More and more homeowners are looking at ways to make their homes more energy efficient and making home improvements can help with this.
As Scotland moves towards their net zero target it is important for homeowners to start thinking of ways they can make their home more energy efficient. But what are the benefits for homeowners making energy efficient improvements to their home?
Read on to find out more about the benefits of energy efficient home improvements.
What Is An Energy Efficient Home?
An energy efficient home reduces unnecessary energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and the demand for non-renewable energy sources.
Energy performance certificates (EPC) tell you how energy efficient a building is and how it can be improved. Ways to improve your home’s energy efficiency include upgrading to double glazing, investing in renewable energy and switching to a clean heating system.
EPCs rate a home from A (very efficient) to G (very inefficient). The higher your EPC rating the less you will be spending on energy bills and the less C02 emissions your home will produce.
Making homes more energy efficient is more important than ever as Scotland moves towards their net zero target. According to Net Zero Scotland, “For the majority, the places where we spend most of our time are heated by fossil fuels and generate around 19% of Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions. On top of this, many buildings in Scotland aren’t well insulated which means they require more energy to heat and bills are more expensive.”
So, making homes more energy efficient is not only beneficial to the environment but also to homeowners.
The Benefits of Making Your Home More Energy Efficient
There are many benefits of making your home more energy efficient including:
Reduced Energy Bills
Making your home more energy efficient can reduce the amount you are spending on your energy bills. Upgrading to double glazed windows or improving your home insulation can help slow down the movement of heat and therefore keep your home warmer and reduce the need to put the heating on.
Other improvements that can reduce your energy bills include solar panels which will reduce your need to rely on the grid for electricity and heat pumps as they are far more efficient than typical gas boilers.
Warmer Home
An energy efficient home is also a warmer home. This is because less heat is escaping through the windows or walls and therefore will stay warmer for longer.
The more insulated your home is the warmer it will stay for longer and the less you will need to spend on heating it.
Reduced Carbon Footprint
By making your home more energy efficient you can reduce the amount of carbon emissions you are producing. This is because you will reduce the amount of energy to heat and power your home.
This is a great way for environmentally conscious homeowners to make their homes more energy efficient and cut carbon emissions.
Energy Independence
Solar power is a great way to gain energy independence. This is because you will generate your own electricity instead of relying on that from the national grid.
You can further increase your energy independence with solar batteries by adding a solar battery to your system. Solar batteries, or solar power storage, allow the energy generated from your solar panels to be stored. The stored electricity can then be used at a later time.
This allows your home to have power even when your panels aren’t generating any electricity such as through the night. So, solar batteries can allow you to keep your energy independence even during low generating hours.
Access to Financial Incentives
Making your home more energy efficient can give you access to financial incentives.
For example, if you have solar panels you can get access to the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) scheme. This scheme allows homes and businesses that generate electricity using small-scale microgeneration technologies to be paid for any unused electricity they sell back to the grid.
Other incentives include Green Mortgages. There are when a bank or lender offers the buyer preferential if they can demonstrate that the property for which they are borrowing for meets certain environmental standards.
Banks and lenders are rewarding those purchasing a property or remortgaging a home with a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of A or B with lower mortgage rates.
For example, NatWest is offering a reduced mortgage rate on 2 and 5 year fixed mortgages to customers with an EPC rating of A or B.
Additionally, some lenders will reward you for making energy efficient improvements to your home such as replacing single-glazed windows, upgrading your heating system or installing solar panels. Barclays for example offers a one-time cash reward for making certain energy efficient upgrades.
Looking for Energy Efficient Home Upgrades?
At Homeshield Scotland, we have been providing homeowners with ways to make their homes more energy efficient.
From our premium double glazed energy efficient windows and doors to renewables such as solar panels, heat pumps and batteries, we can help you make your home more energy efficient.
Start your journey to a warmer, cheaper and greener future today! Contact us at 0800 6118 118 or click here for a free no obligation quote.
