Underfloor Heating - Under floor heating can cut costs

04/04/2008

A property expert has highlighted simple steps that homeowners can take to make their house more environmentally friendly, including the use of underfloor heating.

Mark Goddard, managing director of property site Thinkproperty.com, noted that green issues such as renewable energy have come into the public attention in recent years, reports Estate Agency News.

He pointed out that because underfloor heating systems cover a greater surface area than normal radiators, the water running through them can be heated to a lower temperature.

"Running costs can be between ten and 30 per cent cheaper," he told the site.

High-efficiency boilers were also marked out as an effective way to reduce a home's energy costs, with a new boiler saving up to one-third of a house's energy consumption if it replaces a ten-year-old unit.

"If every household in the country installed a high-efficiency boiler, the energy saved would be enough to provide heating and power for almost two million homes," he revealed.

Further measures to reduce costs and lower carbon emissions include switching to low-consumption light bulbs and installing a wind turbine, said Mr Goddard.

The number of houses using clean technology looks set to increase, as the government has announced a shortlist of 15 potential sites for eco-towns - settlements of up to 15,000 homes that will use efficient designs and power sources such as solar heating.