With homes emitting a quarter of the UK's CO2 emissions, saving energy at home is a hot topic for environmentalists. But going green can also help increase your property's value.
Energy efficiency ratings
Home Information Packs (HIPs) have been made compulsory when selling homes of four bedrooms or more, and will be rolled out to all properties. A key element of the Pack, the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) will give your home an A-H rating - making it important to take steps towards energy efficiency in your home before you come to sell. Here are a few earth-friendly ideas that will make your home greener, and also increase its value.
Solar panels
If you're generating your own renewable energy, you'll have minimal or no electricty bills, and a clean, green source. Homes with solar panel installations will receive a higher EPC rating - and could even make you money through selling excess electricity to the National Grid. Not only are lower energy bills appealing to buyers, but you could attract a premium price for your property based on the unusual and unique style the solar panel itself creates.
Double glazing
As well as filtering out unwanted noise, double glazing is a great way of keeping heat in the home, allowing you to turn down your thermostat by one or two degrees.
Double glazing comes as standard in most new builds, putting single-glazed homes at a disadvantage when it comes to selling. Investing in double glazing could be a sensible move to boost your home's appeal in an increasingly competitive market.
Loft insulation
Because a large proportion of your home's heat is lost through the roof, insulating your loft could cut your energy bills by up to £200 a year. The greenest way to do this is by using insulation made from recycled paper, or processed sheep's wool.
Being able to market your home as being an eco-friendly, fully insulated property is likely to add thousands to the value of the home. It'll also help improve your EPC rating.
Overlooked areas
Propertyfinder's Jim Buckle believes that more unusual ways of making your home energy efficient shouldn't be overlooked:
"It is evident that energy efficiency is an increasing consideration among homeowners, with saving money a priority. Most people already take advantage of double-glazing, loft and boiler insulation – which generate some savings – yet few are taking advantage of the lesser-known measures.
Cavity wall and under-floor insulation as well as condensing boilers can generate much greater savings on fuel bills."
Condensing boilers
A condensing boiler incorporates an extra heat exchanger which removes the heat from burning fuel and cools combustion products. The end result produces less carbon dioxide. After the initial investment, this type of boiler costs less to run, and you'll have lower energy bills in the long term.
Cavity walls
A third of all heat lost from an uninsulated home is lost through the walls, so this is a great energy saving investment. Cavity walls alone can save you up to £160 a year on your energy bills. The insulation costs around £260 so you'll start saving money in as little as two years - make sure prospective buyers are aware of this benefit.
Related articles
Cavity wall and under-floor insulation as well as condensing boilers can generate much greater savings on fuel bills.
propertyfinder's Jim Buckle
Did you know?
- 63% of adults in Britain would pay more for an energy efficient home
Source: Wosley
- 33% of first-time buyers would not consider buying a property that was not energy efficient
- The average domestic annual energy bill is almost £1,000
Source: Clydesdale Bank
- 48% of home owners would be motivated to increase the energy efficiency in their home if it added value to the property
Source: propertyfinder.com
- The government has said that eco-friendly homes valued under half a million pounds will be exempt from stamp duty at least until 2012
- Government grants for making your home greener are available
- The government has set a target for all new homes to be carbon neutral by 2016
Saving energy tips
1. Turn off lights when you leave a room
2. Don’t leave equipment on standby
3. Use energy saving light bulbs
4. Fix leaky taps
5. Close curtains at night to preserve heat
6. Open curtains in the day to let light and heat in
7. Turn the thermostat down a degree or two
8. Avoid covering up radiators
9. Use a washing line to dry clothes
10. Block draughts from windows and doors
Your comments (8)
Annie (East Riding of Yorkshire), on 19/03/2008 at 00:12
Our house is a 1947 semi ex-council owned. We have spent quite a lot of money bringing it up to date. We have double glazed windows but our front door is oak and one of the doors to the garden is solid wood too. The conservatory has uPVC doors. We have failed to stop the draughts coming in from the back and front doors in the high winds and don't want to resort to plastic so we have put up curtains and excluders in the form of 'sausages' on the floor to help. We have tried to source a storm type door for the front door which faces north east but cannot find one in Britain. My partner is going to try and make one that we can remove in the summer.
