Energy Efficiency & Heating Your Home

Did you know that in a typical household, over half of your energy bills are spent on heating and hot water? It is therefore, more important than ever to update your heating system and home or business to be as energy efficient as possible.

An efficient heating system with easy-to-use controls, like one from The Underfloor Heating Store, can help to reduce your gas and electricity bills and reduce your carbon emissions. What’s not to love?

Heating your home with energy efficiency in mind

Switching to more efficient heating options can save you a pretty penny while also doing your bit for the environment. There are many different types of energy-efficient heating options for your home, which we’ll go over in more detail.

Heat pumps

Heat pumps aren’t a brand-new addition to the home heating market, but they’ve come into the spotlight more in recent years because of how eco-friendly they are. Installing one can be a bit of an investment, but the UK government has introduced the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to help with that initial cost.

Air source heat pumps

One type of heat pump available is the air source heat pump. An air source heat pump is a type of heat pump that absorbs heat from the air (yes, even in winter) and transfers that heat to water which is then pumped around your home via radiators or underfloor heating or stored in a hot water cylinder ready for washing up, taking showers, and running baths.

Read our air source heat pump guide to learn more about these innovative heating solutions.

Water boilers

Upgrading your water boiler is one of the easiest ways to ensure you’re being as energy efficient as possible. If your boiler is more than 10 years old, it’s definitely time to replace it. 

Our range of high-quality electric water boilers offers an efficient way to heat radiators and underfloor heating systems and provide hot water for your home or commercial building. Modern boilers, particularly our range of electric boilers, use less power and are just more energy efficient, so it’s well worth upgrading to help cut down on your emissions and bills.

Solar heating

Solar heating systems use energy from the sun to power your home and heating systems. Installing solar panels is a great way to save money on your bills and even make back some money, as the power grid can buy electricity from you. 

Solar panels

Solar panels are becoming easier and more popular to install in your home than ever before. These panels offer your home and business a renewable energy source that can enable you to cut costs on bills and save money in the long run.

They require almost zero maintenance, can improve property value, are an excellent return on your investment with the ability to help you become energy independent, and can even make you money if you sell your extra energy back to the grid.

Heating controls and thermostats

Controlling your heating is vital to making sure those energy bills stay as low as possible. Thermostats allow you to tune your heating to your needs and preferences finely, and opting for smart thermostats means you can set automatic schedules for your heating too.

Tips For Improving Energy Efficiency

• Draft-proof windows and doors – while insulating your walls and loft is very important for keeping your heat in, so too is making sure your windows and doors are properly draft-proof will help to stop cold air from ruining your good time. Replace single-glazed windows with good quality double-glazed ones, and make sure there are no gaps around your external doors that could let a draft in. 
• Spend less time in the shower – sad but true. It’s recommended that you take just 40-minute-long showers to be as efficient as possible. And if you’re a fan of baths, it’s best to save them for a special treat instead, as they use far more energy to fill than a quicker shower does. 
• Fill your dishwasher – a completely full dishwasher is much more environmentally friendly and energy efficient than a half-empty one. If your dishwasher is too big for your small family, you can always opt for a half-size model or just wash that mug up by hand instead. 
• If you have an open fireplace, switch to a woodburner – wood burners are much more efficient than open fires and look pretty nifty too.

Energy efficiency is an important topic as bills get more expensive, and the planet needs us to take better care of it. Choosing an environmentally friendly heating option is a great way to future-proof your home’s heating system while also making sure you’re keeping bills low and lowering carbon emissions.