How To Make Your Home More Thermally Efficient

Making your home more thermally efficient doesn’t have to be complicated! Find out how with our handy guide.

With the sharp increase in the cost of gas and electricity that is only on an upwards trajectory, ensuring your home is performing at its best is a top priority! Thermal efficiency is the ratio of the heat utilised by a heat source to the total heat units in the fuel consumed. We want our heat source to be on for the shortest time possible whilst our home stays warm. 

Thermal efficiency is part of what makes energy-efficient homes, which is essential for more reasons than having a happy bank balance. Just to get an idea of how much energy heating and cooling takes, it’s the biggest energy consumption that buildings, homes included, have followed by electrical consumption. Thermally efficient buildings will help reduce pollution significantly, but perhaps more than that, they can increase a homeowner, and its occupant’s comfort and productivity.

How can I tell if my home is not energy efficient?

If you feel like your home is not staying warm, you feel drafts from your windows and doors, or you notice that your bills are increasing abnormally, then it’s likely that your home is not as energy efficient as it could be. A great place to start is by looking at your EPC rating, which you can find online. This certificate gives your properties energy performance ratings, with A being the most efficient and G being the least.

What energy-efficient home improvements can I make?

You can make some great improvements that will truly make a difference to your home’s thermal and energy efficiency.

1.Replace your windows & doors

This is a great place to start; if your windows are old, you live in an older property, or they just weren’t installed to high standards, they can let a lot of the heat escape, reducing your property’s thermal efficiency. When choosing your replacement windows, it’s also essential to take note of the material you choose, as some are much better than others.

Timber windows are naturally more thermally efficient than their other popular alternatives due to the density of the material. Timber is a natural insulator that will take in and retain the heat from the windows and your primary energy source. 

Another reason to look at replacing your windows is if you notice that they are single glazed. The single pane of glass offers little protection from escaping the heat, and therefore is essential to replace it with double glazing for optimal thermal and energy efficiency. This will also help reduce condensation inside your home.

We at Dale Joinery have a large range of timber windows and doors for you to choose from, including sympathetically styled sash windows to make older homes more energy-efficient. We pride ourselves on being able to make your vision a reality with an extensive range of customisation available. All our products are fitted with top-quality double glazing to ensure a safe and secure finish. 

2.Replace your boiler

Old boilers tend to lose a lot of heat and are less efficient. Upgrading to a newer model will be cheaper to run, and you’ll reduce your home’s carbon dioxide emissions. You should look at replacing your boiler every 15 years, and with the rising cost of living, this is a great time to consider doing just that. 

3.Ensure you have proper insulation

Insulation within your home’s walls, cavities, and loft can massively help reduce your utility bills and help create an energy-efficient home. As well as keeping your home warm in the winter, good insulation will help keep your home cool in the notoriously humid British summers.

4.Use a Smart Meter

Smart meters are available from most energy providers and show your daily usage and expenditure on gas and electricity. They cost nothing to install, and your provider recoups the small cost of running them over time. You can see real-time information in your home of precisely what you’re using and when you can keep a good track of how energy efficient your home is.

About Dale Joinery

At Dale Joinery, we pride ourselves on creating the ultimate timber window and door for you. We carefully source all parts of our frame and only use the best materials to guarantee product security, quality and longevity. If you’re interested in our sustainable timber windows and doors for your project, please get in touch or call us 0800 030 2222. Download our digital brochure or request your physical brochure online for more inspiration.