If your home is 50, 70, or even 100+ years old, chances are it’s charming on the outside but draughty, costly, and inefficient on the inside.
Check your Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) and you’ll probably see a rating somewhere between E and G.
If you’d like to push that up to D, C or better, you’ll need to make some changes.
So, how do you bring an old house into the 21st century (without flattening your bank balance)? Let’s dig in.
Why Bother Improving Energy Efficiency?
Boosting your home’s efficiency isn’t just about being eco-friendly (though that’s a bonus). The benefits include:
Lower heating bills
A warmer, comfier home
A smaller carbon footprint
Increased property value
Less strain on your boiler and heating system
How to Improve Your Old Home’s Energy Efficiency
⚠️ Note: If your property is listed or in a conservation area, always check with your local council before carrying out work.
[1] Install New Doors and Windows
If your home has single-glazed windows, we recommend replacing them with double-glazing.
This is because double-glazed windows will more effectively keep the heat in, with less heat exiting via the window pane.
While triple-glazing offers even more insulation, in our view, double-glazing is the most cost-effective solution, unless you feel you really need triple-glazing or even if money is no object.
Either way, with new modern double- or triple-glazed windows being installed in place of your old single-glazed windows, you would also benefit from the frame material used and its overall design.
Of course, you can still opt for modern windows that have an old-fashioned style or design, so they won’t stand out like a sore thumb.
As for doors, you should also consider having new, modern and better-insulated doors added to your home.
Moreover, adding draught excluders under these doors would also help or if you wanted to keep within a more limited budget, why not add draught excluders to your existing doors?
[2] Install Loft and Wall Insulation
While you have your property’s walls insulated, for an older property, it’s probably ideal to focus on having your loft insulated instead.
This is because if you insulate the inside of a wall, the exterior wall will end up colder and this could lead to moisture issues since older properties came with no damp proof course.
Additionally, it's important to remember that a quarter of heat is lost via the roof in an uninsulated home, so installing a layer of insulating material in your attic can make a significant impact, helping to keep the heat in your home for longer, potentially reducing your central heating use and therefore energy bills.
[3] Consider New Energy Efficient Appliances
Returning to the more costly solutions, you may want to upgrade various appliances in your home.
UK appliances feature energy labels which tell you how energy efficient they are.
Looking at these labels (and considering how old each appliance is), would help you know which household appliances to prioritize in terms of the ones most in need of replacing.
Of course, your budget would also be a factor here.
Appliances that you might want to replace with modern, more efficient alternatives include:
Your boiler *
Washing machine
Tumble dryer
Cooking facilities
*If your boiler is old enough and worn down to the point that it could pose safety hazards, you should definitely have it replaced. Do not use a potentially unsafe boiler.
For instance, if your combi boiler is over 10 years old, it’s very likely to be G-rated under the ErP (Energy Related Products Directive) boiler rating system, meaning it could be less than 70% efficient.
According to the Energy Saving Trust making this upgrade has a significant advantage:
By trading your old boiler in for a modern boiler, you could save around £340 and a whopping 1,500kg of carbon emissions a year.
[4] Invest in Smart Heating Controls
Smart heating controls include things like smart thermostats and smart thermostatic radiator valves, with leading examples being the Google Nest, the Hive smart thermostat and the tado.
These devices enable you to take more control over how you use your home heating, allowing you to monitor it better and ultimately avoid energy waste.
In fact, according to Energy Saving Trust, installing heating controls could save you as much as £75 a year.
One of the most notable features of smart thermostats is zonal heating, which essentially allows you to heat certain zones in your home, instead of heating your entire house, i.e. rooms you are currently using.
This does require them to be used in conjunction with smart thermostatic radiator valves that automatically adjust the thermostat on your radiators in line with the settings.
Another clever and popular feature is geofencing, which tracks you based on your mobile’s location, so should you leave the house your heating will be turned off to avoid wasting energy and money.
You can read all about the best smart thermostats here.
PS You can now also read our complete review of the best thermostatic radiator valves in the UK.
[5] Install Draught Excluders
Draughts are currents of cold air commonly located in gaps around doors and windows, as well as holes around pipework.
They are extremely common in old-build properties and the best part is that it's a cheap and easy DIY project.
Installing draught excluders in your home could save as much as £200 each year and the best part is that it’s an easy DIY project that doesn’t need a professional.
Read all about the steps you can take in our draught-proofing guide.
[6] Other Low-Cost (and Free) Energy-Saving Hacks
Big-ticket upgrades like new windows or a replacement boiler make the biggest dent in energy bills - but if those aren’t in the budget right now, don’t worry.
There are plenty of smaller, wallet-friendly tricks that can help keep the heat in and the bills down.
These quick wins also make great add-ons to bigger improvements.
Low-Cost Energy-Saving Ideas:
Plastic window film – A budget-friendly way to mimic double glazing by adding an insulating layer.
Draught excluders – Not just for doors; fit them to letterboxes and around pipework too.
Thermal curtains & blinds – Heavy, lined curtains trap heat inside.
LED bulbs – Last longer and use up to 80% less electricity than old bulbs.
Floorboard insulation – Seal gaps in old timber floors with flexible foam strips or filler.
Loft hatch insulation – Top up to match the rest of your loft insulation.
Curtain tricks – If you’ve got a radiator under the window, keep curtains open while it’s on, then close them afterwards. If the fabric hangs over the radiator, have them shortened so the heat isn’t blocked.
Rugs on timber floors – Simple but effective for keeping out draughts from gaps in old boards.
Hot water cylinder jacket – Costs about £20 and pays for itself in a year.
Heating controls – If you don’t already have them, add a room thermostat or thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) to avoid overheating.
Smart meter – Helps you track usage in real time and spot waste.
Annual boiler service – Keeps your boiler running safely and efficiently (and protects the warranty).
Free Energy-Saving Tricks:
Don’t block radiators – Move bulky furniture away so heat can circulate properly.
Close curtains at night – Simple but effective. Keeps the warmth in once the sun goes down.
💡 Individually, these tweaks might feel small, but together they add up - and for older homes especially, they can bridge the gap until you’re ready for the bigger efficiency upgrades.
Costs of Improving an Old Home’s Energy Efficiency
These being the jobs we looked at prior to the ‘low-cost and free solutions’ section.
Please note that the price estimates given below include the labour and supply costs.
Here are the average costs of increasing the energy efficiency of your old property:
Replacing Single-Glazing with Double Glazing - £4,000 to £5,000
New Modern Interior Doors - £600 to £1,650
Loft Insulation - £200 to £500
New Boiler - £800 to £2,800 *
Washing Machine - £500 to £1,000
Tumble dryer - £300 to £800
Cooker - £150 to £250
Hob - £100 to £200 ^
*If you’d like to have a new boiler installed but are concerned about the cost, you’ll be glad to know that there are alternatives. For one, you could purchase a boiler on finance. In other words, you could buy now and pay later.
^ It is best to have your oven and hob powered in the same way (i.e., an electric hob and electric cooker together or alternatively, maybe a gas hob and gas cooker)
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