Author: Vera Kim

HOME IMPROVEMENTS FOR 2021

Best home improvements for 2021

Listed here are some of the home improvements best to undertake in 2021. The number one home improvements in the UK, are still the home improvements aimed at renewable energy. 

That includes these home improvements;

• Double Glazing for doors and windows
• Solar Panels
• Solar Thermal Heating
• Insolation of lofts, walls and floor space
• Biomass Heating Systems

Benefits of Double glazed doors and windows

The biggest benefit of double glazed windows and doors is extra heat for your home in the winter months. Plus, believe it or not, double glazing can actually make your house cooler in the summer months.

This effect is down to the double panes of glass which have an air gap in between them. In the winter this keeps heat in your home leading to a happier household and of course reduced energy bills.

On the other hand in the summer months, this can have the opposite effect and keep your home cooler. This again is down to that air gap between the glass.

How does the air gap work?

By allowing a small gap of cool air in between the glass stops warm air produced by your heating from cooling to quickly when coming into contact with the outside elements.

In the summer months, this effect is reversed meaning that cool air in your home is not heated by the outside because of the gap in between the elements again.

Another direct benefit of double glazing as your new home improvement is reduced noise pollution. If you live in a busy town or on a main road double glazing can massively reduce the noise from outside entering your home.

Benefits of solar panels and solar thermal heating.

Have you ever considered solar panels or solar thermal heating for your home improvements in 2021? Both are ideal home improvements to generate more renewable energy for your home in 2021.

Solar water heating systems or solar thermal systems use the energy produced by the sun. This energy is captured by solar panels installed in the roof space and then charged to a battery to be used later by the household.

Not only can you save on energy bills with solar panels but there are various different schemes available to sign up to meaning you can sell unused electricity back to your energy supplier. Making solar panels one of the leading options for home improvements.

Insulation, insulation, insulation.

Insulating walls, floors and loft space can be an excellent home improvement. By insulating these areas you can help reduce the amount of heat that escapes from your home.

Significantly reducing your carbon footprint and saving you money on your energy bills. Insulation is a very viable home improvement to think about when considering any energy-saving solutions for your home.

Biomass Heating Systems

Biomass is a completely renewable energy source. The energy is created by burning organic matter such as wood household waste and other organic materials.

It does produce some carbon dioxide in this process but still far less than fossil fuels. Biomass heating systems often burn chips or wood pellets and provide either heat to a single room or to a water heating system usually.

By installing a wood-fuelled biomass heating system you could potentially save up to £800 a year when compared to an older electric system.

Contact us for advice on new home improvements

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us today. We can discuss the most viable solutions to all your new home improvement needs for 2021.

What is Solar Funding Incentive?

What is Solar Funding Incentive?

Listed below are the 4 different types of solar Funding incentive available.

• Feed-in Tariff (FIT)
• Smart Export Guarantee (SEG)
• Reduced VAT on Energy Products
• Renewable Heating

The Feed In Tariff (FIT)

Firstly the Feed-In Tariff is a solar funding incentive that started back in 2010 ran with success for many years and was a great solar incentive. Unfortunately, this scheme has now been scrapped. Meaning that you can no longer claim unless you signed up before March 2019.

If you were signed up before March 2019 under this scheme. You could not only save money on your electricity bills. But you could also profit by selling electricity produced by your solar panels back to your supplier.

Under this scheme, you were guaranteed payments for 20 years. Significantly reducing payback times for your initial outlay on the installation.

Reduced VAT

If you are in receipt of a state pension, universal credit or disability benefits. You could be entitled to a 5% tax reduction on energy-saving products such as solar panels.

You would have to meet a specific criteria type, and the reduction may apply to the whole product or just the installation, depending on criteria demands met.

Renewable Solar Heating Incentive (RHI)

The domestic RHI is a Government-backed scheme. It aims to give private households and businesses incentive to install where possible renewable heating solutions. Including ground source heat pumps and solar thermal heating.

The government provide financial incentives to install these products on their premises and make payments determined on the amount of energy produced by these systems.

Smart Export Guarantee (SEG)

The Smart Export Guarantee pays households for renewable energy generated by solar panels. It replaces the Feed-In Tariff mentioned previously.

The larger energy companies have an obligation to offer the SEG scheme. Any company with more than 150000 customers must offer this scheme, and smaller companies can voluntarily opt.

The SEG scheme pays customers for any energy generated but not used by the household offering an incentive by lowering energy bills further.

Any homeowner with solar panels can claim this incentive with solar systems up to 5mw capacity. The household must have a smart meter to track energy use and calculate payments accordingly.  

This incentive makes solar panels the perfect home improvement to optimize energy use and save on energy bills.

How to apply for solar funding incentives?

You can find further information by clicking on the link here. Check your eligibility for funding by entering your postcode and answering a few simple questions.

Each solar panel funding incentive has its unique criteria demands, so to make it simple, use our form to check what funding you could be entitled to today and start saving on your energy bills.