7 Tips for Long-Term Energy-Saving Measures You Can Take at Your Cabin

Would you rather listen to the article? Find the podcast episode in Danish here.

Owning a cabin during the winter season, when electricity prices are high, can feel overwhelming for many people. The media quickly creates a sense of crisis, and it can often feel difficult to get a realistic overview of what’s going on and where to focus your efforts to achieve the best possible results when trying to save electricity.

That’s why we spoke with Line Nørmark, an energy advisor at SparEnergi and the Danish Energy Agency, about the best ways to reduce electricity and heat consumption in a cabin, and this article will focus on what you can do in the short term. And this article will focus on what you can do in the long term. In this article, she shares her best tips on:

• Switching to a more energy-efficient heat source
• Adding insulation to reduce the cabin’s heating needs
• How to avoid pitfalls when optimizing your cabin to reduce electricity usage

At Landfolk, our experience is that guests want to be responsible when they visit a cabin—even if utility costs are included in their price. In fact, a full 95 percent of hosts on Landfolk would like to have previous guests return. That’s why you can rest easy when you have guests staying at your cabin, even if electricity prices are high—just remember to set the utility cost rates on your profile to reflect the different seasons, so that a little extra is set aside for energy consumption during the cold months. Here’s how to set the right utility cost rates for your cabin.

Invest in a heating source that uses less electricity

In Norway, we often use electricity to heat our homes, and the same is true for many cabins. That’s why your heating source is often an area where you can save money on your electricity bill.

Did you know that…

Operating costs are always included when a guest books a cabin at Landfolk?

*We’ve chosen to do this because we believe it provides the greatest peace of mind. We believe the guest experience is best when you have a complete overview of the costs, and heating, water, electricity, and cleaning are all included in a single price—so guests don’t have to go out in the dark and read a meter as the first thing they do when they arrive at a truly fantastic cabin.

This model is, of course, based on the trust that our guests are mindful of using electricity responsibly—and our experience shows that a full 95% of Landfolk’s hosts would love to have previous guests return. That’s why we’ve kept this model—even in times of crisis. Read more about operating costs here*

1. Switch to a water-based heating system

“If you use a cabin frequently and want to think very long-term, you might consider installing a water-based heating system in the cabin. Instead of heat sources that use electricity, you’ll have a heat source—such as an air-to-water heat pump or a ground-source heat pump—and install radiators filled with water. You might also have a cabin near a district heating system. That can be a very affordable and effective way to heat your cabin.”

2. Install an air-to-air heat pump

“For any cabin heated with electricity, an air-to-air heat pump is probably the most effective way to save on electricity. It’s also possible that you have a cabin that isn’t heated with electricity—in that case, it’s a completely different story. But to put it simply, it’s because when we put 1 kilowatt-hour of electricity into our heaters, we get 1 kilowatt-hour of heat out of it. When we put 1 kilowatt-hour of electricity into our heat pump, we might get 3, 4, or 5 kilowatt-hours of heat out of it. So it’s a 3- to 5-times cheaper way to heat our cabins. I think many people who have an air-to-air heat pump notice that it heats up a bit faster. Warm air is released into the room, and you don’t have to wait for the heaters to warm up. It also has a humidifying effect because it creates a bit of air movement in the cabin,” explains Line Nørmark.

“The reason air-to-air heat pumps are so popular—they’re among the best-selling models—is that they cost between 15,000 and 20,000 kroner to install. And that’s pretty affordable for a heating system that also pays for itself quickly because you save so much. And the installation can be done quickly—in a few hours, perhaps. So it’s an inexpensive installation that pays for itself quickly if you use the cabin during times when you need heat (in the winter, ed.). When it comes to air-to-water heat pumps and geothermal heating systems, however, the cost exceeds 100,000 kroner. So those are somewhat larger investments.”

3. Consider other types of heat pumps for your cabin

“When you have a cabin with a water-based system—like the ones we have in many of our year-round homes, meaning radiators or underfloor heating where water circulates—an air-to-water heat pump or a ground-source heat pump might make the most sense. This is also because we usually don’t have the option of district heating in cabin areas, so these heat pumps are the most practical choice. Instead of blowing warm air into the room, they heat the water circulating through the radiators and our underfloor heating.”

