9 ways to make your property more eco-friendly

With climate conversations dominating current news cycles, and 22% of carbon emissions coming from homes, we wanted to share our expertise on how to make your property more environmentally friendly.

Not only is the investment in eco-friendly property solutions be good for the planet, but it can also have the bonus of increasing the value of your home, which makes the decision to go green a no-brainer.

Below we discuss 9 steps to take to help your home become more eco-friendly and discuss why an eco-friendly home is set to become a huge selling feature in the coming years.

Insulate! Insulate! Insulate!

Heating a home costs money, so it makes sense to do everything you can to keep that heat in.

Approximately one-third of heat is lost through walls, and up to 25% of heat can escape through the roof, luckily there are tried and tested methods of minimising this.

These include:

• Cavity wall insulation
• Solid wall insulation
• Floor insulation
•  Roof/loft insulation

It is also worthwhile insulating hot water tanks using a cylinder jacket and hot water pipes using simple foam pipes - both are available from your local DIY shop.

Going solar!

An increasingly popular method of renewable energy is the installation of solar panels.

Solar panels connect directly to a properties electricity system, which allows the electricity produced to power the various appliances within a property.

Whilst the UK may not be blessed with year-round sunshine, solar technologies ensure power can generate on cloudy days and most systems come with a battery that can store excess power until it is needed.

Under the circumstances that you consume more power than you generate, you simply tap into the national power grid to "top up" your supply.

There is also the option to make money through solar power by selling excess power to the National Grid.

Making the switch to LED lightbulbs

Traditional light bulbs, more commonly known as incandescent bulbs, turn just 5% of the energy they use into visible light and have a significantly shorter life span compared to LED bulbs.

You can expect an LED bulb to last six times longer than other types of lightbulbs, and they also turn 95% of their energy into light, ensuring efficient performance.
The cost of LED bulbs has reduced considerably since they first came onto the market, ensuring they are accessible to everyone.

When replacing your bulbs, be sure to pop them into the recycling and not just throw them into the bin as parts of the bulb can be reused.

Modernise your central heating system

This sounds like it could be an expensive project, but it doesn't need to be.

Sure, if you have the money, it can be worthwhile to replace your entire system with the latest and greatest eco-friendly solution.

But, there are simple, cost-effective steps to take that will optimise the system already in place.

One of these upgrades is the installation of modernised heating controls such as smart controls, individually programmable Thermostatic Radiator Valves and weather compensation functionality.

Not only will these upgrades save you money in the long term, but they will also ensure your central heating is more energy-efficient.

Triple-Glazing

Wherever possible, double or triple-glazed windows should be installed to prevent heat loss and improve efficiency.

Windows are graded on an efficiency scale, set by the British Fenestration Rating Council (BRFC), with the scale running from A++ to E.

Whilst upgrading an entire property to double or triple-glazed windows might seem expensive in the short term, the improved performance will result in long term cost savings.

Optimise water usage

Taking a few simple steps can rapidly reduce the amount of water used in the average household.

By installing an aerated shower head, you can reduce the water flow without any drop off in pressure or performance. Additionally, a dual-flush toilet system uses only 20% of the water to flush compared to traditional systems.

Draught-Proofing

A straightforward method that will not only benefit the environment but also your wallet is draught-proofing.

By simply covering up or sealing any unwanted gaps in the construction of your home, most likely to be found around doors and windows, you can minimise the amount of cold air leaking into your property whilst ensuring the warm air stays in. This will help to keep your home warm in the winter months and ensure you use less energy to heat it.

Energy-efficient appliances

Your home is full of electrical appliances. All these appliances undergo testing to determine their energy efficiency. The rating scale runs from A to G or A+++ to G, with A/A+++ at the top of the class for energy efficiency. Simply follow the scale to ensure your appliances are supporting your desire to build an eco-friendly home.

When the time comes to replace appliances with new, energy-efficient solutions, be sure to dispose of old appliances correctly. It is a legal requirement for retailers to either take your old appliances from you free of charge or inform you of where you can recycle them. 

Saying goodbye to standby

Televisions, smart-speakers, broadband routers, washing machines, tumble dryers, ovens. The list of appliances found in a household is endless and growing by the day. Leaving all of these devices on standby costs the average UK household £35 per year and wastes electricity.

Due to the endless list, it can seem more trouble than it's worth to go around turning all these items off. Fortunately, all you need to do is invest in a standby saver that allows you to power off all these devices from one remote control.

How we can help

As part of their “Net Zero” carbon emissions strategy, the UK government has set the target of making homes warmer and more energy-efficient by 2050.

The 9 steps above will help ensure your property is well on its way to hitting this target, which in turn will make it easier to sell should the need arise.

These are steps we will all have to adopt in the coming years, completing them now ensures your property is first in line as an eco-friendly home.

Whether you are looking to sell or let now, or in the future, these are some great ideas on how you can increase your chances of selling and letting your property.

As a leading, local estate agent in Didcot, Lambourn / Hungerford, Marlborough, Devizes, Newbury and the surrounding areas we are best placed to help you sell or let your property. We can even help you in finding your next home.

By offering a personalised service we can tailor the sale and timeline to your requirements as we don’t believe the “one size fits all” approach, works in this industry.

We are also very transparent with a clear sales process, so you know what to expect. This is especially useful if this is your first time selling or letting a property.

Contact us today to find out how we can help you sell or let your property.