Glossary

In the survey we mention a range of measures to help “green” your home. If you’re not sure what these mean or how they work, we’ve put together a list below to help:

Types of Window Glazing

Single glazing – The most basic form of glazing, single glazing consists of one pane of glass. It’s used extensively in older properties. While it is the cheapest form of glazing to install, it does not provide adequate heat or sound insulation.

Double glazing – This is one of the most popular forms of glazing in the UK and is comprised of two panes of glass with either air or an insulating gas, such as argon, in between. It helps reduce heat loss (resulting in lower energy bills), keeping rooms warmer and helps reduce noise pollution.

Triple glazing  - This has three panes of glass, with air or an insulating gas between each layer. This is the most energy-efficient type of glazing, resulting in enhanced heat and insulation soundproofing, but is the most expensive.

Draught proofing

This is stopping cold air coming in and warm air escaping through measures such as sealing gaps around windows with foam or rubber strips, using thermal curtains or blinds and installing chimney caps and keyhole and letterbox covers. According to the Energy Saving Trust, installing draught proofing measures in an average UK home could save up £60 a year on heating bills.

Heat Pumps

Air source heat pumps – These are an alternative way to heat your home and work by extracting warmth from the outside air before concentrating it and transferring it indoors to provide central heating and hot water.  It enables you to generate renewable energy and save money on bills but cost between £8,000 and £15,000. The UK Government has recently announced that households will be given grants of £5,000 to help them install these from April 2022.

Ground source heat pumps - These work in a similar way to air source heat pumps but transfer heat from the ground outside your home to provide central heating and hot water. The Energy Saving Trust estimates it can cost between £14,000 and £19,000 to install one in your home. The UK Government has recently announced that households will be given grants of £6,000 to help them install these from April 2022.

Infrared heating panels

These work by emitting radiant heat, which moves through the air until it reaches an object - so they directly warm objects and people rather than the air as a traditional radiator does. Rooms can be heated quickly and, as no fuel is burned to operate them, 100% clean heat is produced. They use considerably less energy compared to electric convection radiators, resulting in significant savings in energy bills.  The cost of a single heater starts from £100.

Hydrogen fuel cell boiler

A hydrogen fuel cell boiler converts natural gas (supplied by the grid) to hydrogen to generate heat and electricity to power your home. This results in lower carbon emissions, can reduce energy bills up to 40% and reduces reliance on your energy supplier. To install, the cost is between £10,000 and £15,000.

Heating controls

Heating controls can help you keep your home warm without overheating or wasting energy. These include timers, smart thermostats (these connect your heating system to the Internet so you can control and monitor your usage from a smart device) and thermostatic radiator valves (these control the flow of water to a radiator so you can control the temperature of a room or turned off if not in use. They can also be linked to a smart thermometer).

For more information on any of the above, visit The Energy Saving Trust.