The houses we live in are central to the lives we lead. They provide us with shelter, with comfort, and with warmth. They say that an ‘Englishman’s home is his castle’, and in many ways the home is where we go to get away from the outside world.
But there is always overlap between the interior and exterior worlds, and sometimes elements outside the home impact the inside.
An obvious example is the cold. When the weather outside is cold and the temperature is low, the feel within your home is going to be affected and you will likely go to flick your heating on - possibly after putting on a jumper or two.
This can help increase the temperature of your home quickly and allow you to feel better, more comfortable and most importantly, warmer!
But there is a price to pay for this comfort - quite literally. The more time you spend with your heating on in your home, the higher your bills will be and the more you will end up splashing out from your bank account.
An unexpectedly high energy bill is something nobody wants to see. It’s never a nice feeling, regardless of how much you might have enjoyed being warmer when your house was at its coldest.
Fortunately however, there are ways and means of making your home more self-sufficient to help you lower those dreaded bills.
In the latest Stoves & Solar blog, we take a look at how you can take steps to lower your carbon footprint and increase the self-sufficiency of your house.
What is your house’s carbon footprint?
The carbon footprint of your home is dependent on factors such as the size of the property, and the materials used in its composition. Elements such as the tools that help to keep your house ticking over also come in to play. So the age of the heating system for example will impact your overall carbon footprint. Houses built in the modern age have had to factor in energy efficiency and carbon footprint from the outset. That means that if you are living in a home built in the fairly recent past, there is a good chance that your carbon footprint will be comparatively lower. Factors such as the efficiency of your boiler, the insulation in place, the number of cars your home has, and how much recycling you do also come into play.
Now things like recycling and car ownership are a bit beyond our control. That’s down to you, your situation and motivations. But in terms of your boiler and insulation, there are some general rules of thumb we can advise on.
The older your boiler is, the less efficient it is likely to be. Many authorities recommend changing your boiler every decade. So if you have a boiler that has been in use for more than 10 years then the chances are its efficiency is dwindling. The less efficient your boiler is, the higher your carbon footprint will be as more energy will have to be used to get your home into the condition you want it to be in.
In terms of insulation, modern homes will ordinarily feature insulation wall cavities and lofts. There is also usually an insulated floor present, while double glazing and draught excluders enhance the insulation capabilities of the modern home. This means heat produced is better maintained, meaning less heating is generally required.
This level of insulation can often be found wanting in older homes. So if you are the owner of an older home, it can be hugely beneficial to begin an insulation project and help keep hold of the heat that your energy system produces.
Energy production alternatives
Another important step you can take to make your home more self-sufficient is to use more sustainable energy sources. This lessens your reliance on mains energy sources while still providing the level of energy required. Using solar energy to power your home is a more self-sufficient approach, and can do an effective job while also lowering energy bills.
Modern technologies like solar panels for hot water and solar photovoltaic panels to gather solar energy can help you make positive steps forward in terms of creating an energy-efficient home, and after an initial investment, lower your energy bills over time.
Making the move towards self-sufficiency
If you’re wondering how to have an eco home, then adopting the self-sufficient approach is a really good starting point. The less you rely on traditional energy supply and more on natural energy, and the more you take steps like modernising boiler systems and insulation, the better.
Stoves & Solar’s online store has a host of different sustainable technology options that can help you make a positive move in the right direction in terms of having a self-sufficient home. Whether you want to add solar panels, set up an off-grid system or get your own heat pump, Stoves & Solar can help.
Be sure to take a look at what we have to offer. We are operating a skeleton staff but are still processing and dispatching orders from our website.
So find your next great buy and move towards a self-sufficient home today. And if you have any questions, do not hesitate to get in touch.