Advice if you are going to carry out alteration work

 

Insulation and lighting

To improve the insulation at home by up to 40%, add a plasterboard panelling (drywall system) with thermal insulation (Rockwool or polystyrene).

If you are planning to repaint your home, consider using paints with liquid wax or insulating ceramic microspheres. They can help reduce your costs on air conditioning by about 30%.

Light colours reflect the light better, so a room that is painted white is brighter, which helps save on energy. There are also highly reflective paints available on the market, which reflect up to double the amount of light.

Windows and gaps

If you are going to change the windows at home, bear in mind that most of the heat or cold air escapes through the frame. Hinged or tilt and turn windows have better air seals than sliding windows. The PVC and the aluminium frames with thermal break technology are the materials that provide the best thermal insulation.

The glass is also important. Use double glazing that consists of two or more glass window panes separated by a vacuum or gas-filled space and you will cut down on the HVAC costs and it will also improve the acoustic insulation.

If one of the external walls of your home is south facing, add sun protection systems, such as awnings, canopies or louvers to the windows to stop it getting too hot inside in the summer.

Systems and Renewable Energy

When it comes to your heating system at home, look into replacing electric radiators or catalytic heaters for a biomass heating system. You will notice a drop in your electricity bill and improved comfort.

If you have a boiler heating system at home, think about replacing it with another system that runs off a cheaper and more energy efficient fuel, such as natural gas or biomass.

You can install solar thermal collectors for domestic hot water.

Look into setting up a small photovoltaic system at home. You won’t produce enough energy to be self-sufficient, but you will be able to produce enough power to run electrical appliances such as the refrigerator and cut down on fixed costs.