Energy Efficient Super Houses

In this day and age of astronomical energy prices it is essential to remain as energy efficient as possible not just for environmental purposes but also for your pocket.

Many older houses are not built with energy efficiency in mind however now you can get an ‘energy makeover, turning your house into an energy efficient superhouse, we here at Floor Heating Online have looked into how these houses work.

Earlier this year in Kentish Town a semi-detached Victorian terrace was given the full treatment and Camden Council claimed that the carbon use was cut by a whopping 80%. There are over four million homes in London built before 1919 which would fall in the same classification and could benefit from a similar treatment, focussing on specific areas of homes to maximise energy efficiency.

Draft stripping is something that most people can afford to do and it is a simple procedure that involves fitting draft excluders to windows, doors, keyholes and letter boxes. Low energy light bulbs can replace standard ones and although they are more expensive they can save you 60GBP in energy costs throughout their lifetime.

The most important area is insulation which covers many areas of the house such as loft insulation, solid and cavity wall insulation and floor insulation. Floor insulation is essential, especially when using underfloor heating, even if your floor is not carpeted then you can insulate the floor by using a filler to close gaps.

Your heating system can make a big difference as turning the thermostat down one degree can deliver a massive saving. This requires a responsive heating system and underfloor heating is proven to be more energy efficient than convectional radiator heating systems. Even turning the thermostat on your water heater can save money.

Renewable energy can make a difference however the initial outlay can be quite high, a solar power water heating system for the home will cost in the region of £3,500 – £5,000 which would take almost a decade to make back from the energy saving. Double glazing can be an even more expensive measure however is a great way to save CO2 emissions and money.

Many houses, especially those built in the last ten years, will have some or all of these energy saving systems in place however it is always worth looking at how you can update and improve.