These handy tips and tricks will show you how to modernise your old home, and bring new life and character into them – while saving you money on your energy bills!
There is no denying that older houses are full of character and charm – especially when you are looking at traditional cottages or manors. But they tend to be incredibly energy inefficient. As older houses generally have single-glazed windows and doors that aren’t airtight, heat is lost through them – costing you more money in the long term. Similarly, if they have a boiler that isn’t functioning how it should, people will spend more money trying to heat their house with no lasting results.
So what is the alternative?
Well, here at Green Power Technology we offer a great solution – modernise your old home by installing solar panels, heat pumps, a new boiler and UPVC windows. Now, this might seem like a lot of money, but the short term cost will undoubtedly be worth it when it comes to the long term savings and the benefits that each of these modifications brings.
If you have just recently purchased an older house, or if you are looking to modernise an old home that you think is now outdated, there’s no better time than now to look into ways to renervate. Alongside painting the house, installing new fixtures and fittings and adding new furniture, consider how you can make it more efficient.
To make the process a little easier, we have laid out some of the benefits that come with solar panels, heat pumps, new boilers and UPVC windows.
Firstly, Let’s Take A Look At Solar Panels
Converting light to energy, solar panels are a popular option in homes around the world. Here are some of the benefits that come with installing them in an older home:
They Have A Positive Impact On The Environment
Solar energy is beneficial to not only you (making your home more energy-efficient) but also for the environment as it doesn’t create any greenhouse gases. It also doesn’t require a lot of water to work. A great step in making your home eco-friendly, many people are turning to solar panels as a way of protecting the environment around them.
They Will Reduce Your Energy Bill
Even though solar panels cost around the region of £6000 – £8000 to install, in the long term, they can drastically reduce your energy bill. Saving you up to £200 each year (depending on your location), you will see a big difference within the first year. You might also be able to sell surplus energy that you haven’t used back to your supplier. These savings will make a difference in particular with an older house that tends to use more energy to heat up.
It’s Beneficial No Matter Where You’re Located
No matter where you are located in the UK, you can use solar panels as a means of heating and electricity. Even on cloudy days, the solar panels will work by granting you access to energy. This means that, if you are looking to modernise an old home in the country, it will still have access to electricity and heat.
They Will Increase The Value Of Your Home
Due to the benefits that are listed above, solar panels have become a must for most new homeowners. This means that once you have modernised the old house to feature solar panels when it comes time to sell it, it will be worth more. Similarly, if you have purchased the home to simply renovate it and sell it on, new homeowners that are viewing the home will appreciate the upgrade of solar panels as it will save them in the long term.
Secondly, Let’s Take A Look At Heat Pumps
Before we get into the benefits of heat pumps, it’s important to first understand what different types are available. There are three main types of heat pumps available on the market – A ground source pump, an air source heat pump and a water source heat pump.
The heat pump you choose will depend on what you want to use the heat for. For example, if you want the heat to be extracted from the ground, a ground source pump is more suitable. Alternatively, if you want the heat to be created by using the outdoor air, an air source heat pump is appropriate. Each type of heat pump varies in price depending on where you purchase them from.
What Are The Main Benefits?
They Are Highly Energy Efficient
Even though they need electricity to run, they use renewable sources (the soil, air or water) to extract heat. This makes it far more energy-efficient than traditional methods of heating. It is also more energy-efficient as it only needs to power two fans (the condenser and the evaporator) in the pump.
They Will Save You Money
As they are more energy-efficient, they will save you money in the long term. As modernising an older houme can be expensive, it’s important to find ways to lower the overall cost, whilst creating it so that it’s more comfortable for you to live in.
Should You Update The Boiler?
Depending on the age of the property, you might have to update the boiler. A great way of modernising an old home, it comes with many benefits that you will see from the moment you have one installed. Here are the top four:
They Are More Energy Efficient
Older boilers tend to be far more energy inefficient in comparison to newer models. In order to save you money in the long term and be more environmentally friendly, look out for boilers which have an A+ energy rating. Saving you £100’s a year and producing less carbon dioxide, it’s a worthwhile investment.
They Are More Reliable
Boilers are something that are vital in the winter and when the weather is poor throughout the rest of the year. By updating your boiler to a new model, you can ensure that it’s more reliable and won’t break down after powering it up. In older homes, you will find that the boiler might not have been replaced for years. To help modernise it, upgrade to a new one.
It Will Increase The Home Resale Value
Similarly to solar panels, modernising your home by updating the boiler will increase the home resale value. People will see a new boiler as a great benefit as they won’t have to upgrade it for up to 15 years.
What About UPVC Windows?
Many people across the world are turning to UPVC windows when it comes to renovating their home. Why? Well, there is a whole host of benefits that come with upgrading those tired-looking, energy-inefficient windows within the house.
Here are some of them which show why you should add them to your list of upgrades:
They Are Affordable
A great benefit of UPVC windows is that they are a lot cheaper than alternatives such as aluminium and timber. This, of course, depends on where you get them from and the quality of the frame, but on a whole, the material they are made of is much more affordable.
They Are Weather Resistant
Being on the exterior as well as the interior of your home, it’s important that your windows are weather resistant. UPVC isn’t susceptible to natural elements, whether it’s water or air. This makes them far more durable and long-lasting, meaning that you won’t have to update your windows for many years.
They Are Fire Retardant
To help keep your peace of mind, it’s good to know that UPVC windows are fire retardant. Adhering to building regulations, they help to prevent a fire from spreading. Many older houses will have windows that aren’t fire retardant – resulting in a potential hazard that is incredibly dangerous if a fire occurs.
They Are Soundproof
If you have double glazed windows that have a UPVC frame fitted, they will be far more soundproof than the original windows. Reducing the amount of external noise and noise from seeping out of your home, they are a must for anyone who lives on a main/busy road.
They Are Eco-friendly
As UPVC windows can last up to 80 years and are made of recyclable materials, there are friendly to the environment. Sustaining a minimal long-term impact, they are a great modernising touch to a home and the material can be reused to create other things – such as plumbing fittings.
In Conclusion…
So, there you go. Those are just some of the ways that you can modernise an old house. Small changes that will make a big difference, they are great additions that you can add after you have redecorated.
Making it more efficient in the long run and saving you money that you can then spend on other aspects of the renovation, you will begin to see the impact of these updates almost immediately. A great way to utilise renewable energy resources, the benefits will outweigh the negatives in the long term.
Ready To Find Out More?
Drop us a line today for a free quote!
