Top Energy Efficient Home Improvements and How to Afford Them

The concept of improving your home so that it’s more energy efficient is bound to be an appealing one, but in many cases, the financial aspect is a little too much to handle. With Christmas on the horizon, the last thing you will probably be thinking about is what money you can plug into your home to make it more resourceful, because after all, money is tight these days!

If you take a step back and look at the bigger picture though, you will realise that the money you invest in your home in the form of energy-friendly improvements will be of huge benefit to both you and your family. Not only would you, over the years, save a fortune in energy bills but you will also be able to enjoy a warmer, more comfortable home daily.

However, even with these thoughts of the future, the problem still stands – how do you afford it? Luckily, there is currently a government-backed initiative that can help you to improve your home by providing the money to fund the changes. The British Gas Green Deal has been available for approximately a year and has provided homeowners all over the country with a solution to their energy needs.

How does Green Deal work? In short, an assessor will visit your home and recommend any improvements that qualify, will provide you with a report and the work can then begin. The initiative pays for the improvements so that you don’t have to and you pay it back monthly through the savings you make on your utility bills. That way, you don’t have to say goodbye to your savings in order to afford it and it won’t feel like you’re making these repayments each month.

What sorts of improvements are included? Here are some of the popular ones that the Deal could help you to fund.

Double Glazing

This is a biggie, and one that has a huge positive impact on you, your family and your home. Double glazing helps to keep the warmth in and the cold out, meaning that it won’t cost you as much to heat your home. It also keeps the noise pollution out – perfect if you live in a built-up area where you never have any peace and quiet!

A New Boiler

Tired of putting up with a clapped out boiler that barely does its job properly? Even with annual services, many boilers need to be replaced after several years and this is a great way to afford it without spending thousands that you may not have.

Insulation

By improving the standard of the insulation in your home – both cavity and loft – you can massively decrease your energy bills while staying warm this winter.

Solar Panels

Nowadays, solar power is becoming more and more accessible and is a superb way of giving back to the environment. You use the energy from the sun to power your home and any that you don’t use can be given back to the National Grid.

With the winter setting in, now is a great time to sort some home improvements and, with initiatives like this, you’ll be able to afford it.