How to Future-Proof Your Home With These 5 Upgrades
Changing technology, values and legislation will completely alter the way our homes look in the future. Already, certain changes are taking place. By making modifications to your home now, you can ease into these changes and also make your home appeal more to future buyers if you decide to sell up soon. Below are 5 upgrades that are highly worth considering.
Solar panels
Energy prices keep rising. Installing solar panels can be a way to combat this by allowing you to harvest some of your home’s energy for free using the sun. It’s also a way of lowering your carbon footprint and helping to fight climate change. Starting from 2027, almost all new builds will have solar panels installed on them as standard. In fact, they’re already becoming a sought-after feature by buyers, and they can add value to a property by as much as 6%. There are currently still some incentives in place that can enable you to get discounts on solar panel installation, but these incentives aren’t likely to last long as demand for solar panels increases.
Electric boiler
Gas boilers are currently being phased out. While existing gas boilers are not going to be banned outright, you soon won’t be able to replace your gas boiler with another gas boiler. As gas engineers become more scarce in the future, repair costs for gas boiler systems are also likely to go up. Making the switch to an electric boiler could therefore be a good move now. The most popular option is the electric combi boiler, which is quiet and very low-maintenance. They also provide hot water on demand.
Air conditioning
With summers getting hotter each year, more of us are starting to explore air cooling systems for our homes. Air conditioning systems can also be used to provide ventilation and to provide heating. While you can buy freestanding and portable units, fixed systems are typically more efficient. You can also incorporate multi-room zoning and smart controls to allow you to precisely fine-tune your home’s cooling and monitor your usage.
EV charging point
All new cars sold will eventually be fully electric or hybrids. Petrol prices are likely to continue rising and petrol stations may eventually start to become less common. Having the option to charge up your car at home will therefore become a necessity. Currently, there are still incentives out there that can allow you to get discounts on EV charging point installation for your home. Make sure to consider the different types of EV charger: some are much faster than others. Be wary that such charging points are best combined with off-road parking so that you’re not trailing a cable over a pavement.
Smart automation
Smart technology allows you to control all kinds of elements around your home using an app on your phone. This includes lighting, heating and security. Such technology is becoming more highly sought after and can boost a property’s value. To keep such technology future-proof, opt for smart technology that can be easily upgraded and that is provided by established brands.
This is a collaborative post.
