Five top tips to make your home more sustainable this summer
As the seaons change, it's always a good idea to check your home to make sure that it’s as energy efficient as possible. We've pulled together some top tips and tricks to get you started!
Sustainability is key in the fight to tackle the climate crisis, and 40% of UK emissions are produced by our homes1. It’s time to tackle the climate crisis and even small changes are important to take climate action.
Here are our top five things you can do to make your home as sustainable and energy efficient as possible, so you’re comfortable all summer long – and ready for winter when it comes.
1. Give your boiler some summer lovin’
Your boiler has likely been very well used over the winter months.
Whilst many of us still use our boiler over the summer for hot water, we generally use it less for heating our homes, making now the perfect time to give your boiler some much needed TLC.
- Check the pressure on your boiler to make sure it’s working efficiently and check when it was last serviced. If it hasn’t been serviced within the last 12 months, book it in for one. And don’t forget to check your boiler’s flow temperature too – it can help save you money on your gas bills.
- It’s a good idea to briefly turn on your central heating at least once a month over the summer just to keep everything working smoothly and prevent complications in your boiler seizing up.
If your boiler is 10-15 years old, or isn’t working as efficiently as it should be, now might be a good time to consider investing in a new boiler. An energy efficient boiler will use less energy to keep your home and hot water at a comfortable temperature – plus you’ll have peace of mind that it won’t break down in the winter months ahead.
2. Consider a sustainable alternative to boilers
If your boiler needs upgrading, why not consider whether an air source heat pump is right for you. Air source heat pumps are an environmentally friendly solution to heating your home and help to reduce your reliance on gas.
Up to 4 times as effective as gas boilers2, an air source heat pump could also help you lower your energy bills. What’s more, there are government grants available like the Boiler Upgrade Scheme which provides a grant of up to £5,000 towards the cost of installing an air source heat pump.
3. Consider using the sun’s energy to generate your own
We all feel more energised when it’s sunny and we can get out to enjoy the warmer weather, so imagine if you could capture that energy and use it to generate your own.
Summer is a great time to install solar panels, meaning you can become more sustainable and independent from the grid. By adding a battery to your solar system, you can store energy generated during the day to use when it suits you, and you can even sell excess energy back to the grid for additional savings, perfect for those sunny summer days.
4. Check your insulation levels
Many of us assume that our homes are well insulated, but it’s important to check whether the level of wall and loft insulation you have in your home is correct, and what more you could do.
Insulation prevents air escaping, and while it’s crucial for keeping homes warm in winter, it also keeps your home cooler in summer. There are a number of energy efficiency grants and funding for people to get free or partially funded insulation, as well as other measures, so check if you’re eligible with our green homes grant finder.
It’s also a good time to check seals around doors and windows and to carry out any repairs on these to ensure your home isn’t losing unnecessary heat during winter, and to ensure cool air is kept in during the summer.
5. Continue your spring cleaning
It might be a little late to call it ‘spring cleaning’, but it’s never too late for a clean and refresh. Clearing your gutters of old leaves and debris from the winter months helps protect your home from no leaks or water damage caused by clogged gutters.
It’s also a good time to have your roof checked for any slipped or lost roof tiles. Missing tiles can mean draughts or damp in your home.
As more and more homes are using open fires or wood burners to supplement the central heating, it’s important to keep these properly maintained for safety reasons. Clean your fireplace of any leftover wood or soot and remove any leftovers. Also think about having the chimney swept if you haven’t done so for the past 12 months, so it’ll be all ready for action when the time comes.
1. CCC: “The Fifth Carbon Budget”, 2019. For ref: https://www.theccc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/5CB-Infographic-FINAL-.pdf
2. Based on a Daikin heat pump installed by E.ON.