With energy bills on the rise and the planet continuing to warm, there has never been a better time to consider the green credentials of your current (or future!) home.
With Newbury Building Society’s GoGreen mortgage products for existing customers, you can take your first steps on the journey to future proofing your property.
Read on for some changes you could make to reduce the carbon footprint of your home, and importantly, save some pennies on your energy bills.
Roof
As one of the most visible green property updates, you may have considered making the most of the sun by installing solar panels. Solar photovoltaic (PV) can be used to run your electrical appliances, whilst solar thermal heats water only.
Your loft can also be an enormous culprit for heat loss – make sure you check the space for the quality and level of insulation to see if you can make improvements.
Windows and doors
Replacing any single glazed windows double or triple glazing can be a big help in keeping your home warm. Similarly, any external doors can be replaced to prevent heat escape, with modern designs containing integrated insulation. Some suppliers also offer eco-friendly products with special finishes such as inert gas fillings to really help you take your green improvements to the next level.
Walls
Did you know that around a third of heat escapes through your home’s walls? Although many newer homes already have cavity wall insulation, this is a key area to look at if your home was built before the 1990s. Savings on your energy bill will vary from home to home, but the Energy Savings Trust currently estimates that you'll recoup your initial outlay in five years or less.
Boiler
The majority of UK homes are heated using mains gas, but to meet the government’s zero carbon goals, this will have to change. One of the potential replacements is a heat pump, which work by capturing heat outside your home and transferring it into the property, usually via a wet plumbing system such as underfloor heating or radiators.
Heat pumps come in a variety of different forms, and are suitable for almost all homes, although a ground source heat pump will require a reasonable sized outdoor space. Although they use electricity, heat pumps are considered more efficient than gas boilers the heat produced outstrips the power required to run them. You can find out more about heat pumps and how they work here.
As with any large scale home improvements, it is always recommended that you do your research and seek specialist advice from a qualified building surveyor or architect to ensure any updates you plan to make are right for your home and lifestyle.
For more information on our GoGreen mortgage products, please visit our mortgage page. You can also discover more about the work we are doing to become a more sustainable organisation on our Green Community pages.
