Ways to Improve Your Home’s Energy Efficiency Rating
With sky-high energy prices and the ongoing cost of living crisis, many households are seeking ways to reduce their energy consumption. In today’s guide, we’ll explore the best ways of making your home more energy efficient, which is one of the best ways of keeping your energy bills down. It’s also a cheaper alternative to changing your energy system (e.g., installing a solar panel array installed).
What is a Household Energy Efficiency Rating?
Every property has an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). Your home may have received just one in its lifetime (i.e., when it was built). However, a new EPC is required whenever a property is sold or first rented out.
Regardless, your household will have an EPC which will signify how energy efficient your home is, ranging from G to E. Most homes in the UK have an EPC rating of D. For that reason, the best measures for improving your home’s energy efficiency rating will naturally depend on its current rating.
With that said, let’s look at some popular solutions to improving a household’s energy efficiency. Of course, you should double-check whether these improvements are needed for your home before researching these options further.
How to Improve Your Home’s Energy Efficiency Rating
So, what can you do to enhance your household’s EPC rating? Let’s explore.
Insulation
Insulation is one of the first things that likely come to mind when you think of making a home more energy efficient. Insulating your walls can go a long way to improving your EPC rating.
As for the price, the cost of cavity wall insulation and solid wall insulation can vary depending on a range of factors, including the size of your property and where you are located. Location matters because labour prices differ across the UK (as applicable to any of the jobs described in this article). For example, prices are generally higher in the southeast of England, while you’ll likely find below-average labour costs in northern England or Scotland.
You may want to go down the route of having insulation added only to your internal, external, or both. However, whatever the case, you’ll need to set aside a sufficient budget.
Aside from having wall insulation added to your home, you may be interested in the following:
- Loft insulation
- Floor insulation.
- Having an insulating jacket added to your hot water tank. *
*These insulating jackets only cost around £20 to £30, making them a handy way of saving money and improving your home’s energy efficiency.
We recommend consulting with a professional to get an idea of what types of insulation would improve your home’s energy efficiency the most while sticking within the limitations of your budget.
Double or Triple Glazed Windows
Another option is to make your windows more energy efficient. If you currently have single-glazed windows installed throughout your home, consider adding double or triple-glazed windows.
All windows replaced with double or triple-glazed units would likely cost a few thousand pounds. We’d suggest going with double-glazed windows in terms of value for money. The benefits of switching from single-glazed to double-glazed windows are more dramatic. If you want maximum energy efficiency, go with triple-glazed.
Upgrade Your Boiler
If you have an old, inefficient boiler, consider replacing it with a modern, A-rated boiler. For instance, modern combi boilers have an energy efficiency of at least 90%. Having a new boiler installed generally costs around £1,000 to £2,500, although it would depend on the type and quality of boiler you opt for, among other factors.
Opt for a Smart Meter
Lastly, you should not overlook having a smart meter installed. Smart meters give households a far clearer idea of how much energy they are using, allowing them to reduce it intelligently and informally. Smart meters can’t lead to an immediate improvement in energy efficiency, but they can act as a guide, leading you in the right direction.
Sources:
https://www.theecoexperts.co.uk/home-hub/improve-your-epc-rating
