When you look for a new house, you want to make sure it ticks all the boxes before you buy. If one of your boxes to tick is owning a house that’s environmentally friendly, you need to know what to look for.
Energy Efficiency
To keep your fuel use down, you want to make sure that the house is energy efficient. If you ask estate agents in Southsea and other places in the UK, they will be happy to help you find an energy efficient house. You can look at the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) to find out more about the energy in the home. These certificates are required any time a home is bought, sold or rented in the UK. They will tell you about the property’s energy use and typical costs, as well as how the energy efficiency in the property can be improved. The EPC will show an efficiency rating for the property’s energy, from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient). Keep in mind that it is valid for ten years.
Insulation
One factor in the energy efficiency of the house is how well it is insulated. Generally, newer houses will be better insulated. However, you can put in additional insulation when you move in. What your house is insulated with might also be a concern for you, if you don’t want to live in a house insulated with synthetic materials. There are natural alternatives for this, such as wood fibre and lamb’s wool.
Look for Energy Efficient Boilers
Boilers nowadays tend to be much more efficient than they used to be. They’re often smaller, and combi boilers will heat water instantly. You can also try solar thermal boilers, which use solar panels. Wood burning boilers are another option if you’re trying to avoid fossil fuels.
Use an Environmentally Friendly Estate Agent
To make your search for a green house even easier, you can use an estate agent specialising in them. You will be more limited than if you choose an ordinary estate agent, who should still be able to help you. However, green estate agents should definitely know what they’re doing and be able to give you more focused advice.
Start From the Ground Up
If you really want to commit to an eco-friendly house,? buy a plot of land? and start from the ground up.?? Beginning with the foundation, moving on to the framing, and finishing with a roof from Ideal Construction will ensure that the house is not only environmentally friendly once it’s built, but that the building process is eco-friendly as well.”
If you are dedicated to finding an eco-friendly house, you should be able to find somewhere with a bit of searching. However, remember that you can always adapt your home once you’ve bought it. If it isn’t as green as you would like it to be when you buy it, you can make improvements. And remember it’s not just the house’s performance that affects how green it is, but what you choose to do in it.
