When choosing between flooring options for your home, most of the attention is probably on material and appearance. You want something durable (especially for those with kids!) and something that looks nice with the rest of the home. However, what you probably didn’t know is that your choice of flooring can also impact the amount you pay on energy bills.
That’s right – choose the right flooring and less money will leave your bank account for the energy companies each month. You clicked on the article, so you know that this guide is all about polished concrete.
Ability to Retain Heat
Compared to other flooring options, one reason why more homeowners are starting to choose polished concrete because of it is ability to retain heat. As a strong conductor, it will keep hold of heat even once you’ve turned the heating system off.
For many years, the focus for homeowners has been to seal the doors and windows, put insulation in the attic, and take other measures for energy efficiency. While all these are positive steps, it seems a shame to forget your flooring when this can contribute to the whole equation too. According to recent studies, polished concrete can help your home retain heat, just ask this company that offers concrete polishing services in Melbourne, I’m sure they will agree and tell you more about the science behind it. But for now, we will continue with what we know about it so that you can make an informed purchasing decision.
With insulation and polished concrete flooring, heat remains in the room for longer. It doesn’t escape the flooring as quickly and, when it does, it doesn’t just escape through the attic. With this, you don’t need the heating system on for as long and you save money.
In particular, this is great news for people with underfloor heating. As the polished concrete warms up, you can turn the heating off and the flooring will continue to emit heat for some time afterwards. Again, you don’t need to have the heating constantly blasting which is good for your bank account and great for the environment.
Natural Heat
There’s another reason why polished concrete is a great option for energy bills…natural heat. As sunlight enters the home through the windows, polished concrete can store this heat. Using solar gain, you effectively heat up your home even without the central heating system activated. Now, you’re heating the home without spending any money at all. Eventually, the cost of installing polished concrete is recuperated by the money saved on the energy bill.
If your home allows lots of natural light, this is a sensible option. Alternatively, those creating their own custom home may want to consider this setup to save money in the long-term.
Natural Light
While on the topic of making the most of the sun, natural light is just as important as natural heat. Since polished concrete is smooth, it reflects natural light and instantly brightens rooms. Working like a mirror, you’re making the most of natural light and this means less reliance on lamps and artificial lighting. As before, this allows you to save money on energy bills because you aren’t using as much electricity.
A Green Solution
All in all, polished concrete presents itself as a green flooring solution. You save money by not needing the heating as much and by not needing artificial lighting as much. Even when you do need lighting, low-energy lighting is enough because of the reflective surface. Even when you do need heating, you don’t need it for quite so long because the flooring retains heat and emits it slowly over time.
Since it’s a versatile material, polished concrete works in bedrooms, living rooms, garages, basements, and even kitchens. Not only this, but it’s also durable which means that it lasts the test of time (even with high foot traffic!).
