Improving the energy efficiency of your home is a way to save money in the face of rising energy prices and to help protect the environment.
According to data from IDAE, the Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving, homes account for 30% of energy consumption in Spain, but 80% of our building stock is inefficient and consumes more energy than necessary. Consequently, the possibilities for improvement are enormous.
These are the measures to improve energy efficiency that have the greatest impact and with which you can achieve an A energy certificate for your home.
Improve the thermal insulation of the home
Poor insulation in a home can cause a large part of the heat and cold to be lost quickly. According to data from the company Sismo Spain, the percentages of heat or cold lost in a home due to poor insulation are as follows:
- Gaps around doors and windows: 20%
- Walls: 25%
- Roofs: 30%
- Thermal bridge: 5%
- Windows: 13%
- Soils: 7%
Improving the building envelope will help reduce energy costs, as the home will be more efficient because less energy will be needed to cool and heat it. According to OCU calculations, this can lead to savings of up to 1,000 euros per year.
This improvement in thermal insulation can be done by changing the windows or improving the walls. In the latter case, external elements can be added and even the walls can be filled to improve insulation.
The ideal thing is to make these types of changes before moving into the house, for which there are special mortgage loans that include the cost of the renovation.
In addition, there are currently tax benefits for renovations that help improve the energy efficiency of the home. This way, you can deduct part of the money for the works as a housing expense.
Renew the enclosures
Doors and windows are two of the areas through which the most heat can escape. Replacing the windows with double glazing or including frames designed for thermal break will help improve the energy efficiency of the home.
According to Leroy Merlin calculations, replacing old windows can result in energy savings of 35%.
Renew the boiler and heating system
A condensing boiler reduces consumption by around 35% compared to other types of boilers. It is one of the actions with the best cost-saving ratio.
So is it worth changing the boiler? The price of a boiler for a 150 m² home with two bathrooms is around 1,300 euros and for a bill of 800 euros per year it would mean saving 280 euros. In just 5 years the investment would be paid off.
Beyond the boiler, the entire heating system can also be improved by installing underfloor heating, replacing radiators with low-temperature radiators or improving their distribution so that they are not blocked and distribute the air better.
Introducing renewable energy
Using renewable energy will help you move towards self-consumption of energy at home. Photovoltaic energy with solar panels is the most affordable and widely used option, along with geothermal energy, which is more common in new-build homes.
Finally, there is also the option of wind power in certain buildings.
The investment in installing solar panels at home is between 3,500 and 10,000 euros for a 100 m2 home that will need between 4 and 6 solar panels.
To meet this expense, there are aids such as those from the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan and the Next Generation Funds of the European Union and deductions for reforms to improve energy efficiency in the home.
In addition, there are green mortgages that improve the conditions of a standard loan for buying a house with a good energy rating or buying and renovating a home so that it has one.
Renewing your appliances
The latest formula for improving energy efficiency at home is to change appliances, especially if they are more than 10 years old.
According to IDEA calculations, replacing a class D appliance with a class A one can result in savings of more than 600 euros over its useful life.
And if we're going to change, the refrigerator would be the first, since it consumes 30% of the energy of household appliances.
These are the ways to have a more efficient, environmentally friendly home and also save money.
