With the cost of living rising, the new energy price cap increase, and the growing climate crisis, homeowners are feeling both the pinch and the weight of responsibility.
But improving your home’s heating system will help reduce your bills, as well as reduce your carbon footprint. To help you make your home more energy-efficient – in the short and long-term, we’ve got the solutions you should consider before winter rolls around again.
Net-zero – what is it and how far are we?
The UK Government’s net-zero strategy sets out policies and proposals for decarbonising Britain. By 2050, the UK should be net zero, but we must all play an active role. In order for us to do this, figures estimate we’ll need to reduce carbon emissions from heating our homes by 95% over the next 30 years.
Currently, the average household produces around 2,690kg of carbon dioxide, and if we’re to meet the net-zero target, we’ll need to reduce this volume, to less than 140kg per house!
Energy-efficient home solutions
Small changes to your home, can make a huge difference to your footprint and of course, help keep rising fuel prices at bay.
Insulate your home
Insulating your home is one of the fastest and most cost-effective green heating solutions. If you’re really looking to up your eco-credentials, then you should consider using blanket insulation.
Made from recycled bottles, glass wool insulation is easy for roofers to install and incredibly cost efficient. Trouble spots tend to include the attic, as well as around windows and doors.
Update your boiler
Heating and hot water accounts for around half of what you spend on energy bills, so investing in a boiler that’s efficient makes a huge difference.
A condensing boiler is perhaps the most popular modern boiler thanks to its ability to recover more heat from the exhaust flue, which is then used to heat the central heating water.
It’s worth noting that if you currently have an oil or gas boiler, you should consider making the switch sooner rather than later, as the ban on fossil fuel boilers comes into effect in new homes in 2025 – potentially making spare parts more expensive.
Install underfloor heating
Underfloor heating is more eco-friendly than using radiators as it requires less energy and keeps the room warmer for longer, meaning they cost much less in the long run.
Due to the large surface area underfloor heating sits beneath, the heat is distributed more evenly and the temperature only has to be a few degrees higher than the room temperature to adequately heat the room.
Invest in green energy heating solutions
If you’re serious about making your home carbon-neutral, then choosing an eco-home heating system should be high on your to do list. With a current cut on VAT on green home improvements, there’s no better time to invest.
From solar panels to heat pumps and biomass boilers, there’s a plethora of renewable options available to homeowners.
Rewild your garden
Rewilding is the latest garden trend we should all be jumping on board with. Restoring native plants and creating habitats for wildlife, will not only help your local eco-system, but the addition and abundance of trees, shrubs, plants and flowers will help reduce your carbon footprint.
If you have a small garden or courtyard, you can still play your part by growing climbing plants, like ivy and wisteria up walls and fences
Ask the experts
Find local green energy installers and landscape gardeners with My Local Toolbox and create a home that’s energy-efficient and environmentally friendly.
To get quotes from local tradespeople near you – post a job now.