Making sure your home is energy efficient isn’t just a matter of reducing your environmental impact. It’s also about saving money—something that we all want to do. By reducing the amount of energy that goes to waste in your house, you’ll lower your energy bills significantly. Luckily, you won’t have to be uncomfortable and give up a warm house with hot water. Also, these tips are easy to implement so you’ll benefit from lower energy costs in no time.
- Proper insulation
When it comes to energy efficiency in your home, insulation plays a key role. There needs to be sufficient and proper insulation throughout your home to trap heat effectively. The most common type is blanket insulation made from glass wool as it is the easiest to install and most cost effective. Rock mineral wool is another type that is more suitable in compressed spaces while loose-fill insulation can conform to any space. Other kinds are foam, dedicated sheet loft, sheep’s wool, and rigid foam insulation. In your house, the roof, loft, and underneath your floor are particularly susceptible to heat loss so make sure these areas are properly insulated.
- Upgrade your boiler
Another big part of your home’s efficiency is your central heating. Older systems, whether they run on a furnace or boiler, are less efficient than modern ones so it is worth considering an upgrade. Although the costs might be quite high at first, you’ll save money down the line since you’ll reduce the amount of energy wasted. For example, boilers are given a rating between A and G, with A being the most energy efficient. The latest combi boilers reach efficiencies greater than 95%, meaning you get more heat per unit of fuel used. Updating your system with more fuel-efficient models mean you’ll spend less on your heating and hot water needs.
- Insulate doors and windows
This is one of the simplest solutions to improve your home’s heat retaining capabilities. Stick adhesive rubber weather sealing on the edges of your windows and doors—just cut to match the dimensions you need, peel, and attach to the frame. You can also buy or create your own draft snakes to place on window sills or at the feet of your doors to block any cold air from entering. For your windows, switch out your thin, summer curtains for thicker ones. This will help trap heat and give your home a more cosy feel.
- Smart energy use
All the steps you take to make your home more energy efficient will be for nothing if you don’t change your consumption levels. There are several simple things to keep your energy use down: switch off gadgets that you’re not using, unplug electronics to cut off standby power, use cold water when doing laundry or the dishes, and time your heating to your schedule. You can even join the smart home trend and use gadgets that help with your energy consumption. For example, a smart thermostat will change the temperature according to your schedule. Smart showers help set consistent temperatures and lower water flow. Also, smart light bulbs last longer, use less power, and are fully controllable through your phone. Use these smart home devices to help you adopt a more energy efficient lifestyle.
