Why Invest in Your Property?

Understanding your property and its demand on fossil fuels over the long term should really leave you thinking on where to invest your money wisely.

For this exercise, we are going to consider a house with gas central heating and electricity spending on average £1,800.00 this year (£150 per month) on utility bills.

What most people forget to consider is the compounding effect of inflation utility bills have year on year. If the average inflation rate was 3.21% for instance, it doesn’t seem a lot when you think about the increase for the following year. But when you look at it over a term of 20 years for example the effect can be quite significant. As follows:

Year 1          £1,800.00
Year 2          £1,857.78
Year 3          £1,917.41
Year 4          £1,978.96
Year 5          £2,042.49
Year 6          £2,108.05
Year 7          £2,175.72
Year 8          £2,245.56
Year 9          £2,317.64
Year 10        £2,392.04
Year 11        £2,468.82
Year 12        £2,548.07
Year 13        £2,629.87
Year 14        £2,714.29
Year 15        £2,801.41
Year 16        £2,891.34
Year 17        £2,984.15
Year 18        £3,079.94
Year 19        £3,178.81
Year 20        £3,280.85
 
Total            £49,413.23

That’s right £49,412.23 is what you could be spending over the next 20 years assuming the efficiency of the appliances you have in your home never deteriorated and let’s face it that will never be the case. 

This example is using simple numbers only, removing the multiple technical factors, as an eye-opener as to what you could be spending as a minimum!

Not only is this damaging to your finances, it is also damaging to our environment with an estimated 123 Tonnes of carbon being produced over this 20-year period.
So, what can we do about it?
Zero Carbon Boiler Installer Glasgow, Edinburgh, Falkirk, North Lanarkshire, East Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire, Refrewshire, Perthshire, Ayrshire

Boiler


Well first things first, heating your home represents around 60% of these costs alone. Using the figures above, you will spend around £1,080.00 including £85.53 standing charge on heating in year 1. By upgrading your system with a new condensing gas boiler, the Energy Savings Trust indicate you could save up to £315.00 by spending £2,300.00 on a straightforward replacement including thermostatic radiator valves.

Heating Controls


If your home does not have heating controls at present, another way of reducing these costs is to introduce wireless heating controls that regulate the temperature of your room. These controls send signals to the boiler to fire up and shut down when the target temperature has been achieved; therefore, eliminating any possibility of excess heat being generated resulting in unnecessary gas spend. A further saving of around 12% can be achieved when using your heating this way.

Cleaning your Heating System


Most people have never cleaned there system properly, using the correct cleaners and inhibitors for ongoing protection. Heating systems have around 2.5% of oxygen and nitrogen in the system water. We all know that water, oxygen and metal (your pipework) create rust. These are known as magnetite’s or magnetic sludge. They are damaging to the lifespan of your boiler and reduce how effective your heating system operates; as air within the system cannot transfer the heat effectively through your radiators. Over time these particles build up within radiators causing them to feel cool at the bottom and warm at the top. They choke up your pipework restricting the flow of water around the central heating system and clog up the heat exchanger (the most important component) within your boiler. Over 80% of boiler call-outs are a direct result of this as it causes your boiler to overheat and shut down; meaning costly repair bills or a full replacement. To create a simple analogy, your heating system is like a body. The boiler is the heart, your pipework are the veins, and your radiators are the organs. If you do not look after them properly, your radiators wont function well, your pipes become restricted, and your boiler will stop working. A proper flush and system clean can see results improve by as much as 30% dependant on the condition of the system, which has a direct impact on how much gas you will use when heating your home. If you have never had your system cleaned professionally this is definitely worth considering.

Oxypod™


The Oxypod™ is an innovative device that can be attached to any central heating system. Without being too technical it works through natural phenomena and removes all oxygen and nitrogen particles from the water that travels through your central heating system. This product has won multiple awards including Chartered Institute of Building International Innovation and Research Award, Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers Manufacturers Award, and the Rushlight Energy Reduction Award. This was tested by the National Physics Laboratory, and the University of Hull which indicated by trialling the product over a number of properties the average reduction in energy consumption was 24.03%. It was noted that the systems heated faster, there was better heat retention. The product extends the life of the boiler, pipework, pumps, radiators, which reduces the need for maintenance, reduces Co₂ emissions, and saves you money. This product is a preventative and will stop any build up of magnetite’s within your system from the day it is fitted. With a 40-year life expectancy, an impressive 15 years guarantee, and no moving parts, every property should have an Oxypod™ fitted.
Over 20 Years by taking the right measures you could potentially save £19,820.20 on your heating system and reduce your carbon footprint by 71 Tonnes!
Next...
Controlling Heat Loss

Now that we have looked at how to save money and reduce CO₂ emissions in terms of generating heat. Let’s look at the financial and environmental impact of how your property loses heat.

