Ask the expert: green homes

Our green team is here to offer members impartial advice on how to make their homes more sustainable. We can handle eco-friendly improvements from major renovations, such as installing solar panels, down to small, cost-effective changes that will fine-tune your home’s carbon footprint.

Here are Jerrard Watts' tips on home-grown electricity, green grants and quick solutions. Call to talk to one of our specialists for more help going green.

What’s the most effective way to cut a home’s carbon emissions?

Always insulate before you look into any other carbon-cutting measures. The Energy Saving Trust estimates that, for an average three-bedroom house, installing loft insulation will save homeowners around £205 on heating bills and one tonne of carbon dioxide each year.

We can advise on the best type of insulation to suit your home, from thin space-saving products to natural lagging made from materials such as sheepskin. We have a contacts book of specialist tradesmen who’ll carry out loft insulations, cavity wall work or any other kind of insulation.

Are there any grants available for the work?

We’re keeping an eye on the new Government. With the spending cuts, there isn't a huge amount of eco-friendly legislation in the pipeline. However, the Green Deal, due in autumn 2012, looks to be a game changer, and will offer home owners the chance to upgrade their properties without the upfront costs.

Under the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target all energy companies have to offer funding towards green home improvements, such as loft insulation. If you’re interested in taking advantage of CERT, call us and we’ll advise you on the options available.

Is it worth installing solar panels?

For most people, solar panels are currently prohibitively expensive. Since April 2010, however, a new programme called Feed-in Tariffs means energy companies are obliged to buy power produced from home solar panels and wind turbines and feed it back into the National Grid. For example; you’re looking at an initial outlay of around £10,000 to £12,000 for solar panels on an average home, but now you’re guaranteed an income from your energy supplier, which could be up to £1,000 a year.

With this scheme in place, we are seeing many more people installing panels. With economies of scale the price of solar panels will drop, and so will the payback rates from the Government-backed cashback scheme. We expect rates to drop every 12 months, so the next year offers a window of opportunity during which solar panels will generate the maximum return on the initial investment.

For an in-depth explanation of how this scheme works please do get in touch. We can also offer advice on how this would affect your home, and put you in touch with experts who can carry out the work.

Are old properties less sustainable than new builds?

All homes are different, and we can tailor our advice for your particular property, and advise on the most cost-effective ways in which to make it more sustainable.

For example, a member had an old house with a very expensive electric heating system. He was unable to connect to the gas network, so we upgraded the system for him to one that was much more efficient and cheaper to run, as well as advising on ways to reduce his heat consumption to create further savings.

Similarly, when members are moving house they often ask us to take a look at their new home and carry out any improvements before they move in.

Are there any easy ways I can cut my carbon footprint?

Try to turn off lights, televisions and other appliances when you’re not using them. It sounds obvious, but it’s easy to leave the TV on stand-by and forget to turn it off at the switch. Ask us to source an electricity monitor. This will tell you how much power each of your appliances is using throughout the day, helping you identify the biggest offenders when it comes to electricity use.

Switching to energy-efficient light bulbs is a simple way to make a difference, but probably the best tip is to turn down your thermostat by one degree during colder weather. You won’t notice the difference – until you see your energy bill.