The Green Makeover - Saving Money, Saving the Planet
It's not always easy being green - it can take a little time and effort. But the government is helping families to take greener steps by offering families 'green loans'. The loans of up to £10,000 The idea is the money homeowners save on conventional bills by becoming greener and more energy efficient can be used to help pay back the loan. According to calculations by the Energy Saving Trust, the homeowner of a three bedroom semi who took out a loan to pay for an air source heat pump could be up to £1,000 a year better off.

The impact is homeowners won't be out of pocket but will make their properties warmer, cheaper to run and of course better for the environment. Air source heat pumps work by extracting heat from the air and using it to heat water or produce warm air - it works in the same way a fridge would (but makes things warmer not colder). It can cost just over £10,000 to install an air source heat pump, but paying back the loan over 25 years would cost just over £800 a year - still saving homeowners more than £1,000, according to the Department of Energy and Climate Change.

The government is hoping this will be an incentive to make Britain a greener place as part of its overall 'green makeover'. Although many homeowners feel they can't make a huge difference to the huge problem of global warming, small steps can make a massive change. Around a quarter of the UK's green house emissions are from the country's housing. As well as air source heat pumps, wall and loft insulation can save hundreds of pounds over the year by cutting energy bills. The green home industry is a fast growing one; it's hoped by six million homes will be insulated by 2015 with seven million eco makeovers offered by 2020.

Greener, energy saving homes will ensure homeowners are safeguarded from rising utility bills, keeping them warm in the long cold winters, as well as helping to tackle the very big problem of climate change.

About UK Energy 4 Free - The Experts in Green Energy

UKE4F is committed to helping UK homes, companies and organisations to reduce their energy costs and carbon footprint. UKE4F offer air source heat pumps to help eliminate the use of fossil fuels. Find out more: http://www.ukenergy4free.co.uk/

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