Make your period house more energy efficient this winter
Period homes carry charm in abundance, but during the winter months they can get cold and put pressure on an aging heating system. Draughty windows and poor insulation mean energy consumption can rocket when the temperature outside drops, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Jake Civardi, Partner at Strutt & Parker Winchester, gives his tips for making your period home more energy efficient.
“The drive to make all homes more energy efficient has been embraced by local government, charities and individuals. However, there are a number of obstacles when it comes to period properties. For example, owners of properties that are listed or are in Conservation Areas are restricted by what they can do structurally to the home. This means modern double-glazing and visible solar panels might not be allowed.
“It’s best to start with the basics. Get an airtightness test kit. It’s cheap and can tell you where all the draughts are in your home. Once you know where the problems are, you can start to tackle them with simple fixes like draught excluders, repairing broken windows, getting heavier curtains or filling in gaps in floor boards.
“Other steps are a bit more technical, but can still easily be done. First, look into getting a programmable smart thermostat. This can help you mimic the original heating idea of warming each room individually. Other fixes include unblocking radiators, insulating the loft access hatch and cat flaps, and changing all your lights to LED.
“Look at your home as a whole system. For example, if you simply start insulating outside walls this could stop moisture from escaping. The moisture then builds up on the inside walls and windows causing damp and mould. Likewise, if you insulate the inside walls, the outside of your home will get colder causing moisture to condense here.
“If you’re losing a lot of heat from your home, look instead at insulating the loft. Not only is this cheaper than doing the walls, but creates a more natural environment. And while not quite as energy efficient – 33% of heat is lost through walls compared to 25% through the roof – it can still help to make your house warmer and allows the walls to breathe.
“A dated central heating system can be one of the main causes of energy inefficiency. Installing a new one can be vital, even in period properties and a condensing boiler is the most efficient. The only issue is that many need external flues so consult with your installer before taking this route as you don’t want it somewhere that will damage the property’s external aesthetic.
“For radiators, you can keep the original cast iron ones but make sure they’ve been cleaned and upgraded so they’re suitable for modern systems.
“Other energy efficient options are ground- or air-source heat pumps, which can be sensitively integrated into period properties with the right installer.
“Windows are an issue in period properties as they’re often single-glazed and have draughty gaps. If you’re not allowed to update these to standard double-glazing, there are other options so consider insulating shutters.”
(picture caption) Standon Farm House at Hursley – a wonderful period property with a guide price of £1,250,000
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