As we welcome 2013, many are looking at their own home and how they can improve it and, in turn, save money due to an increase in energy efficiency. Where many modern properties are incredibly energy efficient, older homes could contribute to a rise in monthly payments, unless some home improvements are considered.
Ever since we moved into our circa 1920’s house I have been trying to small upgrades that we are finally starting to see nice returns from. I know doing a boiler is a big expensive project, consider doing smaller ones unless you are able to afford a boiler.
The trusty boiler is one of the worst offenders when it comes to using up energy resources. The impact that an old boiler can have on household costs is prolific, which is why replacing your boiler should come at the top of your home improvement’s list if you’re due a new one. British Gas boilers are a superb investment and with plenty of government schemes in place to help you afford this pricey commodity, you could be saving up to £200 a year on your bills in no time. It’s not difficult to do either – you can order a new boiler online and it can be installed in your home in a matter of days.
Double glazing may be at the more expensive end of the price range, but it’s an investment to be truly considered. If you’re planning on staying in your home for the foreseeable future, you could reap the rewards and see the changes in next to no time. Savings of up to £165 a year are reported; combine double glazing with some good, thick curtains and you can guarantee some excellent savings as well as a rise in energy efficiency.
Make sure that the heat doesn’t escape your home by improving your insulation. Whether its loft or wall insulation, you can make huge savings if you improve on what you have. Increasing the depth of loft insulation up to the recommended 270mm can save £25 a year, while the cost of insulating your walls can be made back in as little as 2 years.
Not all home improvements need to be costly. Replacing your bulbs with energy efficient alternatives, using thick, lined curtains on your windows or carrying out a DIY fix to keep the drafts at bay can all help to reduce your monthly payments, increase your energy efficiency and help to make your house a home.
We recently replaced all of our bulbs. The electric company here was selling energy efficient bulbs for only $0.50 so we decided to jump on that!
Wow that is dirt cheap. That was one of the first upgrades that I did. It is probably time to upgrade to an even more efficient one now. That was a few years back.
We have done quite a few things to make our house more energy efficient, but the biggest issue for us is how our A/C unit is too small for our home. We have to crank that baby all the time in order to make the house comfortable. It is too small to properly heat and cool the house. If we weren’t planning on moving, that would be done.
@ Grayson – thanks for the heads up…Ill make sure we do not buy your house 🙂 That is another thing that many do not realize too, you need the right size equipment for the size of the house even though it might be efficient, if it is undersized running all the time eliminates any efficiencies.
I suppose it depends on how you want to invest current capital. Great points, here.
I’m still conflicted. We also replaced all of our bulbs to save electricity but noticed that the whole house is much more dark now. It is not the same light. So far it has proven as a real trade off.
I am glad that energy efficient homes are becoming mainstream. 10+ years ago people would baulk at the idea, but in this economy, ways to save $ are becoming popular!
We are an energy star certified household, and it has done wonders for us. (Initially more expensive, but not in the longrun).