3 Ways To Boost Your Home’s Eco-Credentials and Save Money
Green living and sustainable homes are becoming increasingly sought after in the UK, and demand for green properties has been massively underestimated by developers and, indeed, the government alike. With nearly 80% of millennial home buyers saying they would prefer to invest in property where there are already some eco benefits or sustainable practices being used, and around 80% of first-time buyers wanting a greener home or would be willing to consider a property that has eco-friendly features; it might be worth looking at how you can improve your sustainability if you’re thinking of selling soon or this isn’t your forever home.
Solar Panels
Solar panels aren’t a new thing, and if you want to lower those energy bills and use a more sustainable form of energy, investing in solar panels for your home can be a great option. A typical UK home’s solar panel system can cost around £9,000 to £10,000. You can expect to save just under £8000 per year on energy bills while reducing your reliance on fossil fuels to heat and power your home. This means that you will typically break even after around 11 to 15 years. It might not be the right investment for everyone, especially if you’re focused only on savings. However, if you want a more sustainable option for powering your home, then a solar panel installation is worth considering.
Heat Pumps
If you want to find a more sustainable way to heat your home, then you can look at investing in an air-source heat pump. If you need to upgrade your boiler or heating systems and you want a more eco-friendly choice, then making the switch to a heat pump system can be a good option. Plus, these choices come with grants available to homeowners from the government under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, where people can claim £5,000 under the scheme to purchase and install an air source heat pump. Investment-wise, you’re looking at 20 years before you break even, but it’s a more eco-friendly option than a gas boiler and will reduce those heating bills, too.
Insulation
One of the best green choices you can make for our home is to make sure it’s properly insulated. Essentially, insulation keeps the heat from escaping your home, meaning it’s better for the environment and your bank balance at the same time.
A well-insulated home takes less energy to heat as the materials used for the insulation stop or limit how much heat can escape. Let’s look at roof insulation. Typically, roof insulation costs around £600 on average but could save you up to £375 per year, meaning it pays itself off within 2 years, and you can enjoy more significant savings after this time. Cavity wall insulation is more expensive but still worth investing in at approximately £1,500 with the same type of savings (break even if around 4 years for this) but combined with roof insulation, you could be looking at saving hundreds of pounds each year on your energy bills, and that is nothing to be sniffed at.
If you want to make good investments in your home and boost its eco credentials, these three choices are excellent options for homeowners to consider.
