Sustainable living, as a homeowner you can hardly avoid it these days. And that's a good thing, because it's a great development that contributes to a better environment. And not only is a sustainable home good for the environment, but in the long run it is often also good for your wallet. So a win-win situation. Read in this article which steps you can take to make your home more sustainable.
Homes built in recent decades are well insulated. The situation is different for homes built before the 1970s. These homes often have a low insulation value. If this is the case with your home, a first step towards more sustainable living is to ensure a well-insulated home. As a result, the heat is better retained and you have lower energy costs. When insulating a house, usually the floor and/or the wall are insulated. The roof, facade and windows can also be insulated.
Nowadays you see solar panels on more and more roofs. This is a very sustainable form of energy generation and your costs at the energy supplier drop considerably. You generate your own electricity and the excess generated electricity is supplied to the energy supplier, for which you receive a compensation. The installation of solar panels has become a lot cheaper in recent years and you can often get a subsidy for it. A solar water heater is also an option, with which you can mainly reduce your gas bill.
An old central heating boiler consumes a lot of energy. If your boiler is at least twelve years old, it is recommended to replace it. New central heating boilers are a lot more economical and the investment will definitely show up on your energy bill. If your central heating boiler needs to be replaced, it is even better to replace it with a heat pump. This does not consume any gas and since we are trying to drastically reduce gas consumption in the Netherlands, this is an excellent option. However, the purchase cost is a reason for many people not to purchase a water pump. A cheaper alternative is the hybrid water pump, which can be easily combined with the existing high-efficiency central heating boiler. A subsidy can often be applied for to install a hybrid water pump or water pump. For a water pump to be profitable, it is important that the house is well insulated.
Making your home more sustainable does cost a few cents, but in the longer term you will have those investment costs out and it will ultimately be cheaper. In addition, a sustainable home has a better energy label and is therefore worth more. Sustainable living is therefore a smart investment!