All building fabric has a U-Value. A U-value is the unit of measurement that describes the flow of heat through a particular building material, such as a wall, window, roof, floor, insulation etc. A lower U-Value indicates better thermal properties whereas a higher the U-Value means the material is not good at retaining heat. This is important to understand as your building loses its heat as follows:

Walls          35%
Windows   10%
Doors         15%
Floor          15%
Roof           25%

Heat loss is inevitable therefore by improving the thermal performance of a property we can slow down the rate in which the property loses heat and promote recovery with less effort and energy consumption.

Insulation


External Wall Insulation can significantly reduce the rate in which your property loses heat, and in the summer keep your property cool. By introducing this system, the Energy Savings Trust estimate savings as high as £435.00 on your heating bills. Not only does this system retain heat effectively, the range of finishes are leave your property looking great. Underfloor and Loft Insulation are equally important as you’re the heat within your property creates warm air which in turn rises through the property. Having great insulation allows your property to retain heat by slowing down the rate in which it loses it. The Energy Savings Trust indicate that Increasing your loft insulation from 120mm to 270mm can achieve financial savings as high as £240 per year, whilst underfloor insulation can save around £70 per year.

Windows & Doors


Energy efficient windows welcome visible light retain radiant heat and reflect solar heat. Like EWI they perform well in slowing down the rate of heat loss, and in summer help to keep the property cool. New windows are air tight meaning less heat is lost unlike draughty old windows. Properties with single glazing can see a massive reduction in heat loss by intruding new energy efficient double-glazed units.
Taking consideration to the above and implementing these changes to control heat loss in your property makes a massive difference on its own. Over 20 Years by taking the right measures you could save £23,745.80 on your heating bills and reduce your carbon footprint by 85 Tonnes!

Next...
Electrical Consumption 

Understanding your heating and reducing your energy demand by introducing energy saving products can be massive! But second to improving thermal properties and having an efficient heating system is reducing the amount of electrical energy you draw from the grid.

Lighting


The Energy Savings Trust indicate 15% of your electrical energy cost are a direct result of lighting. Using the numbers at the top of this exercise this would a equate to a total of £720.00 in year 1; of which £77.02 is a standing charge and £96.45 is spent on lighting. Introducing energy efficient lighting such as Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL’S) or Light Emitting Diodes (LED’s) could save a minimum of £960.81 and almost 1.36 tonnes of carbon over 20 years. With longer lifespans you will further save on the cost of continually replacing traditional bulbs.

Solar Panels


A solar PV system takes free energy from daylight and converts it to electrical energy we can use in our properties. The standard domestic solar installation in Scotland will usually be around 4kWp. A 4kWp system will generate around 3,400kWh (kilowatt hours) of electricity each year  and reduce your carbon footprint massively. Installing this type of system alongside battery storage allows the user to store electrical energy generated through the panels when there is no daylight; meaning very little energy is going to the grid and more is being generated for your own use.

Battery Storage


Battery storage alows you to store the surplus energy you generate through your solar panels to use at night for example. This saves energy being transferred back to the grid unnecessarily. Additionally, battery storage systems can be set to store electricity during off-peak hours which some utility tariffs offer considerably less; making it the perfect addition to your home. This can literally save you a major percentage of your energy bill annually.
Conclusion...

Choosing which combination of products is right for you will be determined on what you already have and what your building needs. Energy saving products can seem costly at first glance but understanding the financial impact over a longer period makes perfect sense when thinking of reasons to invest. Saving money isn’t the only attractive things to remember, your property will be more aesthetically pleasing and increase in value naturally. Investing in your home is one of the best things you can do!

Let one of our team from Zero Carbon come along and explain how energy saving products and renewable technologies can benefit you!

Call us now on 0141 353 9377
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