Ideas to improve energy efficiency around your Ashford home

Here are just a few ideas to help you improve your Ashford home's energy efficiency.

Smart lighting; have you thought about it before? Did you know our lighting and what we use will affect our home's EPC rating? LED light bulbs are more energy efficient, not only do they last longer but also generate less heat, reducing the overall energy consumption. Smart LED's can be controlled through apps on our devices, meaning you can always check which lights are on and make sure they are off if you forget and pop out!

Your windows could be costing you more than you think... What about tripple glazing? Did you know most of the heat in your home is lost through your windows? Currently, many homeowners are considering upgrading their windows to triple glazing to not only increase their EPC rating, security as these are harder to break but also more affective at reducing outdoor noise!

Do you know the difference between U-value and G-value? Do you know what they are? A U-value is a window's thermal performance and a G-value is the solar performance. The better the insulation, the higher the U-value will be. The more solar heat that is allowed to come in, the higher the G-value will be. So in countries where there is a lot of sunlight entering the home, a G-value is more efficient. However in colder, less sunnier countries, it is more energy efficient to have higher U-value rating windows. For example, triple glazing has better U-value ratings compared to double glazing, so is better at retaining the heat inside the home. However double glazing is better than triple for letting sunlight into the home, so has a better G-value rating. Due to our climate, in the UK it is more beneficial to  focus on a U-value over a G-value.

Solar panels; should I be using them? While they can save you money on your energy bills, did you know you can also sell the electricity your panels have created to the industry? What about the expense to have them installed? "As a guide, The Energy Savings Trust says the average domestic solar PV system for a three-bedroom house is 3.5 kilowatts peak (kWp), and costs around £5,500. However, the government has removed VAT on the purchase of solar panels until March 2027, which is thought to save the average UK household over £1,000 in total installation costs." (Rightmove, 2024). Did you know that solar panels will not store the energy directly? If you want to use energy at a later date you will need to purchase a battery too. So if you are thinking about the possibility of installing solar panels, there are a few things to think about first, then if you do wish to go ahead always choose a reliable fitter and supplier.

What is a heat pump? A heat pump uses electricity rather than gas or oil to heat a home. The most popular are air source heat pumps as these bring in the heat from the air outside and bring it into the home via a refrigerant. A heat pump will then compress to increase the temperature and then it goes into the home and this is repeated until the chosen temperature is met. These are much more environmentally friendly as it's a low-carbon heating option. The Government is offering a scheme to help with the cost of implementing these which is called the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. So if you need a new boiler or looking to improve your energy efficiency of your home, take a look at the scheme!

Would you like to arrange an EPC so you can see how efficient your home currently is? Call us today on 01233 501601 and we can help you arrange this.