It doesn’t matter whether you are building, extending, or even renovating your home, because there are a number of things you can do to try and make the most out of your renovation. You can also use this guide as a way to keep your household bills low while reducing your overall carbon footprint, which is great to say the least.
Add some Insulation
One of the first things you need to try and do is add some insulation to your home. Whether you are building from scratch or simply renovating your home, one of the best things you can do is try and take more of a fabric-first approach. You need to insulate your walls, and you also need to try and make sure that you include modern methods of upgrading your property. It may be that you look into thin joint blockwork or that you look into things like structured insulated panels. These are all very good ways for you to achieve a level of thermal performance that will make a real difference to your energy bills.
If you are renovating, then you need to make sure that you choose the best eco-friendly upgrades. Improving your insulation is also one of the best things you can do, so keep that in mind. If you have cavity walls but your home doesn’t have good insulation, then you can try and inject some cavity wall insulation. If your home was built before 1919, then there is a good chance that it doesn’t have a cavity, but either way, you need to keep this in mind if you can, as it could help you to find new and efficient ways to upgrade your home.
Air Tightness
Air tightness is also the key to having an energy-efficient home. Air leakage is when air moves in and out of your home through smaller gaps. If you want to stop this from happening, then you need to find out where your biggest issues are. Consider the airtightness from the start if you are building your home from scratch. This can go hand-in-hand with other things as well. Bear in mind that other complex designs can be difficult to work with, so going simple with your construction is often the best way for you to work around this. If you are working with your existing home, then ventilation can be key. Controlled pathways for airflow can be added via mechanical ventilation, and it can also assist with heat recovery systems. Adding a plant room can also help to filter the air, making it easier for you to maintain clean air while getting the overall result you need. Small things, like sealing the gaps in your wooden floor and around your window, can help a lot here as well.
Consider Smaller Rooms
It is also important for you to consider making your rooms smaller. Homes in the past were often built to have smaller rooms, as it was one of the best ways to warm and cool them properly. This helped with energy efficiency as well. Even though having an open-plan room is great, especially if you want a more social environment, you do need to take note of the fact that having smaller rooms will help you with energy efficiency. If you are thinking about knocking some walls through in your period home, then there is nothing wrong with this, but it may end up working against you. If you want to make a big difference, then trying to install underfloor heating, amongst other upgrades, can really work to your advantage.
High-Performance Windows
If you haven’t done so yet, then now could also be a good time for you to invest in some new windows. All you have to do is look online and search for terms like window installations near me, and when you do, you will find a huge list of providers who can easily meet your requirements. Just make sure that you work with your designer or your supplier, as they can help you to make sure that your windows are being integrated into your home’s design and that you meet the latest energy efficiency guidelines. You may also want to look into triple glazing, as again, this is a great way for you to upgrade the energy efficiency of your home.
Renewable Energy
If you have not thought about it yet, then you may also want to give some thought to things like renewable energy. Once you have the basics right, you are then in a position to look at things like renewables. Heat pumps are one of the most popular forms of technology out there, and they can lower your carbon emissions by quite a lot. You can also benefit from this if you have a home that has a very high hot water demand. Things like this aren’t expensive to install when you look at the cost benefits you can take advantage of, and you would be surprised at how much it could help you to meet your home’s energy demands.
Solar Gain
You should also look into things like solar gain as well. Passive solar gain is a design approach that essentially involves you making the most out of the sun’s heat, so that you can get additional warmth when the colder months come about. You will need to look at the best way to capitalize on this, as a lot of it will depend on the way that your house is facing, but other than that, you should have no issues. Your solar energy provider should be able to work with you here, so make sure that you get in touch with them today.
Lastly, draughtproofing is a good thing to do. If you have a very low-energy home, then this is something you can take advantage of with ease. Targeting the spots where heat escapes by draught is a great way for you to not only make the most out of your home’s energy efficiency, but also to make sure that you aren’t spending more on heating your home than you have to.
