How to know what improvements to make for your property
There is much to consider when thinking about making energy-efficiency improvements to your home or business.
As Guy Newey from Energy Systems Catapult says:
“To decarbonise your house is an extremely difficult thing to do. You’ve really got to be committed to it. You’ve got to become your own project manager, your own thermal engineer, which is a million miles away from what people want. You want to be able to phone one person, and for them to sort it out”.
It can be difficult to know what measures will be appropriate for your building and it can be hard to calculate the cost savings that you can expect from installing certain technologies.
The last thing you want to do it spend loads of money on a rooftop solar panel system that doesn’t get enough sunlight or an air source heat pump that is too small for your needs.
Taking the time to properly research the most effective solutions for your property can save you time, money, and hassle down the line. The small cost to bring in an expert opinion could help you avoid wasting thousands of pounds on a dysfunctional system that does not meet your expectations.
When energy efficiency improvements don’t have the desired effect
A badly designed or poorly installed energy improvement system can end up costing more than the system it replaces or create new problems that were not there before.
For example, whilst Cavity Wall Insulation is a great option for improving the thermal efficiency of most properties, there are occasions when it can exacerbate mould and damp issues.
A recent article from the BBC entitled ‘Government insulation scheme ruined my home’ looked at several examples where poorly installed cavity wall insulation has been blamed for significant mould and damp issues.
Whilst it is true that Cavity Wall Insulation (CWI) is a highly effective solution for improving the thermal efficiency of homes, it is not a universal solution that can be replicated everywhere.
This is why its best to consult with a qualified and experienced energy assessor before making any significant energy improvements to your home.
Correctly sizing a heat pump or solar PV array
As you can see there is a lot to consider when deciding what energy efficiency or energy generating technologies will be right for your property.
Just as it is important to consider air flows and humidity when thinking about Cavity Wall Insulation, there are similar complexities involved with things like solar power or heat pumps.
When deciding if solar PV will be a good investment for your home or business you need to factor in the size of the system that can be installed, the impact of any shading, the angle and aspect of the roof, the structural integrity of the roof, and what proportion of your power needs can be met with solar electricity. This is a lot to take on for anyone who is not an experienced professional.
Similarly, deciding whether or not to have a heat pump installed requires more prudence than you may have anticipated. In order to make sure that you are installing a heat pump that is the correct size for your property you will need to conduct a heat load survey to understand the amount of heat required for the space. You will then need to consider the efficiency of the heat delivery system (will you need new radiators, if so how big?) and the impact of any energy efficiency improvements you wish to make (the better the thermal efficiency of your property, the less electricity the heat pump will require).
Making the right decision for your home with a professional energy survey
It is unlikely that most people will have the time, expertise, or inclination to take on such a complex undertaking.
For this reason, if you are looking to make improvements to the energy performance of your home, business, or organisation, then it is recommended to seek the advice of an experienced professional.
The money you save by designing an energy strategy yourself could end up costing you much more if the system fails to meet your expectations and has to be removed or refitted.
For the small cost of a BHESCo energy consultancy you can save yourself a lot of time and money by identifying what will and what won’t work for your property.
Get in contact today to discuss your project needs and we’ll provide the ideal energy improvement strategy for your property.
1 Comment
Almaescorts · 16/08/2023 at 14:36
The sizing of the heat pump is vitally important as a unit that is undersized may not be able to meet your demand or run efficiently and a unit that is too big may be excessively noisy and cost more to run than necessary.