Renovating your own four walls is always associated with high costs - these can quickly exceed the planned household budget. That is why we have summarised the most important topics for you, so that you can optimise the quality of living and life in your home.
Doors and windows are the weakest link in a house. Leaky windows in particular are a real problem: this means that about one quarter of the total heating energy escapes. Old doors and windows allow two to three watts of heat per second and square metre to escape between the inside and outside area at a temperature difference of only one degree. If you replace windows and doors when you renovate your house, heat losses can be reduced thanks to modern technologies and building materials.
With effective modernisation measures you can bring your property up to the standard of a passive house or a KfW Efficiency House. In this case, KfW will grant you a one-off subsidy or a low-interest loan. Even the renewal of the heating system or improvement of the insulation can be subsidised. It is therefore advisable that you inform yourself in good time about possible subsidy programmes.
Wind and solar energy, geothermal energy, biomass and hydropower are not only unlimitedly available as renewable energies, they are also environmentally friendly. Thus, the already existing resources of nature are used and money is saved.
You can generate heat from the unlimited energy of the sun: solar thermal systems with solar collectors make the heat of the sun readily available. This means that this energy does not have to be converted first, as with conventional heating systems. In this way, the heated water can be used for heating, showering and for the washing machine and dishwasher.
Solar power can of course be used to generate not only heat but also electricity. Photovoltaic systems that convert the sun's energy into electricity are suitable for this purpose. This process does not produce particulate matter or carbon dioxide, as is the case in coal-fired power plants. The resulting energy can either be used for personal use or fed into the public grid. With a photovoltaic system on the roof, you can ensure a sustainable energy supply, making you more independent of rising electricity prices.
A few meters below the earth's surface there is a huge heat potential: geothermal energy. With a suitable pump, this regenerative heat source can be tapped and used for heating the home in the winter months. The following rule applies here: the deeper you drill, the more energy becomes available. You can use geothermal energy as a heat generator throughout the year. Moreover, a heating system of this type usually does not require a heat storage tank.
Biomass energy is produced from renewable raw materials such as liquid manure, wood or organic waste. When these substances are burned, the stored energy is released and finally generates heat. The biomass can be used flexibly and is available day and night. So, if you heat with a fireplace or furnace, you effectively protect the environment and save money at the same time.
In this process, mineral oil or gas is burned in a combined heat and power unit instead of a boiler: this generates electricity. A small combined heat and power unit uses the fuel much more efficiently than a conventional heating system. As the owner of the installation, you can feed the electricity generated into the public grid. You also have the possibility to use the heat generated to heat your home.
Before renovating your property, ensure you have sufficient financing. It is therefore important that you think in advance about how much money you want to spend on what in order to set yourself a financial framework. Then get cost estimates from different companies - so you can compare prices, services and materials. On the basis of these offers you can realistically calculate the total costs for the modernisation work on and in your property.
Modernising your house pays off in every respect: less energy consumption also reduces energy costs. This also increases the value of your property. The conversion measures not only improve the quality of your home, you also make an active contribution to environmental protection.
