Contact

Home efficiency

What should you improve first? A home energy plan

Start with damp and safety, then cheap fixes, then insulation, and change the heating last. Doing it in that order makes each step work better and avoids paying for a larger heating system than you need.

Updated 3 October 2026 · energy.org.uk editorial team

The short answer

  1. Fix damp, leaks and unsafe appliances.
  2. Use your heating controls well and draught-proof. These cost little.
  3. Insulate: loft first where it is empty, then cavity walls, then floors or solid walls when other work makes them practical.
  4. Change the heating system once heat loss is lower, ideally when the old system is due for replacement.
  5. Add solar panels, a battery or a smart tariff when they suit how you use energy.

The home improvement shortlist turns this into three priorities for your home and budget.

Why savings can't be added together

Each improvement reduces the heat your home needs, so the next one has less to save. Typical savings for loft insulation, wall insulation and draught-proofing are each worked out on a home without the others. Add them together and you will overestimate the total. Treat each figure as a guide to its own value, not as part of a sum.

Check

What to check first

  • Your EPC, if you have one: it lists the walls, roof and heating, and recommends improvements. See EPC recommendations explained.
  • What you already have: look in the loft, and check whether your walls have been filled.
  • What is due for replacement anyway. A boiler near the end of its life, new flooring or re-rendering are chances to add insulation or change heating for less extra cost.
  • Grants that could pay for some of the work; see the support finder.

Do

Practical next steps

  1. Answer the questions in the home improvement shortlist.
  2. Do the low-cost steps now; most need no tradesperson.
  3. Get surveys and at least two quotes for any insulation work.
  4. Before replacing a boiler, compare running costs with a heat pump in the heat pump calculator, and consider repair or replace.
  5. Plan bigger jobs, such as solid-wall insulation, around other building work.

Take care

Important limitations

  • Typical costs and savings come from Energy Saving Trust and are not quotes.
  • We don't predict a new EPC rating; only an accredited assessor can produce one.
  • Some measures suit some homes only. A survey should confirm walls and floors are suitable.

Related tools and guides

Sources

Official sources checked 3 October 2026.