heat retaining benefits of new, high quality products. Wooden frames warp and allow cold air into the home, whilst single-glazing has a hard time retaining hot air.
Solar Panels
There’s no better way of saving energy than producing your own. Solar panels are a great step towards achieving the government’s Renewable Energy Strategy Feed-In Tarriff, which aims to have 30% of all electricity generated from renewable energy sources.
Solar panels are also becoming increasingly advanced so that they don’t even require direct sunlight – they are able to produce electricity during all weather, even if the cloud looms above. Solar panels alone can supply over half your hot water, saving approximately 50% to 60% of your annual water-heating bill.
If you would like further advice on creating an energy saving home, or if you would like to make an enquiry about conservatories, solar panels or windows & doors, get in touch with the team at Notaro Windows in Somerset on 01278 662298. Alternatively, you can contact us via our online contact form.