Speshalkay (Newcastle upon Tyne), on 20/12/2007 at 14:43
I have a huge problem with the sweeping statements people make regarding insulation and double glazing etc. Any older house like mine doesn't have cavities and if you stop the air coming in they become damp as they are designed to breath. Also U-PVC will become the asbestos of the 21st century. It is incredibly toxic in production and doesn't fullfil the claims made for being maintenace proof, but when it comes time to get rid of it, it is going to sit in landfill for millenia! I almost cry when I see someone take out wonderful original 100year old sliding sashes, and replace them with plastic. It's a HUGE mistake.
KMV (East Dorset), on 21/11/2007 at 16:38
I think that all these comments should be sent,not only to the relevant Govt. Departments, but to every MP so that they can lobby the Departments and the EU. This should make a case for the EU to bring to bear their legislation making universal grants available for this across Europe. Is this practicable? I am not au-fait with the way things work there, but it would seem to me it could show how useful the EU should be in Green Energy Availability and in Energy Saving.
VCM (Chiltern), on 20/11/2007 at 13:53
You note that Government grants are available for people to make their houses more energy efficient. However, it is difficult to find out any reliable information regarding this and nowhere have I found anything to suggest that the Government will provide any realistic subsidies for things such as solar panels, wind generators etc. The only help that seems to really exist out there seems to be linked to a requirement that the applicant must be receiving benefits already. This compares very poorly with countries suchas Germany, Denmark, Spain etc in which the greater part of the costs are often met by the government, with the obvious result that they are far ahead of UK on the success of their energy saving progress.
It could be very helpful if you were to run an article explaining what help is supposed to be available and how/where people can find out how to access it.
Rgds,
VCM (Chiltern), on 20/11/2007 at 13:46
You note that Government grants are available for people to make their houses more energy efficient. However, it is difficult to find out any reliable information regarding this and nowhere have I found anything to suggest that the Government will provide any realistic subsidies for things such as solar panels, wind generators etc. The only help that seems to really exist out there seems to be linked to a requirement that the applicant must be receiving benefits already. This compares very poorly with countries suchas Germany, Denmark, Spain etc in which the greater part of the costs are often met by the government.
It could be very helpful if you were to run an article explaining what help is supposed to be available and how/where people can find out how to access it.
Rgds,
Skip to comments | Add a comment
Pete (East Sussex) (Rother), on 21/09/2007 at 14:56
I own a 1960's 3 Bed roomed Bungalow that has cavity wall insulation, installed by the previous owner, prior to 1994.
When I had the guttering (which was asbestos) replaced with plastic, the workmen informed me that there are larger areas where the insulation has missed. It appears that the missed areas are the places where I don't suffer damp problems (condensation). The "Department of Going Green" inform me that it would cost a fortune to sort out because the foam would have to be removed and replaced with an updated foam injection.
All the windows are double glazed, but are over sized according to the latest Building Regulations. The Boiler is a Com-bi, but six years old.
I have increased the loft insulation to 100mm, from 25mm, but not any deeper because
1. I fear that the old plasterboard does not have a condensation membrane.
2. I have been told the covering electrical wiring with insulation is against IEE codes, which would probably mean re-wiring the House!
Does this mean that I am not "Green" enough and will not be allowed to sell my property without paying a lot more money (from a minimum pension) on it ?
If I did 'update' would I get more problems with condensation etc.?
Maggie, Clacks (Clackmannanshire), on 21/09/2007 at 10:33
Owning as pensioners a 3 bedroom cottage we applied for a grant for insulation. With only a small access to one side of the house the surveyer refused to go up to look, even though a plumber could get up to put a new tank. When a lath and plaster cieling came down in the bedroom, they refused to grant the builderl permission to do the insulation while repareing the ceiling. Then when the Central heating (28 years old) gave up, we applied again for a grant and was told it would be 6mths before they could come out to asses(mid winter) As a coupl in their 70's the two jobs cost us a fortune, and living in Scotland we are not entitled to the £400.00 discount that England get for pensioners.
Liz (Kennet), on 20/09/2007 at 17:47
I would love to do some of these fuel saving things, but consider the plight of the owner of a Listed Building! We are not allowed solar panels, double glazing or to hang washing out in the gardens. The attics are sealed so we cannot check the insulation.
It's time District Councils reviewed their rules, especially with regard to double glazing which can be provided in sash type windows so that you would hardly know they are there.
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