10 Reasons To Upgrade Your Home’s Energy Efficiency
In today’s world, where sustainability and cost savings are paramount, upgrading your home’s energy efficiency is not a luxury—it’s a necessity. With a growing emphasis on reducing our carbon footprint and the allure of lowering utility bills, making your home more energy-efficient is more important than ever.
Not only does it offer the potential to significantly cut costs, but it also contributes to a healthier planet by lessening your environmental impact. Whether you’re interested in making minor adjustments or planning major renovations, there are numerous reasons to enhance your living space for energy efficiency. Beyond the immediate benefits, such upgrades can also increase your property’s value, providing long-term rewards.
In this blog, we’ll explore the top 10 reasons why investing in home upgrades to improve your home’s energy efficiency is the smart thing to do in today’s climate. Offering benefits to both your living environment and your wallet.
1. Save money on your energy bills
One of the most obvious reasons to invest in energy efficient home upgrades is the financial benefits this can offer. While making an investment in energy efficient upgrades may cost you, in the long run you will notice a reduction to your energy bills due to a reduction in your energy consumption.
2. Increase the value of your property
With the installation of new and improved boilers, insulation, solar panels and more, you can add a significant amount of value to your property. In fact, according to the UK government homeowners that have made these changes have benefitted from an average value increase of 14%, while in other parts of England this could be as high as 38%. A significant gain for those who may wish to sell their home in the future. More on this below:
“For an average home in the country, improving its EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) from band G to E, or from band D to B, could mean adding more than £16,000 to the sale price of the property. In the North East, improved energy efficiency from band G to E could increase this value by over £25,000 and the average home in the North West could see £23,000 added to its value.”
3. Make living at home more comfortable
While the cost savings are obvious and certainly enough to entice many homeowners to consider their home’s EPC ratings, you may also benefit from a more comfortable home environment. By upgrading areas of your property such as loft insulation and wall insulation, you will notice a significant reduction in heat loss. Allowing you to maintain a consistent and more comfortable internal temperature. Which, in cold winter months, will certainly make life more enjoyable.
4. Reduce your impact on the environment
Not only will you feel the benefits both at home and across your finances, but by implementing energy efficient home upgrades and bringing your property into the 21st Century, the planet will breathe a sigh of relief too.
It is estimated that on average a UK home emits around 8.1.tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. However, this can be significantly reduced with simple measures such as A rated boilers, air source heat pumps, and solar panels. And by doing so you will have a positive impact on the environment whilst also aligning your investments with the government’s goal to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
5. Improve the air quality of your home
There’s been a lot of talk surrounding air quality in recent years. Particularly about the impact this can have on your health and your family’s health. What many don’t realise is that air quality can be improved, even from within the home.
By ridding your old gas boiler goodbye, for example, you can reduce the amount of harmful air pollution within your home and protect your family’s health and wellbeing.
6. Modernise your home
As the UK’s housing stock continues to age, measures and steps must be taken in order to modernise properties and bring them into the 21st Century. With some of the oldest homes in the European continent, small changes such as installing an air source heat pump, may make a considerable difference both in the short term and the long term. Ensuring your home is future-proof.
7. Create a quieter home with better soundproofing
While some of the other reasons to install these measures are more obvious, soundproofing your home may be an unexpected benefit. By installing measures such as wall and loft insulation you can enjoy a quieter home with less disruption from external noise. Noise will also travel less between internal walls too.
8. Monthly yield increases for landlords
If you are a landlord and rent your property, energy efficiency becomes an important consideration for renters who want a comfortable living space with cheaper energy bills. By improving your property’s EPC rating, you may find you can benefit from an increase in the rental value of your property.
9. Increase lifespan of your home
As we mentioned above, by installing energy saving measures and upgrading your home you are protecting it from developments within the future. Making such changes and improvements now will save you from having to do so later in life and potentially increase the lifespan of your property.
10. Tax relief and incentives from the government
Depending on where you live, there are several tax incentives and grants available to households. Both for those who decide to invest in energy efficiency upgrades themselves or for those who want to but are otherwise unable to afford these.
For example, the ECO4 Scheme is available to particular households in receipt of certain government benefits or are considered a low income household. This government-backed scheme is funded by energy providers and can supply 100% of the funding required for these households to implement energy efficiency home upgrades. Under the ECCO 4 Scheme you can install solar panels, free boilers and even first time central heating systems. Plus applying for the ECO4 grants is simple and straightforward when using our online application tool. At Eco Providers we support households by installing energy saving measures under the scheme. To find out more about the ECO4 scheme explore our website for all the details.