How the right flooring can help reduce energy costs

High angle view of grey slippers on beige carpet - Depositphotos_525122520_XL

Winter is upon us and that typically means a desire to switch on the heating. But with so many people worrying about their energy bills this year, there’s a reluctance to rely on the central heating to keep our homes warm.

Many people don’t realise that our homes lose around 10% of their heat through the flooring, so finding ways to retain this heat can make all the difference to your energy costs and how comfortable and cosy your home feels. With this in mind, here are some of the ways you can choose your flooring with energy efficiency in mind.

Choose the right underlay for your floors

Underlay is often skipped, with many customers seeing it as an unnecessary expense. But whichever style of flooring you choose, having the right underlay below not only preserves the flooring you lay on it but also reduces noise, improves air quality and helps to retain more warmth too.

Underlay is made from tiny fibres which help to insulate the floors, trapping cold air that rises up, so it doesn’t make its way into the room. This reduces your reliance on heating to keep the room warm and will make your floor more comfortable to walk on, adding a cushioned layer. It also comes in different thicknesses and tog ratings. Modern underlays made from polyurethane, for example, create a high-density material with a higher tog rating, which is great for keeping a room toasty. Speak with a member of our team to discuss the options based on your flooring material for the most effective results.

Materials matter

Wool carpets are one of the most effective insulators you can choose, because they retain their pile height for longer, which in turn ensures better heat retention and draught reduction. They’re also warmer to the touch when you’re walking on them. This keeps the room feeling cosy and comfortable.

The R-rating of a carpet refers to the insulation it offers, so the higher the rating, the higher the insulation level of the flooring. Carpet has a higher R-rating than plywood floors, and even more than concrete, so it’s an insulating choice that can be enhanced even further by a base layer of underlay. At Greg Stone Flooring, we keep a huge array of carpets in stock at all times, giving you a wealth of options for carpet you can take home straight away.

Get in touch for a quote or visit our warehouse

Pick thicker carpets

The fibres that make up a carpet help to trap cold air and retain warmth underfoot, which prevents you from needing to turn on the heating as much and can reduce your energy bills as a result. And the thicker the carpet, the better it will insulate the room and keep the warmth in.

You’ll get the most benefit from carpet if more rooms in your home are carpeted, but especially those you spend a lot of time in such as bedrooms and living rooms. While there are a few rooms where carpet isn’t as practical, such as kitchens and bathrooms, elsewhere in the home it’s a very effective choice to keep the property as warm as possible.

Choose vinyl over concrete or tiles

In rooms where you can’t use carpet, such as a kitchen, opting for vinyl instead of colder materials like concrete or slate and ceramic tiles will help to retain warmth. Concrete, slate and plywood floors all draw heat out of a room, so they’re not the best option if you’re trying to reduce your energy bills.

For these spaces, we recommend using Karndean luxury vinyl flooring which gives the same effect as stone or wood but is much warmer underfoot and can be used with underfloor heating, for the best of both worlds. Karndean flooring is a versatile solution that’s easy to maintain, beautiful to look at and, most importantly, warm to help keep each room cosy.

With energy bills on the rise, many people are looking for ways to reduce their heating costs by making changes in the home. Choosing the right type of flooring is a highly effective way of keeping a room warm to reduce draughts and cut down on the need for additional heating. Carpets, in particular, can raise the temperature of a room by a couple of degrees compared to a hard floor covering, which can add up to significant savings on your energy costs over the course of year.

For advice on the best carpet and flooring for your home, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with a member of our team who can advise you. Alternatively, visit our warehouse in Portslade to browse the great selection of carpets we keep in stock, ready to take away the same day.