Want to Improve Your Home? Upgrade Its Energy Efficiency

These days, there are a few key things that real estate agents look at when valuing properties. One of the most vital of all these things is a home’s energy efficiency rating. If your home has a good rating, it’ll be valued highly as it’s proven to be very efficient and green. This is beneficial for both you and any future buyers as it means your energy bills are lower than similar homes with poor energy ratings. But, it’s also beneficial for the environment as you reduce your carbon footprint, which further increases the value of your home.

So, if you want to improve your home, upgrade its efficiency. While this might sound like a complicated and technical process, there are many different things you can do that will boost your energy efficiency rating:

Insulate your property

Insulation is crucial to energy efficiency as it keeps your home warm when it’s cold outside, and cool when it’s hot. The key elements of in-home insulation are your windows and roof. Some roofing can be damaged, letting air escape your home and putting more demand on your energy system. The same is true for windows, so checking yours and upgrading them can help you enhance the energy efficiency of your house. Of course, installing actual loft insulation can also be beneficial, particularly in winter.

Install solar panels

If you want to install something that can improve your home, solar panels are a good choice. They instantly give you a more efficient property as they let you generate energy from the sun. Your solar panels for home will convert this energy into electricity, meaning you have a clean, renewable energy source at home. Depending on how good the panels are – and how sunny it is where you live – they could provide all the electricity your home needs. At the very least, these panels let you subsidize your electricity, meaning you require less from the grid, saving energy.

Get a smart thermostat

For those of you that can’t afford solar panels – or can’t install them for other reasons – a smart thermostat is a brilliant option. Effectively, you can install a thermostat that connects you to your energy system at home. You see just how much energy you’re using, and where it’s being used. Smart thermostats also link to mobile apps, letting you control everything at the touch of a button. You can turn off lights, reduce your thermostat temperature, and much more. It lets you become more conscious of energy usage in the home, which will force you to be more energy-efficient. As a result, your energy efficiency rating will improve.

Fair enough, many of you are reading this and thinking that improving energy efficiency is hardly a glamorous home improvement. That might be true, but it is certainly something that will improve your home and add a lot of value to it. Plus, you end up saving a lot of money because you have reduced energy bills every month. Oh, and there’s the extra bonus of helping save the planet and reverse the effects of climate change. So, all in all, it’s a pretty great idea.