Improving the energy efficiency of your home makes sense if you wish to attract buyers and persuade them to make an offer on your property. With changing weather patterns and the rising cost of living, energy-efficient home improvements are a simple way to increase your home’s market value, while also lowering your energy bills! All homes are now rated for energy efficiency, and homeowners must invest in an energy performance certificate (EPC) when selling, so anything that makes your home more energy efficient will make it more attractive to potential buyers. Studies have shown that, when looking for a new property, buyers say they would pay 15% more for a property which has an EPC rating of C or above.
This makes it crucial to add sustainable features to your home, especially if you have an older property. We have compiled a list of brilliant energy-efficient changes that could improve your home’s value on the market, increase buyer’s appeal and provide cost-saving benefits in the meantime!
Insulation can bring huge benefits in terms of retaining heat in your home, reducing the need for heating, and therefore lowering bills significantly.
One-quarter of heat is lost through the roof of a home when there is no insulation, making loft installation vital in today’s market. You could also consider solid wall, cavity wall or underfloor insulation. As well as raising the property’s value, a well-insulated home will also reduce the possibility of dampness.
Smart home technologies are becoming increasingly important to buyers. Smart meters and In Home Displays (IHD) help you keep track of the energy you’ve used, when it was used, and how much it will cost.
Some smart controls allow you to have finer control over your heating, by targeting different areas of your home, or adjusting times or settings when you’re away. Technologies such as Hive, which can give you mobile control over heating systems, are a great investment to update your home and improve its efficiency.
Consider upgrading to add a charging point for electric vehicles. It’s one upgrade your potential buyers won’t need to worry about if you do, and can make your home more saleable.
A lot of heat can escape from your home through the windows. Installing double or triple-glazed windows might cost more initially but will save you money in the long term with its efficiency. Not only will double/triple glazing keep the heat in but will also keep external noise out and will improve the outside look of your home, increasing appeal to buyers.
Not all energy-efficient home improvements need to cost an arm and a leg. Easily switching to more eco-friendly fittings is a great way to improve the efficiency of your home, without costing you a huge amount. Using LED lightbulbs will improve energy efficiency in your home, as they last 10 times longer than normal bulbs, or switching to water-saving shower heads and low-flow taps can significantly reduce water usage.
Updating your central heating system will add more value to your property. Installing a new boiler is better for the environment, by reducing your home’s carbon dioxide emissions, and is a lot cheaper to run.
Old boilers tend to lose a lot of heat and are less efficient, by upgrading to a newer model, you are guaranteed to save money and improve your home’s energy efficiency. Boiler efficiency is rated using letters A-G; a modern condensing boiler is the most efficient on the market and nearly all of them in the UK get an A energy rating. If your current boiler has sufficient capacity, you could add new radiators, a heated towel rail or even underfloor heating.