With the help of renewable energy, there are more opportunities than ever to reduce your home energy bills. But before you make any installations, a little preparation will go a long way to ensure it’s a smooth and efficient process for you.
In this guide, we share the key steps to get your home ready, and how Lendology can help you find the improvements.
Start with a home energy assessment to maximise your investment
Before installing solar panels, heat pumps, or other renewable technologies, it’s important to know how energy efficient your home is right now. That’s where a home energy assessment comes in. This professional survey will highlight where your home is losing heat, like through uninsulated lofts, draughty windows or outdated heating systems. This ensures that any renewable systems you install will work efficiently and deliver long-term savings.
Completing a home energy assessment could also help you access funding. Schemes such as the Warm Homes: Local Grant and Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) will require this assessment.
If your assessment recommends energy efficiency upgrades, it’s best to complete them before your renewable installation. A poorly insulated home won’t benefit as much from renewables, plus you could be missing out on much bigger savings.
If you’re interested in upgrading the energy efficiency of your home before installing renewables, Lendology could support you with a top-up loan to help you get started. This includes insulation, and window glazing.
Preparing for solar: Check your roof
Prior to installing solar panels, you’ll want to make sure your roof is in good shape. This means repairing leaks or loose shingles, checking structural integrity, and getting caught up on any general maintenance. The average lifespan of solar panels ranges from 25-30 years, so it’s important to make sure that your roof is in good condition to support them.
Quick tips on what makes a roof suitable for solar panels:
- Roof orientation: South-facing roofs get the most sunlight, with east or west-facing roofs generating roughly 10-20% less energy than south-facing
- Minimal shading: Avoid putting solar panels in locations shaded by trees, chimneys, or other buildings to maximise sunlight
- Sufficient space: Depending on your capacity needs, you’ll typically want 10-30 square meters of space for solar panels on your roof
- Structural soundness: Your roof needs to be able to support the weight of solar panels (roughly 15-20kg), so your installer may suggest a structural survey to check for roof age, condition, and other safety factors
Consider funding and finance options for renewable energy upgrades at home
Installing renewables like solar panels, heat pumps, or biomass systems can offer long-term savings, but the upfront cost is often a hurdle for homeowners. Fortunately, there are multiple funding routes available, and many can be combined with Lendology’s Renewable Energy Loan to cover the full cost.
Warm Homes: Local Grant
- Offers up to £30,000 total funding (£15,000 each for energy efficiency and low-carbon heating)
- Available to eligible low-income households in participating English councils
- Requires an EPC rating of D–G
Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS)
- Provides £7,500 towards air source or ground source heat pumps, or a biomass boiler
- Available to homeowners in England and Wales
- Requires MCS-certified installation
ECO4 Scheme
- Targets low-income households
- Covers upgrades like insulation and solar PV
- Requires property to be EPC band D–G with inefficient heating
Not eligible for a grant or need more funding? Lendology can help
If you don’t qualify for full government support or need extra help to top up your grant, Lendology’s Renewable Energy Loan could help bridge the gap. We offer loans that are funded by your local council and ensure the application process is hassle-free, helping you every step of the way. Our flexible, accessible loans can be used for solar PV panels, solar thermal systems, heat pumps, biomass systems, and other renewable upgrades.
For more information and to start your renewable energy journey, get in touch with one of our team members today.
We recommend that you carry out an independent retrofit assessment to find out which works are suitable for your home and budget.
Representative Example (4% fixed interest rate, Representative 4.2% APR).
Loans are subject to status and are typically protected by a Title Restriction.
Borrow £5,000 over 60 months, £92.08 monthly repayments. Total amount repayable = £5,544.96, including £20 fee for registering the Title Restriction against your property at the Land Registry. The £20.00 fee is only payable if a loan is agreed by Lendology and you decide to proceed with a loan. We do not charge interest on the fee. A Title Restriction means that you may not be able to sell your home without our permission unless the loan is fully repaid. This is a financial promotion approved by Lendology CIC. Missing payments could affect your credit rating and ability to obtain credit in the future.
