Saturday, January 3, 2009

Improve Your House's Value with Smart Heating and Plumbing System

By Tal Potishman

In the United Kingdom, housing prices dropped by fifteen percent over the last twelve months. If a house is sold today it is likely that the house is sold at a loss. For a long time, the real estate market operated with the buyers understanding that they would be able to sell their homes for a profit later on. The only way for this rule to still apply to the selling price of a person's home is if the homeowner drastically improves the value of the house that he or she is trying to sell. Upgrading the plumbing and heating systems in a house is one of the best ways to raise the value of a house.

Home owners are applying more value to environmentally friendly house upgrades. Updating a house's heating and plumbing systems can be done by installing solar panels as well as a water heater that is energy efficient. The installation of solar panels can cut down a house's CO2 output by roughly half a tonne every year.

This upgrade increases the value of the home while reducing the house's impact upon the environment. The energy efficient water heater is an upgrade that will impress any home buyer. These water heaters are able to heat water very quickly and cheaply and able to keep the water heated for long periods of time.

Another house upgrade that home owners may consider investing in is underfloor heating. Underfloor heating can be done with wet or dry pipe systems which transfer the heat through the floor of a house into the rooms above it. This keeps the room at a uniform temperature without forcing house owners to rely on a wall-hung radiator or a other types of units.

Underfloor heating systems do not have to work as hard as other heating options. They use less energy and cost less to operate. In recent months, the market share of underfloor heating has risen considerably and its popularity can go a long way toward a house's value.

Other upgrades a house owner should consider include upgrading the kitchen and bathrooms of a house. There are a great many ways that these rooms can be upgraded that will considerably raise the value of one's house. Using modern fixtures and ensuring that the flooring is new will certainly raise the value of a home considerably. Installing new cabinets and light fixtures is another upgrade that home buyers will appreciate.

An unpredictable housing market means that increasing the value of one's home relies almost entirely upon the home owner. Upgrading the heating and cooling systems of a house and taking steps to ensure that the plumbing is modern and efficient are two of the best ways that a home owner can make sure that he or she is able to increase the value of his or her home. Underfloor heating, upgraded kitchens and bathrooms and "green" additions are some of the steps a home owner can take to raise the value of a house. - 16003

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