You don’t have to build an eco-pod to make your home environmentally friendly. Today, there are many ways of making a difference without changing the look and feel of your property. If you don’t like the unsightly look of solar panels on your roof, permeable grass-guard on your driveway, or the use of rammed earth or straw bale instead of brick, here are some ways you can install environmental upgrades without aesthetic compromise. Take a look at some modern options for upgrading your home.
Cavity Wall Insulation
Cavity wall insulation is a great way to upgrade your home environmentally because it’s completely invisible to anyone walking around in your living space. Most modern homes are built with air gaps in the walls and the result is up to 35% of heat being lost on a daily basis. Cavity wall insulation can eliminate the problems of heat loss, giving you a more effective consumption of energy in the home. This is currently available free of charge from UK energy saving experts, The Mark Group.
Loft Insulation
Loft insulation is another energy saving upgrade which can help to trap in heat within your property. It is said that around 25% of the heat in your home could be lost through the roof so installing the right insulation could work wonders with your energy bills – without affecting the design aesthetics of your interior or exterior. This is a very cheap upgrade to add to your house and could even qualify for grants / free installation through the Green Deal or the ECO.
Ground Source Heat Pumps
Ground source heat pumps extract heat from the ground through a network of pipes. These pipes are installed underground so they will not be seen in your garden, and they are able to completely replace a conventional boiler system. Just as you would expect from a boiler, ground source heat pumps can provide instant hot water and central heating. It is also powerful enough to provide the energy for underfloor heating so you won’t have to make any compromises.
All Condensing Boilers
Sometimes, the quickest and easiest way to upgrade your home’s energy efficiency is to replace your boiler with a modern one. If you have an old boiler, the likelihood is that it’s not as efficient as it could be. All modern boilers are designed to be all condensing, meaning that they all work at 90% efficiency; upgrading could help you make huge savings in your energy bills. When looking for a new boiler, be sure to choose the highest energy rating (rated from A to G); figures have shown that upgrading from an old G-rated boiler to a new A-rated boiler could save over £400 in energy costs each year for the average household.
