Make your listed property more energy-efficient

By Vikki Rushbrook Insurance Advisor

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The cost of living shows no signs of going down, while energy prices are still on the up… so what does that mean for maintaining your listed property? Our list of invaluable hints and hacks – focussing on small, cheaper fixes – will not only enable you to be more energy efficient but are the bedrock of making a big difference to your bills.

The price of character

There is an obvious, historic charm to living in, or owning, a listed property. With that comes the realisation (and hefty bills) that your house isn’t as energy efficient as modern homes. And then there’s that underlying effects of where a property is located. So, climate and changing weather conditions, combined with your listed property’s exposure to the elements, such as wind and rain, will also impact on your historic home’s energy efficiency.

Let’s be up-front; there are many energy-saving tips that just can’t be applied to an older home, but there are plenty that can. So please enjoy Abode’s relevant advice for the more established property.

Damp walls in a listed property can affect the historic homes’ energy efficiency

1. Basic maintenance on a listed property, 101

First the fundamentals; always fix leaks and keep pipes in good condition, ensuring your heating system doesnt have to work harder, especially in the colder months. For more in-depth tips about keeping your listed property safe during the winter, you can read our guide here: Protecting your listed property throughout the winter

Have you noticed a broken gutter, or perhaps you have high ground bordering your listed property? This may lead to damp walls, which yes, you’ve guessed it, will reduce energy efficiency. Get it properly treated and your historic home’s thermal efficiency, and energy consumption will improve.

Well-maintained listed properties are not just more comfortable to live in – they also provide financial benefits to owners. Good maintenance mean good news when reducing energy use.

For general maintenance tips, please read: Best ways to protect your listed home, part 3 – maintenance and upkeep

2. Run tests so your systems run well

Make sure your heating system is regularly serviced and properly maintained – if it isn’t, this will be reflected in your energy bill.

Save energy by ensuring that your heating system is as efficient as it can be..

Regularly check the ducts and pipes for any leaks. You can use a blower door test to find out how much air is leaking through gaps in the interior, or arrange for an infrared survey to detect where you’re losing heat in your Listed home. detect heat loss.

3. Stop draughts in your listed property

Draughts are not just a source of discomfort and cold – they are a major culprit in causing the loss of heat in a room. This bothersome problem can be minimised with:

Door curtains

The use of door curtains, especially in front of external doors, keeps heat in and draughts out. The thicker the material, the more benefit you’ll feel. Maximise the benefit by opting for heavier fabrics like velvet or suede.

Keyhole draught excluders

These don’t cost much to put in place and can be found in many shops and online. Using keyhole draught excluders throughout your home on any doors with keyholes can stop the loss of heat and movement of air.

Open fireplaces in listed properties can be the cause of draughts

Chimney sheep

Yes, a sheep, not a sweep. Whilst open fireplaces often add character to listed properties, they can also be a big source of draughts, allowing heat to escape. The use of a chimney “sheep” can help block draughts from open fires. The easily removable devices, usually made from real wool, can make a noticeable difference in room temperature when in use. Handy hack… if your chimney opening is between sizes of sheep available, always opt for the bigger size.

4. Match lifestyle and settings to your listed property

Is your heating still set to come on at an appropriate time, like first thing in the morning, and then again when you come back from work? Heating an empty house or room is one of the most common ways to waste energy and add unnecessary pounds to your heating bills. Adjust the timer to fit in with when you’re at home and switch off if you’re going to be away from your Listed home for any length of time.

If you’re a homeowner, there are plenty of ways that you can reduce your energy costs as well as carbon emissions. While some improvements may cost money upfront, improvements in energy efficiency will save you money overall and make life more comfortable for everyone living in your home.

5. Keep lighting natural

Natural light is great for slicing chunks off your electricity bill. When working from home, open the curtains, pull up the blinds and let the daylight in – it’s better for your mental health as well!

But, if you need to turn on a light during daylight hours (for example, when reading), make sure that it’s an energy-efficient lamp or low-wattage bulb. Another great investment are timers, so when you’re out, the lights are off.

And on the subject of lighting, consider switching to LED bulbs? They use less electricity than traditional, incandescent bulbs and fluorescent tubes. LED lights are more expensive upfront, but this quickly balances out as they use less energy over time and last longer than their fluorescent counterparts

Finally, while candles may seem like a good money-saving initiative (and they smell nice, look atmospheric), please take the necessary safety precautions. Candles are still a leading “culprit” in house fire statistics.

Summary: Bigger changes mean bigger efficiency

These are just a handful of simple suggestions to increase your homes energy efficiency. There are plenty of other ways you could improve the running power of your home, but these may come at a higher cost. What’s more, when your home is listed, many changes will need listed building consent. If you’re unsure whether the change you wish to make needs consent, we recommend that you contact your local conservation officer.

You can learn more about listed building consent in our article: Consent for works on listed properties

The Abode team hopes that you continue living and loving life in a listed building for many years to come, but hopefully with smaller energy bills if you implement at least one of these suggestions.

Live with character. Insure with confidence.

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Abode is a trading name of Howden UK Brokers Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority No. 307663. Registered in England and Wales under company registration number 02831010. Registered Office: One Creechurch Place, London, EC3A 5AF. Calls may be monitored and recorded for quality assurance purposes.