How To Improve Home Energy Efficiency

It’s true to say that we are living in times of economic crisis. The current financial climate has resulted in the everyday person looking at ways to scrimp, save and cut costs in their day-to-day lives. Improving the energy efficiency of your household is a fantastic way to reduce your outgoings; best of all it can be achieved for next to nothing.

Ideally, once you have saved up enough money to leave the rain behind, you can escape to a hot sunny beach somewhere with a cocktail in your hand, but more importantly, using less energy reduces your carbon footprint so that you can take pride in making a difference. So, here is your guide to the best ways to improve your household’s energy efficiency at various levels.

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Level 1-Ways of Staying Warm

One of the basic things to remember is to not leave your heating on constant. Leaving the heating on all day long is truly insane unless the country that you are in is experiencing Antarctic conditions. The heating is generally the most expensive bill for most households, so making any kind of difference will go a long way. Think about:

• Using thermostats – Use your household’s thermostats to your benefit. The majority of the time, all you need is the heating on for a couple of hours before you get up in the morning and a couple of hours for when you get home from work. From time to time you should check your meter to see how much you are saving. Adjust accordingly in the winter and summer months.

• Wrapping up – If it is especially cold in your house, instead of hitting the ‘boost’ button on your heating, why not invest in a heated throw to wrap around you. Remember that hot water bottles or classic favorites and can also be your cheap friend on these occasions but there are some trendy gadgets you can buy that will do the trick, why not invest in USB foot warmers or go hi-tech with a Dyson Air Multiplier. The Dyson Air Multiplier is suitable for winter and summer as technology allows the air heat to change hot or cold, so with a change of seasonal weather, this fits in perfectly to the home.

Level 2- Preventing Draughts

Most of a household’s heat escapes through cracks in walls, windows, and even through doors. Keeping the cold out whilst maintaining the heat is possible. Prevent draughts by investing in some heavy hanging curtains for your front and back doors. Also, be a detective in your own house by investigating where other draughts are coming from; keyhole covers and draught excluders are a good way to reduce the amount of cold weather coming in.

Level 3- Loft Insulation

One of the best ways to prevent heat from escaping is to invest in thick loft insulation. Remember, you can always top up your loft insulation if you are running low. Ideally, you want around 270mm of insulation covering your loft. Also, know where the best places to insulate are, for example insulating between the joists will actually keep your house warmer.

Level 4- Double Glazing

Did you know that you can save around two hundred pounds a year by investing in double glazed windows when compared to single glazed? Generally, a swift and pain-free process, getting double glazed windows fitted in your property is one of the first things when making your household more energy efficient.

Level 5- Cut Down on Water

Saving energy isn’t all cutting down on heating bills; it’s your water bill too. Look at ways of reducing the amount of water you get through in your home. If you have young children look at sharing baths, or for adults, there are shower gadgets you can buy to help try and reduce the level of water you use. Try and use your dishwasher and washing machine as little as possible by making sure it is full when you put it on and always turn it off from the mains, every little cost helps. Then do think about your boiler choice, there are eco-friendly boilers that will save you money. >/p>

Level 6- Alternative Energy Sources

If it is feasible for your household, why not look into going green with your energy? There are plenty of avenues you could go down, including solar, water, and wind energy or even using an eco-stove to heat your house.