When looking for a new floor, whether it be to replace an old one or as part of a renovation project, it’s important to look at the ways in which you could save money with your new flooring.
Not only is wood flooring a stylish and modern choice for your home, it also has many environmentally friendly benefits. It is a common misconception that carpets are the best way to insulate your house, however, the properties of wood far outweigh those that carpet can offer when looking at heating.
While carpet is a good insulator of heat, wood is a better conductor of heat. Undeniably, carpet does insulate, but it is unable to circulate and move the heat it absorbs. In comparison, wood is able to both retain heat and circulate it around your home, trapping the heat for longer. Because of this, you wouldn’t have to have your heating on for as long, saving on your energy bills and therefore helping to maintain your eco-friendly home.
As a renewable material, wood is the best choice when trying to improve the environmentally friendly aspects of your home. Through the use of sustainable forest management, manufacturing wood nowadays can be done so in a responsible manner without causing serious impact to the environment. Additionally, wood offers a longevity that other materials can’t meaning that you would be unlikely to ever replace it once installed, offering you a long-term solution to low cost heating bills.
If looking to further increase the sustainability of your home by using wood, the best option would be engineered wood flooring. Nearly identical in appearance to solid wood flooring, engineered flooring is made up of layers of plywood stuck together and finished with a layer of lamella. Because of the way in which it is constructed engineered wood flooring is able to withstand higher levels of moisture and fluctuations in temperature, making it ideal of underfloor heating. With proper insulation added to this, you could save a noticeable amount of money on your heating bills and therefore lowering your carbon footprint.
In conclusion, by properly insulating your home and installing a solid or engineered wood flooring with underfloor heating, you could save as much as £90 a year. The use of this renewable material can consequently lower you heating bills and heat your house efficiently.
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The good wood guide: eco-friendly furniture options for the home