Keeping your home at a comfortable temperature in the summer and winter can take a toll on your bills. Save money and lower your carbon footprint at the same time by investing in methods to make your home drier, insulated, and energy efficient. Making a conscious effort to implement improvements around your home will prove priceless in the long run. We discuss how you can create a low-maintenance and comfortable energy-efficient home.

Double Glazing

Whether installing it in a new build or retrofitting your existing home, double-glazing your window frames is a great way to create an energy-efficient home. The added layer of air in between the glass panes acts as an insulator to reduce heat loss and trap heat indoors. In addition to preventing heat loss through windows and providing efficient noise control, it also reduces condensation build-up on the inside of windows, keeping your home warm and dry all year round.

Install a Heat Pump

A heat pump offers one of the most energy-efficient ways to heat your home. Instead of generating heat, it extracts warmth from the outdoors and moves it inside during cold months to heat your home, and vice versa during the summer. Offering dual heating and cooling properties for different seasons, save money with this two-in-one system that uses relatively lower power compared to other heating methods like electric or gas heaters. Choosing an appropriately sized heat pump will keep your home warm and dry and is an excellent investment for a cost and energy-efficient home in the long run.

Add Window Blinds

Window blinds can be custom-made to sit flush with your window opening, creating a tight air space for improved insulation and preventing heat loss from your home. With complete flexibility over their use, enjoy improved comfort by controlling how much light and privacy you receive at any time of day; open your blinds in the morning to let in sunshine and heat and close them at night to reduce heat loss. Different blind types, like cellular shades, contain air layers in a honeycomb design which helps reduce heat conduction, while heavier fabrics in roller blinds offer better thermal performance.

Improve Insulation

Carpeting isn’t only great for its aesthetic features and softness; it is also an amazing insulator. Up to 10% of heat loss in a house occurs through uninsulated flooring. Hard-tiled or wooden floors are also cold to walk on and can cause a chill when you’re trying to move around the house in the cold. Installing a thicker carpet will make a big difference and is one of the easiest and cheapest insulation methods for a more energy-efficient home.

Make the Switch to Double-Glazed Windows Today!

Keep your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer without breaking the bank. As New Zealand’s double-glazing specialists, Atlas Glass can fit unique and high-performance double-glazed windows for your new build or upgrade your existing windows to a design of your choosing. Simple, cost-effective, and requiring minimal maintenance, talk to our team to receive a free quote and upgrade for an energy-efficient home now!

As experts in double glazing in Auckland, we know how valuable it can be to invest in high-quality home solutions. Energy efficiency not only reduces the cost of living but also improves your overall quality of life. Making your house more energy-efficient is the perfect way to embrace greener living, but is the initial investment worth the cost? Today, we explore the benefits of energy-efficient windows and home designs. Read on to learn all about the benefits of energy-efficient home designs, why you should invest in them, and what adjustments we can make to your home to promote energy efficiency.

What is an energy efficient home?

An energy-efficient home minimises energy waste, greenhouse gas emissions, and even reduces the need for non-renewable energy resources.

What are the benefits of energy-efficient homes?

High-quality, energy-efficient homes offer a range of benefits to homeowners, including the following:

1. Save money on electricity bills. Through solutions like solar panelling, insulation, and double-glazing, you can much more easily save on power bills without reducing your quality of living.  
2. Reduce carbon footprint. Energy-efficient homes aim to minimise energy usage and reduce the impact on the environment.
3. Improve home comfort. Energy efficiency can help reduce the effects of extreme temperatures in the home, ensuring a much more comfortable abode.
4. Increase home value. A well-insulated home is both comfortable to live in and much more appealing in the market.
5. Reduce interior fading. Homes that let in a lot of natural light are ideal in some ways. However, when not equipped with the appropriate UV-protective solutions, UV-rays can damage and fade furnishings in the home. Harmful UV rays have a harder time travelling through the multi-layered structure of double-glazed glass. When installed, double-glazed windows can help reduce UV-rays from entering the home and improve the longevity of your furnishings.

How do you make a house energy efficient?

Another benefit of upgrading your windows in your new home is the noise factor.  Lovely, new windows block out all unwanted noise, from the undesirable car enthusiast down the road who likes to rev up his motor at 5:00 am on his way to work, or the house across the street who loves to play their bass “boom

Whether you’re in the process of building a new home or just revamping your current property, there are multiple ways to achieve energy efficiency. When building a new home, consider the building materials and resources you will use. Materials may impact home quality and maintenance costs in the future as well. Durable, long-lasting materials are the best choice for overall comfort and efficiency. Some resource options include:

• Energy-efficient windows and doors. Up to 40% of the energy used for heating or cooling a property escapes through windows. Installing double-glazed glass windows and doors can drastically help to reduce this. Likewise, airtight windows and doors also assist with energy efficiency.
• Insulation. Insulation is an important barrier between the outside and inside of your home. It keeps the heat out during summer and trapped inside during winter, ensuring comfort all year round.
• Timber. When properly installed and sealed, timber framing for windows, doors, or floorboards are eco-friendly and aesthetically pleasing.
• Solar panels. Solar panels convert light into power for home appliances. Installing solar systems has a high initial investment cost but can help you save money on energy usage in the long run. 
• Paint. A lesser-known fact is that the colour of paint chosen for your house can influence heat levels in the home. While dark colours absorb heat, light coloured walls reflect heat, easing the burden on the home’s insulation. Darker paints also intercept some of the light that would otherwise have brightened your home, so lighter paint colours can also reduce the need to have lights on earlier in the day, saving on electricity.

Invest in high-quality double-glazed windows with Atlas Glass

Are you thinking about upgrading your timber frame glass windows to more energy-efficient solutions? If so, Atlas Glass has excellent double-glazing options to consider. Our team can help you get the best glass solution for your needs, from retrofit double glazing to window solutions for new builds. Get in touch for a quote on your home project today!