How to make your home more energy efficient
With energy bills continuing to climb, most people are preparing for a winter of change, with many families considering new ways to improve energy efficiency in their homes and wondering what grants might be available to them.
A home's energy efficiency is based on its Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating, from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient) and is valid for 10 years. There are things you can do to improve the EPC rating in your home, and we wanted to provide you with several ways to do so, and how to go about fitting them.
EPC ratings – what they mean for you
Many homes struggle to retain heat during the colder months. UK housing includes some of the worst insulated and coldest across Europe. The EPC data shows that just one third of owner-occupied homes actually achieve the most efficient ratings (A-C). Currently, the government is encouraging homeowners to drastically improve their EPC rating to band C by the year 2035. Their claim is that over half the homes that currently sit in EPC bands D-G can achieve this goal.
Landlords
From 2025, all newly rented properties will be required to have an EPC rating of C or above. Currently properties only require an EPC rating of ‘E’ or above. Existing tenancies will have until 2028 to comply with the new rule changes to allow for work taking place with tenants in situ.
How can you make your own home more energy efficient?
The various ways you can improve the energy efficiency of your home will vary based on your budget and property size/age. Let's now take you through several ways you can invest well into warmth.
Thermostatic Radiator Valves
Thermostatic radiator valves, when used effectively, are certainly worth the installation. It is actually estimated that the use of these can help you save up to 40% on your energy consumption, resulting in energy bills being drastically lower. The valves themselves are made up of two parts. The head contains an actuator that contracts and expands as the temperature varies. The body itself has a sprung plunger inside it that closes and opens the supply of water into the radiator.
Thermostatic valves can be fitted in any radiator, except the room where the thermostat is located. This means they are straight forward to install and are suitable for the majority of homes and properties. Thermostatic radiator vales typically cost between £10-£30 each, and a smart valve will set you back around £50 at the least. These will allow you to control the temperature in individual rooms and save money by not heating what isn't needed.
Grants cover the installation of thermostatic radiator valves, and you can find out more information here.
Solar Panels
Solar water heating systems rely on solar panels to warm water that is stored in a thermal store or hot water cylinder. These systems collect solar energy through the use of tubes or panels (solar collectors). Heat is produced by the collectors from the visible light's infra-red component. Using a mixture of water and glycol, the fluid is pumped around a circuit through the hot water system. A conventional boiler or immersion heater is typically utilised to compensate. They provide a small amount of heat (typically less than 10% of what the home needs to heat efficiently), but they can help to warm your home. There are other benefits, including providing around 90% of your hot water requirements in the summer, and dropping to 25% in the winter.
A standard 250W solar panel in 2022 costs £400-£500, but this can vary depending on the type and size of the whole system. A common size (4kW solar panel system) costs around £6,400 and will give your roof around 29 square metres of coverage.
You can apply for the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) – which provides financial support to small-scale renewable energy generators for the electricity the export to the grid.
The popularity of solar panels is soaring, with nearly 1 million rooftops in the UK now fitted with them. Benefits include shrinking your carbon footprint, low maintenance, saving money on your energy bills as well as getting financial help for the installation.
The size, slope and shape of your roof are all important factors to think about when it comes to suitability for your home. Solar panels perform best on south-facing roofs with a slope between 15-40 degrees, though other roofs may be suitable too. You may want to factor in the age of your roof and its condition before any panels are fitted.
Infrared heating
In contrast to conventional and conduction heating, infrared heating is radiant heating. It works by converting electricity into radiant heat and is considered very efficient, in that it is a direct transfer of heat from the heater to the object, rather than the entire house.
Due to its direct approach, infrared heating reduces heat loss. The infrared panels are made extremely efficient through this process, making them a healthier and more effective method of heating a property.
There are surprising health benefits to infrared heating, and they include:
- Immune system boost
- Improved circulation
- Allergy reduction
- Reduces joint pain and stiffness
These are all due to the targeted heating, rather than general heating that a normal system would produce.
The actual cost of running an infrared heater is a lot less than gas or oil, so based on a 500w infrared heater being on for 2 hours per day would result in a charge of around £124.
Panels are also relatively cheap, ranging from £100-£500 for a single heater panel, with installation starting at around £75 per square metre.
Benefits include no heat being lost to draughts – really zoning in on efficiency, as well as zero maintenance costs and the heaters often being able to be controlled individually using a wireless connection, so you only heat what you need to. This is a huge money saver.
There are currently no government grants for homeowners wanting to have infrared heating in their home due to the technology simply not being widespread enough yet. As popularity grows, we are certain this will change.
You can find out more information regarding fitting infrared heating here.
Insulation
Average homes lose up to 31% of its energy from floors, walls and ceilings, and 15% from ducts. Insulation is therefore becoming a popular choice of heating. Insulating your home has many benefits, including:
- Reducing heating bills by up to 50%
- Removing issues of mould
- Creates an excellent sound barrier
- Adds value to your home
- Eliminating draughts
With home insulation projects beginning to take over as one of the most popular things to do to improve its warmth, you may be wondering where you start in making it an efficient addition to your home. Well, it is actually easier than you think.
For a typical 3-bed semi detached home, you should expect to pay between £8500-£15,000 for external insulation, but internal comes in at a lower cost of around £5000-£7000.
Insulating your home is a more affordable way of improving its energy efficiency, and if you receive certain benefits, you might be able to get a grant of up to £7,500 through the Affordable Warmth Scheme.
Insulation could save you the following on your bills per year:
Loft insulation (270mm): between £135 and £250 (installation costing between £500-£850)
Floor insulation: between £30 and £75 (installation costing between £510-£3000)
Cavity wall insulation: between £85 and £280 per year (installation costing between £525-£1300)
How much you save depends on the type of your home, and its size, and the energy efficiency it already has.
Insulation will pay for itself over time, so in the long run it is worth doing, and some suppliers offer it free of charge if you fit the eligibility on the ECO Scheme.
