For homeowners looking to save money on heating bills and help the environment, oak wood flooring could be an ideal option to choose and a great home improvement. Natural, durable and easy to maintain, oak wood floors can save energy around the home.

The natural choice

There is a range of floor types to choose from on the market, and whether you want them professionally installed or plan to do it yourself, all have their advantages and disadvantages. Laminate floors, vinyl floors, engineered wood floors and real wood floors are the main types of flooring available. Laminate floors can be very durable and easy to maintain, although they can suffer from looking ‘cheap’, as can vinyl floors. Engineered wood floors are regarded as an affordable way to have a real wood feel to the home, while wood floors are recommended for a green energy saving and a visually appealing home improvement.

Often householders who find they have large heating bills through inadequate flooring – with much of their heat from the home escaping through the floor – find they can make substantial energy savings with oak wood floors. One example is a householder who lives in a 1920s house, who was previously seeing 15% of his heat disappearing through the floors of his property. After installing oak wood floors the heating bills for the house fell from £1200 to £400 per year – a substantial saving.

Other benefits

A beautiful and elegant addition to any room in the house, oak wood floors are becoming increasingly popular with homeowners looking to add a classic style and appeal to their property. What is striking about oak wood floors is they can immediately add a warm and homely feel to a room. Although oak wood flooring can be more expensive than other types of floors, it can significantly increase the overall value of a property, whether it is for sale or rent. If there are no cracks or other damage to the oak wood floor and it is maintained and cared for properly, the elegance and warmth of real wood can make a huge difference to the visual impact of the home.

Oak’s durability is another factor to take into consideration when looking to save money on bills. While it can add to the insulation of a home, the fact that it lasts so long means that it also provides very good value for money, even if the initial outlay cost is more expensive than other types of flooring. Yet an oak wood floor does need a little more care and attention than floor types such as laminate or engineered wood floors. It can scratch, so furniture placed on oak wood should be padded, and the use of rugs or mats can also help reduce the chance of any marks on the floor. Direct sunlight can also fade the wood. Overall, especially when taking into account the heat saving properties, the advantages of oak wood flooring outweigh any disadvantages.

Author Bio: UK Flooring distributor Floors Online supply a range of laminate flooring, wood floors, solid wood floors, engineered wood floors and vinyl flooring products. Contacts For information, sales and advice on flooring solutions, contact Floors Online 0800 731 2374 / 01827 283 184 www.floorsonline.co.uk

Category: Home Management
Keywords: Vinyl floors,Laminate flooring,floors,Flooring Accessories,hardwood floors,