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When winter comes around, many homes suffer excessive issues related to a lack of warmth and mounting energy expenses from heating. While you can try to replace your heating system, this can be expensive and could take too long to implement. So, here are some simpler things you can do to keep your home warm without having to worry about the exorbitant costs that come with more extreme measures.
Insulation
Installing adequate insulation does not necessarily have to be an expensive prospect. Much of it can be easily applied without the need of hiring someone or getting expensive materials. Extensive work should be done with the aid of a professional insulation installer but there are many little quality of life changes you can make on your own.
The most common areas that require insulation in an old home include:
Roof and Attic
Walls
Floors
Basements and Crawl Spaces
Insulating walls is crucial, especially in homes with solid brick or stone walls. Options include internal and external insulation methods. It’s important to choose breathable materials to avoid trapping moisture, which can lead to damp issues. Common materials for wall insulation include mineral wool, cellulose, and natural fibers like hemp or sheep's wool.
Floors, especially those above unheated spaces such as basements or crawl spaces, require insulation. Adding batt insulation to floor joists or sealing gaps can help retain heat. Sealing and insulating basements and crawl spaces can involve sealing cracks, adding vapor barriers, and insulating the walls and floors to prevent heat loss and moisture issues.
After pinpointing areas that need attention, the first step is to seal any heat escape zones. On average, draught-proofing can reduce your heating costs by £10 to £50 annually. Additionally, homes that are free from these heat escapes tend to feel warmer at lower winter temperatures, potentially saving an extra 10% on your heating expenses.
Start by sealing spaces where pipes exit the house, filling gaps around electrical outlets, securing the loft hatch, and addressing joints between the ceiling and walls. Next, think about using draught excluders for doors.
These can be purchased inexpensively or easily made from old clothing, fabric, a plastic bag, and some sand. You can also enhance window insulation with thermal curtains or by resealing them. Just be careful not to obstruct any necessary vents in windows and walls while you’re draught-proofing.
Window Glazing (With Financial Grants)
Another area where heat can escape is through the windows. These aren’t the most expensive to replace (compared to boilers, heat pumps, or other heating systems at least). Window frames and glazing are an underrated area and can be crucial in making your home warmer.
Replacing your glazing is not the most expensive thing you can do to begin with. However, it can become even more affordable if you live in an area that offers good grants for upgrading from single to double panes. Look around for local optional, especially if you have grants built around sustainability and insulation.
If you have single glazing, you can easily upgrade to double glazing or, as a less effective yet more affordable, secondary glazing. On the more expensive side, you can kick things up a notch and install triple glazing. The best option can depend on how cold your home gets because, while triple glazing is the most energy-efficient option, not all homes may benefit from it and double glazing can be just as effective in most regions.
The cost of double glazing a 4 bed house can be as low as £2,400 (depending on whether the glazing alone is the issue or the entire window needs replacement). A 2-bed house can be as low as £1,200 by the same metric. This can be recouped in 20 years while good wooden windows can last upwards of 50 years, allowing for energy savings far past the break-even point.
Better glazing can decrease your annual energy bills and provide more comfort. Glazing can also provide noise reduction and improve your home’s value. All around, it’s a decent option to consider, while also being less of a drastic change to your home.
Window Materials
The frame material can also be a major factor that helps increase warmth. Much like glazing, window materials affect the thermal efficiency of windows and their noise reduction capabilities.
So what options are best? The cheapest options are usually less thermally efficient and have lower lifespans, but can still be worth it, especially if you have older windows that are suffering from warping or bad installation. uPVC may not be the fanciest looking material but it does have decent thermal efficiency and requires virtually no cleaning.
If you’re in the market for a more modern look, aluminium can be just as great. While the material has not traditionally been considered thermally efficient, the invention of thermal breaks has allowed it to be a great contender. It’s highly recyclable, has great noise reduction, and the strength of the metal allows for thinner frames as well.
The most expensive material is wood but there are great reasons to install it. Wood allows for the best savings on energy bills and last for literally a lifetime if maintained properly. This can make the return on investment worth the extra cost as it will provide savings for decades to come. It’s also the most sustainable option (depending on the type of wood).
