9 ways to save money on energy

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If you’ve been thinking about how to make your home more energy efficient, here are some “green” property features you may want to keep in mind.

What is an energy-efficient property?

In most cases, an energy-efficient home is a house or a flat with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating between A-C. In many cases, having a high rating also means you reduce your negative impact on the environment, and you pay less in energy bills.

How energy efficient is my home?

Every home should have an energy certificate, including an EPC, in which you can see how energy efficient your home is. The EPC rating also offers suggestions as to what improvements you can make to become more energy efficient. If you’ve misplaced or can’t find the energy certificate, you can research it on the Government website.

5 quick and easy tips to make your home more energy-efficient

To help you make “greener” choices and save some money at the same time, here are our top tips and quick-wins to help you save energy and money.

  1. Turn the lights off in rooms you don’t use.
  2. Don’t leave appliances in stand-by mode.
  3. Install a smart meter that allows you to easily adjust your heating schedule, even when you’re not at home.
  4. Turn the heating down. By turning down your heating by 1 °C, you could reduce your energy bills by up to 10%.***
  5. Use energy-efficient lightbulbs. Although an LED lightbulb may have a larger up-front cost, it will last longer and help you reduce your energy consumption.

What further energy-efficient home improvements can I make?

In addition to the above tips, there are many more “green” improvements you can do to make your home more energy efficient.

Below, we’ll explore various other energy-saving options that you may want to consider:

Insulation

Insulating a property is a key component in energy-efficient homes. Various types of insulation exist to help regulate the temperatures in a flat or house, including ground floor insulation, solid, and cavity wall insulation and loft insulation. For this reason, you’ll often find that newly built properties tend to have better energy ratings. If you're interested in buying a new build, why not explore available homes today.

Roof, loft and ground insulation

Roof and loft insulation, as well as, ground floor insulation can help you save on your energy bills. According to the Energy Saving Trust, you can save around £35 per year on heating bills when installing the recommended 27 cm of insulation.* With three different types of loft insulation available: quilts, blown insulation or insulation boards – you’ll be able to find the type that suits your property best.

Alternative energy sources

Using renewable or alternative energy sources to gas, oil, and coal are excellent ways to ensure your property is more energy efficient.

Solar panels

Although the UK may not be known for its sunny weather, having solar panels on your roof not only makes it a more energy-efficient property, but can also help decrease your energy costs.
Contrary to popular belief, solar panels generate electricity on cloudy days, even though they won’t be as efficient. On days when your solar panels produce more energy than your home requires, this surplus can be fed back into the grid. If you’re able to claim the Feed-in Tariff from your energy provider, you could even be paid some money for exporting the electricity your solar panels created.** However, it’s important to keep in mind that installation costs may initially be high and vary according to your roof’s structure and how accessible it is.

Heat pumps

Another way to reduce your carbon footprint is by installing a heat pump. There are two different types: ground source heat pumps and air source heat pumps – both are energy-efficient ways to provide your home with hot water. The main difference being the heat source. As their names suggest, ground source heat pumps (GSHP) absorb heat from the ground and air source heat pumps (ASHP) from the surrounding air.

If you’re on the search for your perfect property and don’t want to miss out on any energy-efficient features, then get in contact today and talk to one of our property experts.

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Additional energy efficient features

Of course, the above factors aren’t the only factors to look out for. Other features, such as homes that have double or triple glazed windows, upgraded boilers and the option to install smart appliances, as well as a smart metre, can help make a real difference in how energy efficient a home is.

Upgrade your windows and doors

By replacing single-glazed windows with double or triple-glazed windows, you not only make your home more energy efficient, you also block out more outdoor noise. If you’re unable to replace the windows, you can also install secondary glazing. This does not replace the windows, but is added to the already existing windows and helps insulate the property. If you’re in a listed building, secondary glazing may be the only option available.

When investing in a more environmentally friendly property or updating certain features in your home, you’ll also find that there are various other benefits associated with it. For example, you can reduce your carbon emissions, and it may even increase your home’s value.

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Sources:

*gov.uk
**Energy Savings Trust
***WWF
MKT/UKON/080823

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