How to Improve the Green Credentials of Your Home

Did you know that the carbon dioxide emissions from homes in the UK amount to about 25 per cent of the total CO2 emissions in the whole country?

It is not surprising then that the government are targeting new build homes as a way of reducing the entire countries carbon footprint and have introduced stringent criteria that developers must meet in constructing new properties.

New homes however will amount to only a small proportion of the housing stock, which leaves the remainder which are often older style properties and have considerable scope for improvement.

On a purely financial basis, it is also estimated that on average households could save up to £435 each year if improvements were made to increase the energy efficiency of their homes.

So with the incentive of saving money, how can you make a difference to the carbon emissions from your home? Space heating that is warming up your home amounts to almost half of the energy used in and around the home so this is the best place to start. Adding insulation is often the most effective way of reducing the energy you need to use to heat your home, because you are keeping the heat in rather than letting it escape wastefully into the outside. In most houses, adding extra insulation in the roof is an easy and relatively cheap thing to do and can start repaying the cost almost straight away. Modern brick houses are constructed with two layers of bricks with a gap in the middle and adding insulation to the cavity in the walls is another great way to keep the heat inside your house for longer. This is carried out by injecting insulation material through small holes drilled into the walls, but does require professional application. There may be grants available to assist with the cost of both of these improvements.

Another simple way of reducing the energy you use in heating your home is to turn down the thermostat. A small reduction of as little as one degree can reduce the energy you use by as much as ten percent, resulting in immediate cost savings without any cost outlay to you. If you have a spare room in your house that is only used occasionally then turn the radiator off in that room, saving energy until you need it. Adding thermostatic radiator valves can also help regulate the heat specifically to each room in your house and will help avoid wasted energy and reduce the heating costs you have to pay.