As a homeowner, you are likely looking at ways to improve home energy efficiency and lower those energy bills. From adding extra insulation in the roof to ensuring your windows are all double-glazed, there is a lot you can do. These days, adding solar panels is also gaining popularity to help improve your energy efficiency.
Not only do they work towards lowering your energy bills, but they also help you lower your carbon footprint. So, you can be smug on two counts: large cost savings and smaller environmental impact.
Of course, simply installing the solar panels won’t do all that much to your home’s energy efficiency. There are a few other things you need to do too.
At ProStar Energy, we are experts in solar power and how it can be used to boost efficiencies within a residential property. With years of experience, we can design and install bespoke solar systems that meet your specific needs, so you no longer have to completely rely on the National Grid and third-party providers to run your home.
In this blog, we share five tips to enhance your home’s energy efficiency with solar panels.
Tip 1: Install Solar Panels to Generate Renewable Energy
Of course, the first tip has to be to install solar panels. Without a solar power system, there is only so much you can do to improve home energy efficiency.
So why do these improve energy efficiency? Well, there are a number of ways solar panels help in this battle, but these all circle around the idea that you will be reducing your dependence on the National Grid to supply energy to your home.
- Reduce energy bills – solar panels mean you buy less power from third-party providers and the National Grid, so save money on your energy bills.
- Avoid high demand times – if you install an energy storage battery, you can save excess energy produced throughout the day and use it when demand is high for National Grid energy, such as evenings, again contributing towards saving money.
- Use of less fossil fuels – relying less on the National Grid means as a household, you use less fossil fuel and reduce your impact on the environment.
Tip 2: Insulate Your Home for Maximum Energy Retention
The next step to take to improve home energy efficiency is to ensure it is well insulated.
This is actually quite a pivotal part of boosting your energy efficiency because, without decent insulation, you are wasting heating or cooling and, therefore, energy.
Insulation means that your rooms won’t leak heat to the outdoors during the colder months, nor will they let hot air from outside in, keeping the room cool in the summer months. This means that whether you are warming up or cooling down the space, you will need less of it as the room will maintain a comfortable temperature.
Less need for heating or cooling means less energy consumed and a more energy efficient home, allowing the solar power energy generated to be used in other areas, such as lighting.
Tip 3: Use Energy-Efficient Appliances and Lighting
Another way to improve home energy efficiency is to make sure that all your appliances are energy efficient.
The more appliances that efficiently use energy, the less you will need to run them.
How do you know if they are energy efficient? Most household appliances will have a U-value. This will measure how much energy they consume to get the job done. These are the colourful ladders with letter labels that can often be seen on the appliance or its label.
Items that you should specifically think about are:
- Light bulbs
- Dishwashers
- Washing machines
- Tumble dryers
- Fridges
- Freezers
Again, the less energy they use to run, the more energy from your solar panels can go elsewhere or be stored for peak energy times, saving you money.
Tip 4: Optimise Solar Panel Usage with Smart Home Technology
Incorporating smart technology into your home’s systems is a great way to enhance your energy efficiency.
Things such as smart devices and apps that can control lights and heating allow you to dictate when these are on or off, even when out. For example, you could set your heating to come on when you are on your way home from a holiday, meaning it is on for just enough time to warm the house up for your arrival home. It doesn’t need to be on any longer than it needs to be and can be on for the exact time you need it to be.
Additionally, you could add automated systems that switch the appliances on at certain times for optimal performance and enjoyment without wasting time or energy.
On top of this, it is a good idea to schedule energy-intensive activities, such as laundry, during peak daylight hours so that you can maximise the solar power generated.
Tip 5: Take Advantage of Government Grants and Incentives for Solar Energy
The final tip we have to help improve home energy efficiency is to make use of government initiatives.
One of the best initiatives for homeowners is the Smart Export Guarantee, which allows you to sell any excess energy your solar panels make to the National Grid.
This creates an additional income for your home, increasing the return on investment of the installation.
Improve Home Energy Efficiency with ProStar Energy
Solar panels unlock several ways that you can improve home energy efficiency.
By reducing your reliance on the National Grid, you can reduce energy bills. Plus, adding insulation and choosing efficient appliances lessens the amount of energy needed to create a comfortable environment, also working to lower bills.
Finally, government schemes provide an income that improves the return on investment.
Interested in improving your home’s energy efficiency with solar panels? Contact our team today to discuss your energy demands and how we help.
At ProStar Energy, we design bespoke residential solar PV panel systems for your needs and install them efficiently. Once installed, we provide a maintenance contract, keeping your panels and batteries running at optimal levels and helping last their lifespan.
Speak to our experts today by calling us on 0331 6302 225 or completing our online contact form.