There’s no time like the present if you’re considering making sustainable changes to your home this winter.
Whether you’re renovating an older property or optimising a modern home, you’ll find an abundance of eco-friendly options that will last for years to come.
From energy-efficient insulation to metal frame windows, we highlight the top 10 sustainable ideas for winterproofing your property before the coldest season takes hold. Following these suggestions will allow you to live stylishly and sustainably in the comfort of your home.
Add proper insulation
Insulating your home is one of the most effective ways to minimise your energy consumption and reduce your heating bills throughout the winter months. Without it, heat can easily escape through gaps and cracks in the walls, windows, roof, and doors, pushing your energy bills sky-high.
Firstly, ensure your cavity walls have are properly insulated and your loft has at least 270mm of mineral wool insulation in accordance with UK government recommendations. Then consider draught proofing your windows and doors, especially if they’re older and have seen better days. Finally, seal any gaps in the ceiling and floor and around the skirting board to keep out cold air while adding rugs or fitted carpet for extra warmth.
Upgrade your windows and doors
Poorly insulated windows and doors are one of the biggest causes of heat loss in homes. Older, single-glazed windows and doors allow warmth to escape, push up energy bills, and increase your carbon footprint, making it more expensive and less sustainable to heat your home.
Upgrading to double or triple-glazed windows is a sustainable way to significantly reduce heat loss and energy consumption, creating a cosy, cost-efficient environment. Similarly, slim metal frame windows with thermally broken A+10 ratings will provide 10KwH energy per square metre of glass in a year for no extra cost. Finally, pay attention to north-facing windows and doors as these receive less sunlight and often require a higher degree of insulation to keep out draughts.
Generate your own renewable energy supply
Adding solar panels to your home will give you a clean, renewable energy source by generating free power from sunlight. Not only will this cut your energy bills and carbon dioxide emissions, but you can also sell excess energy back to the grid through the government’s Smart Export Guarantee scheme.
Solar panels work by converting the sun’s energy into electricity for powering your home’s heating, light, appliances, and systems. It also lets you store electricity in a battery to use at a more convenient time for you, further reducing energy use. All in all, solar panels can deliver annual savings ranging from £300 to £800 and potentially more for larger homes, while also increasing the value of a property in a sustainable way.
Introduce energy-saving heat pumps
Unlike traditional boiler and radiator heating systems, energy-saving solutions such as heat pumps use electricity to transfer heat rather than generate it. This ensures high levels of efficiency and minimum energy usage throughout the colder months.
Air-source and ground-source heat pumps work by extracting heat from the air or ground and using it to warm a home. Not only have they become an eco-friendly alternative to traditional heating systems, but they can also keep homes cool in the summer, making them a perfect year-round sustainable option.
Install underfloor heating
The problem with radiators and many older heating systems is that most of the warmth generated is lost in the air. That means you’ll use more energy to heat your home, it will cost you more, and you’ll leave a larger carbon footprint.
Underfloor heating is a great alternative that offers numerous sustainability benefits during winter. Both electric and wet underfloor heating systems use radiant heat transfer which warms areas and surfaces in a room including the floor rather than heating the air directly. This allows for an even distribution of heat from the ground up, eliminates cold spots, and even frees up space often taken up by bulky radiators. Not only that, but heat pumps are also compatible with solar panels and other renewable energy sources, allowing you to create a fully integrated sustainable heating solution for your home.
Adopt sustainable water solutions
Alongside heating and insulation, eco-friendly water solutions can also make your home more sustainable for winter. Water is a precious resource, so setting up efficient systems that help conserve water and reduce waste can have a significant impact during winter.
Installing eco taps, dual-flush toilets, and water-saving shower heads are all simple but effective ways to lower water and energy consumption. Similarly, promptly fix any leaks in toilets, taps, and pipes to avoid unnecessary wastage, and consider taking shorter showers that use less water and energy and save you money in the long run.
Add LED lighting
Swapping your old light for light-emitting diode (LED) options is a simple yet effective energy-saving solution for making homes more sustainable this winter. Most people turn on the lights more during the cold, dark winter months, so adding LED lighting can deliver energy and costs savings.
LED lights use up to 90% less energy than traditional incandescent lights and last up to 25 times longer. The new generation of LED bulbs use less power than other varieties and are also brighter than ever before, making them a popular choice for eco-conscious homes, businesses, and public spaces.
Install smart thermostats
Smart thermostats allow you to control your heating remotely and schedule temperature changes to achieve optimum energy usage and sustainability. Not only will this reduce energy consumption, but it will also keep heating costs to a minimum during the winter.
Modern smart thermostats are ultra-efficient as they adjust heating times and avoid unnecessary heating when rooms are unoccupied. You can even control and programme some smart thermostats remotely from your phone, enabling even better heat management and efficiency while reducing energy bills.
Go for greywater recycling
Greywater refers to the wastewater generated from showers, sinks, washing machines, and other appliances that mostly disappears down the plughole. But each time this happens, you’re throwing valuable resources and energy away that could be recycled for other purposes.
Treating and reusing greywater is a sustainable water management solution that reduces the amount of freshwater used in a home. Water is put through various biological and physical treatments to remove solids and contaminants before it is stored for non-drinking purposes such as flushing toilets or garden irrigation.
Introduce a humidifier
Humidifiers are a sustainable and relatively cheap solution for warming homes in winter. Whereas dry air feels cooler than moist air even when they’re at the same temperature, humidifiers add moisture to the atmosphere which can help your property feel warmer.
As well as helping heat your home in an environmentally friendly way, humidifiers contribute to a warm and cosy atmosphere when outdoor temperatures begin to drop.
Whether it’s replacing old windows with thermally broken metal frame windows, installing LED lighting, or insulating your loft and cavity walls, there are a range of eco-friendly solutions that can help heat a home in a sustainable way this winter while reducing energy consumption at the same time.
