, Energy Efficiency Improvements for Your Home
By taking small and slightly larger steps, you can reduce your electricity consumption and, as a result, your electricity bills. There are several viable solutions, and here we’ll take a closer look at some of them.
April 20, 2023
eiendoms-admin
How can you save electricity in your home?
Everyone in the household can do their part to help reduce electricity consumption. You can turn down the thermostat a couple of degrees, take shorter showers, and do laundry during off-peak hours when electricity is cheapest. However, there are also a number of other steps you can take. These can help make your home more energy-efficient without you having to do much yourself.
Insulation
Many Norwegians live in older, drafty homes. If your home is very drafty, this is often due to poor insulation. In short, this means that much of the heat generated inside the home escapes, which is not very energy-efficient.
A contractor can help you perform a thermal imaging inspection of your home to determine where the heat is escaping. Another tip is to gently move a candle along windows, nooks, and crannies, and see where the flame moves. If the flame flickers, you’ve probably found an area where heat is escaping.
It is common for a lot of heat to escape through gaps between walls and floors, or between window frames and walls. If the windows are old, a lot of heat can escape through the glass, too.
By insulating your home where there are drafts and installing double-pane windows, you can significantly reduce heat loss. This is something you can do yourself, but many people prefer to get help from a professional.
Heat Pump Installation
Did you know that 50–60% of the electricity consumption in an average Norwegian household goes toward heating the home? If you replace an old, energy-intensive heater with a more energy-efficient solution, you can potentially save a lot of money.
Heat pumps produce more heat energy than the amount of electricity they consume, which makes them very energy-efficient. With a heat pump, you can quickly reduce your electricity consumption by more than 9,000 kWh per year. When electricity prices are high, this can amount to many thousands of kroner over the course of a year.
Please remember that heat pumps must be installed by a certified installer, and that it is illegal to install one yourself.
Heat pump = energy efficiency.
Make the Most of Your Automatic Electricity Meter
During 2019, Norwegian households had automatic smart meters (AMS meters) installed in their homes. These digital meters meant that it was no longer necessary to read the meter manually.
However, automatic electricity meters also offer other benefits. According to Enova, they also allow you to monitor your electricity usage on your cell phone.
It’s also possible to automate your electricity usage so that energy-intensive appliances run when electricity is cheapest. Time-controlled energy savings are very convenient and energy-efficient, and your electricity provider can help you set this up.
Other energy-efficient measures:
There are countless ways to make your home more energy-efficient. In addition to the measures mentioned above, you might want to consider the following:
- Solar panels on the roof
- Solar Collectors
- Water-based heating
- Ventilation system with heat recovery (balanced ventilation)
- LED lights instead of halogen or incandescent bulbs
- Smart Water Heater
Keep in mind that many measures make you eligible for Enova grants. This means that part of the costs are covered by the government. This applies, for example, to the installation of water-based heating systems, smart water heaters, solar panel systems, or liquid-to-water heat pumps.
A contractor can help you make your home more energy-efficient:
Many energy-efficiency measures require the assistance of a tradesperson. This applies, among other things, to all measures eligible for Enova grants. If you cannot provide proof that the work was performed by certified professionals, you will also lose your right to the grant.
Even when it comes to retrofitting your home with insulation, it may be a good idea to have a professional contractor do the work. That way, you can feel confident that the job will be done properly and in accordance with regulations.
Funding for Efficiency Improvements
Investing in energy efficiency costs money, but is generally financially beneficial in the long run.
If you don’t have any savings, you may need help with financing.
Eiendomsfinans helps you get loan offers from multiple lenders,
so you can easily choose the most favorable option.
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