If you’re looking to reduce your carbon footprint, making a few energy saving upgrades to your home is a great place to start. Although some home improvements can be costly, those that save you money on your energy bills will eventually pay for themselves, which can make them a worthy investment.
But is it actually worth the initial cost? Well, if you’re planning on living in your current home for a long time, you will eventually see a return on your investment in the form of reduced energy bills. In fact, some energy saving upgrades will actually pay for themselves in under two years, so even if you’re not planning on settling in your home for long, you may still benefit from a few of the changes.
However, if you’re really committed to cutting your carbon footprint, some of the more expensive green living home improvements, such as solar panels, will significantly reduce your CO₂ emissions. So, if you’re looking to make your home more eco-friendly, you may want to start by ensuring your home is fully insulated.
To help highlight which energy saving upgrades are the most cost effective and which are best for the environment, Co-operative Energy have put together an infographic so you can decide which alterations are right for your home.
from https://www.cooperativeenergy.coop/
The most cost effective energy saving upgrades
If you’re not in a position to invest heavily in making your home more energy efficient, you might still find some of the alternations are within your budget. For instance, simply putting a hot water tank jacket on an uninsulated tank will only cost you a mere £15, however it could potentially save you between £115 – £140 a year in energy bills. As such, the jacket will in fact pay for itself in under six months of it being installed – making it particularly cost effective!
Did you know, in an uninsulated home, a quarter of the heat generated is lost through the roof? Therefore, it probably won’t come as a shock to hear this has a massive impact on your energy bill. The cost of having your loft insulated will pay for itself in just over two years, however it’ll take even less time if you choose to insulate your loft yourself.
The most eco-friendly alterations
Despite being a rather costly addition to your home, the average domestic solar PV system will save more than 30 tonnes of CO₂ over its lifetime. That breaks down to a CO₂ saving of around 1,500 – 2000kg per year. So, if you’re keen to make your home more environmentally friendly, you may want to look into this option.
If your home was built before the 1930s, it’s likely that it was built with solid walls. Solid walls lose more heat than cavity walls, so having them insulated will significantly reduce the amount of energy required to heat your home, as well as saving 720kg – 1,900kg of CO₂ per year.
Are you thinking about making your home more energy efficient? Let us know which home improvements you’re planning to take on by commenting below!
Author Bio – Co-operative Energy are a UK based energy company who are owned and run by its members. They are committed to long term sustainability and helping their members and customers reduce their energy consumption by providing energy saving advice.
