Climate change is a hot topic today. We cannot deny the changes that are happening around us, and we all need to do our bit to help decarbonise the planet. There are many producers of carbon with farming and transport being significant contributors, but our homes are also one of the biggest.
As inhabitants of this world, we believe we need to look closely at our homes and lifestyle to see what we can do to cut our carbon footprint. When examining our homes, the emphasis is on ‘energy-saving’ and making simple, and some more substantial changes will help decrease the carbon and reduce our energy bills. It’s time to think ‘green and clean’…
With our experience and as a qualified Thermographer and Retrofit Coordinator, Eco Tiffin can assess your home and recommend energy- and money-saving options, improving your home’s comfy factor. We’re committed to providing sound advice for our clients to reduce the risk of poor investments and save money with both long- and short-term solutions.
When should you consider getting a home energy assessment?
A home energy survey is a valuable tool for property owners looking to enhance their building’s energy efficiency and cut down on energy costs. It brings numerous benefits and therefore several reasons to consider one:
- Reducing energy waste in your home or business
- Compliance and efficiency upgrades
- Understanding a property’s energy usage when buying or selling
- Simple curiosity around whether your home is costing you money!
Why is an energy survey necessary before implementing renewable energy solutions?
There are many energy saving solutions out there, with more being added all the time – but the start point should always be a heat loss survey. After all, the fabric of the building needs to be ready to receive renewable energy, and to ensure it doesn’t go to waste. Otherwise, your energy demands will be same – and although your energy will be greener, it’ll still be costing you the same.
Our experts can give you clear, unbiased advice on what measures would best solve your problems, ensuring you spend your money where it will have the biggest impact. A home energy assessment and heat loss survey will help you:
Maximise efficiency before expansion
Before leaping into renewable energy options like extra insulation, new windows, solar panels, heat pumps, or battery storage, it’s crucial to ensure your building is as energy-efficient as possible. This fabric first approach means addressing potential heat loss and energy waste. Why invest in new technologies if your existing infrastructure squanders energy?
Tailored solutions
Every property is distinct, with different heat and power demands. A heat loss survey provides a comprehensive understanding of these needs to help you make informed decisions about which solutions will be most effective and cost-efficient.
Our expert team takes a holistic approach to every property we examine. Not considering the property as a whole can lead to unexpected consequences elsewhere in the building – such as thermal bridges or condensation caused by a lack of ventilation – so we ensure no suggested solutions are made in isolation.
Blueprint for future strategies
An energy survey results in a detailed report that acts as a strategic blueprint for decarbonising your property, highlighting current inefficiencies and mapping out a home improvement journey.
We’re also able to phase the work to match your individual circumstances – be that budget, availability or priorities – to give you a plan that’s exactly the right fit for you.
Long-term savings and sustainability
By identifying areas to improve energy efficiency first, you’ll save money in the long run – shifting sustainability from an ideal to a practical, cost-effective reality.
In essence, an energy survey is not just a starting point – it’s a critical strategy for effective and efficient energy management.
Recommended Energy-Saving Measures
Here are a few things that can be implemented to help energy saving:
- Airtightness and draught proofing
- Modern heating techniques and controls – high-efficiency boilers, thermostats and timers.
- Modern double / triple-glazed windows
- Window films
- Insulating walls externally or internally
- Insulating floors (especially ground floor and forgotten)
- Loft insulation
- Eaves insulation
Our energy-saving assessments are the perfect start to enlighten you as to what is possible with your home. We can give you calculated before and after savings if requested to show you what is achievable with the retrofit measures to your home, summarised clearly so you can see which actions will pay for themselves quickest.
This clear presentation helps you make informed decisions at a glance – and because we do not sell products or receive commissions for specific materials, you can trust our advice to be the right advice for you.
Follow-up Support
We realise that questions may arise after the survey has taken place, or there might be points you want to clarify. You have the opportunity to ask any follow-up questions relating directly to the report or survey for up to 12 months after the survey. This ensures you have ample time to understand and implement the recommendations effectively.
By combining these elements, you can make informed decisions about energy efficiency improvements, ensuring your home not only saves energy but also maintains a comfortable living environment.
Where thermography comes in…
Thermography is used to identify thermal defects in buildings by measuring and recording the reflected energy of an object or area. These thermal images accurately detect problems by relying on reflected heat. The coldest temperatures will appear as black/dark blue images and range up to red / White for the warmest temperature.
In this process, we determine the areas of heat loss, building defects, and anomalies in building structures, which in turn enables homeowners to avoid the costly expense of invasive and destructive measures. We effectively allow the homeowner to have a more detailed insight into the property in which they plan to invest. This practice has proven highly successful in old and listed buildings to help identify adaptions and alterations.
Our focus is to improve and maximise the thermal qualities of the whole structure. This takes into account the age, condition, usage, the status of the property (example listed) and particularly the clients long- and short-term goals. There are also substantial added value benefits, which are:
- Identify long and short-term maintenance issues
- Improve ventilation
- Improve health conditions, allergy-free (fungi and moulds associated with damp and condensation)
- Improved comfort
- Change habits
- Save money
- Helping the war on climate change
If you’d like a home energy survey on your property, please call us to discuss your requirements and the most suitable type of assessment to suit your needs.
How Does It Work? – Home Energy Survey
Conducting the Survey:
Our team will carry out a thorough visual survey of your home to assess how you are using energy, as well as conducting a thermal imaging analysis to provide objective evidence of heat loss. This method is invaluable for pinpointing specific areas that need attention.
Heating:
We will inspect boilers, heat pumps, electric heating, controls, and radiators/underfloor heating systems.
Lighting and Appliances:
Review of current lighting and appliance usage.
Hot Water:
Assessment of storage, distribution, and usage.
Draughtproofing:
Identifying areas of cold air infiltration and assessing ventilation.