Heating Measures for Older Homes: What You Need to Know

Older homes are full of character and charm, but they can indeed be a real pain when it comes to heating. Properties built many decades and sometimes centuries ago often lack many of the energy efficiency features seen in more modern homes. As such, heating an older home without proper measures can be quite costly and inefficient.

Of course, the silver lining is that the UK government is striving to make such homes efficient. And it is offering these homes free heating grants in the UK under the ECO4 scheme to assist them in upgrading for absolutely free. 

This guide will come in useful to enlighten one on everything they should know about how to improve the heating system in older homes in order to make them warmer, more energy-efficient, and cost-effective.

Why Heating Older Homes Is Such a Challenge

Older homes were built back in the 90's or even the 80's, when the phrase 'energy efficiency' was unheard of. That means single-glazed windows, no insulation in the walls, and doors that can be quite draughty. Other key reasons it can be very hard to heat an older home include:

• Poor insulation facility in the walls, floors, or roofs of most old houses causes great heat loss.
• The single-glazed ones are those kinds of windows that let the cold air come inside and the hot air go out.
• They have inefficient heating systems. For example, older boilers and radiators may be quite inefficient and thus result in higher energy bills.

Key Heating Measures for Older Homes

The following are some of the major heating measures for older homes:

Install a Central Heating System

It might be installed in homes that have only obsolete methods of heating, which are individual electric heaters or even open fires. The principle behind central heating is that the heat generated by the boiler transfers inside the system of radiators or underfloor heating.

Upgrade to a Modern Boiler

In fact, one of the most effective changes you can make to achieve this is by changing to a modern and efficient boiler. For example, condensing boilers can reach an efficiency of as high as 94%, while the older types usually manage 60-70%. This would mean modern boilers burn less fuel to generate the same amount of heat. Therefore decreasing energy bills while reducing carbon emissions. You can get these free under ECO4 grants if you are qualified.

Install or Upgrade Insulation

Heat loss can be a particular problem in the older home, but good insulation will help to hold warmth. Types of insulation may include the following:

• Loft Insulation: A quarter of your heat could be escaping through an uninsulated roof. Fitting or upgrading loft insulation is one of the most cost-effective measures to stop the heat from escaping.
• Insulation of Walls: Solid walls of older houses tend to lose more heat than cavity walls of newer houses. Internal or external insulation makes all the difference.
• Floor insulation: It prevents the loss of heat underneath the floors, hence making your house warm during winter.

Seal Draughts

The most efficient means of preventing heat loss, easier and more adequate, is draught proofing. Sealing gaps around doors, windows, and floorboards stop cold air from coming in and warm air from escaping.

Consider Double or Triple Glazing

Single-glazed windows are a major source of heat loss. Upgrading to double or triple glazing can radically reduce this. Consisting of two panes of glass separated by gas, these thermal insulation windows would help retain most of the heat of the home.

If you can't replace windows, consider secondary glazing.  It adds an extra pane of glass to existing windows.

Use Renewable Sources of Energy

Renewable heating solutions will amazingly reduce your consumption of fossils. Consider this:

• Air-source heat pumps take heat from outside air and bring it into your house to heat the inside.
• Similar but based on heat withdrawn from the Earth's ground are ground-source heat pumps.
• Energy from the photovoltaic panels heats up your heating system, reduces energy costs, and is environmentally friendly.

Replace Old Radiators and Install Thermostatic Valves

Older radiators lose heat a lot. Replacing them with more modern radiators, or adding thermostatic radiator valves, gives control over temperature in an individual room and thus saves energy.

Smarter Heating Controls

Smart thermostats and heating controls afford you greater control over the temperature in your home. You can even program your heating to go on only when it is wanted, or even control it from afar using a smartphone app. In this case, such may allow you to reduce energy waste and lower bills.

Are There Any Free Heating Grants for Older Homes?

Yes, there are free heating grants available to take for older homes in the UK. These come under a government-backed scheme; one such is the ECO4 program. Such 'free government grants' have been devised to make homes more energy-efficient. Their purpose, therefore, is to reduce the cost of heating while reducing the carbon footprint of those on low incomes or those with older inefficient properties.

Grants are available under the ECO4 Scheme, not only for the homeowner but also the tenants:

Free Boiler Grants

If your house is heated with an inefficient, older-style boiler, then you may be entitled to a brand new one completely free of charge. The good news with new boilers is that they're incredibly efficient. That means energy bills will be much lower, while less stress will be put on the environment, either. It could make all the difference in keeping your house warm and so much warmer in the coming cold season.

Insulation Grants

Actually, insulation is the key to keeping your home warm. There are different grants available, whether for cavity wall insulation, loft insulation, or solid wall insulation, with which older homes can reduce heat loss. Proper insulation will maintain a comfortable indoor temperature while cutting down energy consumption.

First-Time Central Heating Grants

It allows one to experience the facility of a modern heating system for those homes that never had central heating installed. Central heating could be a godsend for many older homes relying on outdated or inefficient methods. And it will ensure the temperature is uniformly distributed throughout the property.

Additional Grants

In particular, the ECO4 funds mechanisms, such as those measures above. These include air source heat pumps, underfloor insulation, and other renewable solutions. It offers this through various grants devised in ways to make access to heating improvements possible for a wide number of households.

Benefits of Improved Heating in Older Homes

By adopting these heating measures, you’ll enjoy numerous benefits:

• Lower Energy Bills: Improved efficiency means less energy is wasted, hence saving you money.
• Increased Comfort: Your house will be warm and cosy, even in the coldest month.
• Reduced Carbon Footprint: It saves the environment by using energy-efficient and renewable heating options.
• Increased Property Value: Energy-efficient upgrades can also increase the value of your home to a great level and make it more attractive for buyers.

Bottom Line

Heating an old house does not have to be daunting. That old house one owns could soon become warm, in a pretty effective way, by applying appropriate measures. And also saving you money and reducing your environmental impact.

Whether through upgrading to a newer, better-insulated boiler or seeking alternative sources of heating, the struggles associated with heating an older home are not difficult to overcome. As a matter of fact, it has never been easier than it is now with the availability of free heating grants. So, this really cannot be the year for you to be left behind; find out your options and upgrade now!