4. Be aware if you’re considering underfloor heating

“If you’re considering underfloor heating, you should think twice, because it’s a bit slow when it comes to regulating the temperature. So in a cabin where you’re not there all the time—but might want to stay for five days and then leave again—it takes longer for the underfloor heating to reach the desired temperature. That’s why radiators might be the best solution for this type of cabin.”

Read also

How I help my cabin guests be more mindful of their energy consumption.

Reduce the need for heat with retrofit insulation

“Retrofitting your cabin with insulation means making sure you have good, airtight windows and doors,” says Line Nørmark. Start by checking if you have enough insulation if your cabin has an attic, because it’s fairly easy to add more insulation to an attic, she explains. Also check the ceiling, exterior walls, and floors:

“Many cabins may have been built with 100 mm of insulation and could easily use a little more. We recommend 300 mm in the ceiling and 200–300 mm in the exterior walls. That way, you’ll save a lot, because the house won’t need to be heated as much,” says Line Nørmark.

5. How to Prepare for Retrofit Insulation

“Retrofit insulation is an area where we see that many people can do it themselves. All you have to do is buy the insulation, cut it to size, and install it. We have some helpful guides if you’re not entirely sure how to cut the insulation, install an access walkway, or work around the existing insulation. But I’d call a contractor and get a quote. You can go to Sparenergi.dk to see how much you can expect to save, and then I’d consider whether it would be a good investment. And if there’s no more than 100 mm of insulation in the attic, I’d have more insulation installed no matter what.”

“I’d recommend not just thinking about what you save on electricity, but also the carbon footprint that the products and items you use in the cabin have had during the production phase. That way, you’re obviously doing something good for the environment while trying to save on electricity,” says Line Nørmark.

Are there any cabins where adding extra insulation wouldn’t be beneficial? “No—as long as you insulate to a level that makes sense in relation to the savings you’ll achieve. Obviously, you don’t need to install half a meter of insulation in the attic, because then you’d be using far more materials than the actual electricity savings you’d end up with. That’s why it’s a good idea to review the existing recommendations for minimum insulation levels, so you don’t overdo it,” says Line Nørmark.

6. Be mindful of moisture balance

“I don’t think there are any cabins that can’t handle more insulation, but it’s clear that you need to be mindful of how you go about it. If you start adding interior insulation, for example, it’s really important to consult a professional for advice, because that’s where you might need to address moisture balance issues. So again: you should always seek advice on the work you’re doing if you’re not hiring a professional for the job,” she says.

“When you make your cabin more airtight, you may need to adopt some new habits when it comes to ventilating. You may have had a cabin that ‘ventilated itself,’ as they say, so then you obviously need to remember to ventilate two or three times a day for 5 minutes each time now that you have a more airtight cabin.”

Also listen to the podcast episode on electricity (in Danish), where we discuss solar energy at the cabin.

Avoid the Pitfalls

Are there any pitfalls to watch out for if you want to implement energy-saving measures at your cabin? “As mentioned, moisture—if you want to add insulation to the exterior walls, should you do it from the inside or the outside? Where should the vapor barrier be placed? And we have some good guides on how to, for example, add insulation to your exterior walls. It’s always best to do it from the outside.

7. Find the best solution and consult with professionals

“So always consider whether you can implement the solution that will be best. It may be that, since you’re planning to replace the exterior siding on your cabin anyway, you can insulate from the outside and install new siding at the same time. The same applies to the floor; when you’re replacing the flooring, that might also be the time to consider whether you should add more insulation to the floor. And if you’re unable to implement the best solution, you should at least familiarize yourself with the best possible way to do it—for example, if you want to insulate from the outside. Seek advice from a professional.”

“Also check what the rules are, so you can ensure that your cabin complies with the rules and regulations for cabins.” What’s the worst thing a cabin owner can do right now? “It’s not being mindful of your energy consumption. Also, keeping the temperature set too high, leaving the cabin unlocked when you’re not there, and letting appliances stay on and use power in standby mode. But you should also remember to be mindful when it gets hot again—for example, if you have an air-to-air heat pump and are tempted to cool the cabin down a bit, because that can really add up in costs. It’s more expensive to cool than it is to heat. And we’re seeing that more and more air-to-air heat pumps have a cooling function. So think twice before using that feature.”