3 home improvements we’re making to improve our energy rating

We moved in to our new house at the end of April and although it doesn’t have a terrible energy rating it could be better. Currently the energy rating is D but we would like to get it to C, at least. Being a terraced house built around the turn of the last century it wasn’t really built with energy efficiency in mind so there are a few things we can change to improve it, and hopefully get to a C rating.

Carpets & Underlay

Currently there is no carpet anywhere in the house. The previous owners had taken it up with the aim to bring the wooden floorboards back to life with sanding and polishing. However they only managed to do one room. This means that we just have bare, untreated/filled floorboards throughout. I love the idea of refurbishing the downstairs hallway and living room and dining room and using rugs, but we’re going to be laying carpet in all the bedrooms and upstairs hallway.

 Carpet will not only help to soundproof between the floors but it will also help to retain warmth in the winter, along with a thick underlay. I think this time we’re going to try buying our carpets online as there is a lot more choice and the prices are cheaper than what I’ve seen locally. I really love the idea of a herringbone pattern in the long hallway, with a nice plain but deep pile carpet in the bedrooms. I’ve already sent my measurements to Designer Carpet who worked out how much I needed for free, so now I’m just waiting on samples before making my final choice. While we wait we’re using rugs to make the bedrooms feel a bit cosier.

Loft Insulation

Although we will only be using the loft for storage it’s possible that at some point in the future we might think about a loft conversion. Currently the loft is half boarded very haphazardly with some absolutely ancient insulation in some areas. We have had a quote to have the full loft boarded on raised batons with proper insulation beneath it. This will really help to retain heat and stop it from just floating up through the roof tiles as it probably does now! We’ll also look to make any small repairs to tiles or gaps in the roof to ensure it is watertight. You can see if you are applicable to apply for a grant via the government for energy efficiency home improvements and also use their calculator to work out your own homes efficiency, with tips to improve it.

Windows

I love the features of a Victorian home, but the three original large sash windows that remain are sadly not very economical at all when it comes to retaining heat. Nor are they particularly secure.  You can enlist the services of a Sash Window specialist to bring yours back to life, especially if you are in a conservation area and unable to use double glazing. Thankfully ours are all at the back or side of the house and we don’t need them to be sash-opening, which brings the price down, but the long term savings during the winter will be worth the expenditure for sure. We also have two windows that are double glazed but in metal frames, I reckon they are probably ‘first generation double glazing’ from back in the 80’s, but whatever they are the panels have blown and the sealant is rotting so they too need to be replaced.

We’re hoping to be in this house for a good many years so doing these works now will definitely pay off in the long term, by making our house more economical to heat, and also be more desirable to buyers in the future. If you’ve made any other changes to improve energy efficiency do let me know about them!