Do you have too much spare money? Invest in making your house in the Netherlands sustainable. The advantages are:
1. You will pay less money on energy and gas.
2. Comfort. When it’s cold, you don’t feel the cold rushing through your house.
3. Making your house more sustainable is a wise investment. Most likely, you can sell your house at a higher price. Depending on the housing market at that moment.
Let’s start with an example
You live in a house which is built in the 1970s. In the winter you heat up your house, so it is comfortable. And now you are working from home most of the week. Once in a while, you check your high energy bill and think: that’s high, €235.00 alone for gas and electricity a month.
In this example, insulating your house well can make a huge difference. In comfort, in the energy-label of the house and when you sell the house.
How to start making your house more sustainable?
1. Check the drawings and documents of the house.
Before you start, I recommend you investigate. A good starting point is checking the available drawings and documents. Also, you can check visually.
For example: What kind of glass is used in the windows? You can read that in between the glass panels when it is double glass.
Energy label
If you have bought your house in the past years, you will find an energy label for your house. In this document, you can see what measures you can take to make your house more sustainable. This can be a good start.
2. Which measures are smart to take?
Every house is different. Depending on your situation, these are generally smart things to do:
1. Insulating the cavity wall. This reduces the amount of gas you need and is very comfortable. Be aware that in some situations it is not possible. Depending on your house, the costs are starting from €1000.00. This you can earn back mostly within 4-10 years.
2. Solar panels. Nowadays, it will take about 5-6 years to earn this investment back.
3. When you need to replace your window cases: Change double glass into the three-layered glass. Only when the rest of your house is already insulated well.
4. Insulating your roof. Did you know a lot of warm air releases through your roof? Insulating your roof is more expensive than the captivity wall. On the other hand, depending on the situation, you can earn it back in 8 years.
5. Heat pump. Is your house in the Netherlands already sustainable and insulated well? But do you still have a warm water boiler? A heat pump can be a good choice.
2. Search for subsidies
Did you know that the Dutch government is subsidizing house owners to make their house more sustainable? A good website to check this is “Verbeter je huis‘.
3. Small investment, great result
Maybe the above investments are too much for you now. Here is a list of small investments, which can make a huge difference. Also, if you don’t own the house you live in.
1. Use insulation under your laminate or carpeting.
2. Apply radiator foil behind your radiators.
3. Check your rubbers in the window- and door cases. If there are cracks, replace them.
4. Subsidies in the Netherlands on making your house more sustainable.
In the Netherlands, the government stimulates to make your house more sustainable. There are national subsidies and local subsidies. So it can happen that Eindhoven has different subsidies than Veldhoven, Waalre or Geldrop.
On this website, you will find information in Dutch, what subsidies are available.
So when do you start to make your house more sustainable?
The best time to start with the small investments is now. Especially when you want to renovate your house. Or when you have enough spare money.
If you don’t know where to start, just plan a kickstart. We can help you figure out which measures are a good investment in your situation. And which companies are trustworthy. Hope to see you soon!
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