With the cost of energy bills as they are, there is no time like the present to take steps to make the home home energy efficient. Not only will you use up less energy, which is good for the environment, but it will be good for your bank balance too. We all need to use some energy in the home, but there is plenty that we can do to make sure that we don’t waste energy, as well as retaining the energy that we do use in our homes.
There are some tips and tricks that you can try, as well as some energy efficient home improvements that can make a difference. Here are some of the things that will make a difference.
Shutters for Your Windows
Shutters are a good way to improve the energy efficiency of a home as they stop the draughts from escaping and keep the warmth in, which is a great step towards improving heat retention. Shutters can be a great solution, but some made-to-measure shutters can be quite pricey, which then defeats the point of trying to save money.
That is why choosing DIY shutters could be the best way to go if you’re looking to make your home more energy efficient. You can still get the luxury appearance with DIY shutters, such as those from The Shutter Store UK, without the massive price tag. It can take some time to measure up your windows and then installing them yourselves, but there is help online (such as tutorials and video guides), but it can be worth it when it comes to the energy that you use.
Block off Draughts
Talking of draughts, you’d be surprised at how many draught sources you have in your home. There are plenty of materials that you can use including sealant and polyfiller to block cracks in the wall and sealant strips for the windows. Even things like a keyhole disc and letterbox flap will help keep the hallway warmer. By filling gaps and reducing the amount of cold air penetrating into the home, you can reduce the heat loss and reduce the heating bills.
Be Smarter about Appliances
The energy that you use is not just about heating; it’s also about how you use basic household appliances such as the dishwasher, washing machine and tumble dryer.
Using them efficiently can make a big difference to bills, especially in the winter when it’s nigh-on impossible to dry clothes outside. Running one full load uses less energy than two half loads, for example. Keeping efficiency in mind can keep bills down.
Get a New and Improved Boiler
Did you know that your boiler accounts for more than 55% of your energy bills? By investing in a more energy efficient boiler, which can be a lot of money up-front, you’ll be able to significantly reduce your gas consumption. It can be worth it in the long-run, especially if your current boiler is more than ten years old. Make sure you purchase an A-rated high-efficiency boiler. This will prove to be very economical, and you might even be able to achieve savings up to £350 per year.
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to improving the energy efficiency of your home, but they are good places to start. What are some of your own top tips? It would be great to hear what you think.
*collaborative post
Can I join the discussion and add one more thing?
You can also improve your home’s energy efficiency by using your heating system correctly. One of the most important things you should do is to keep the temperature steady. Turning off the heat when you leave or lowering it more than 5-8 degrees lower at night than during the day can cause your unit to work harder to try and warm the place back up.
So pick a nice steady range instead. A programmable thermostat can help you do that.
Another way to make your home more eco-friendly is to use energy-efficient air conditioning systems. Such things as SEER rating and ENERGY STAR labeling show the system’s efficiency.
Also, please remember to check recent changes of efficiency standards for HVAC systems. These changes are legally effective from January 1, 2023.
Thank you for the reminder! I only want to add that new minimum efficiency requirements differ depending on the area you live in. In this article, you can find a map and find out “your minimum”: https://polestarplumbing.com/news-media/upcoming-changes-of-efficiency-standards-for-hvac-systems.
Thank you for mentioning how important it is to block off draughts and seal cracks in a home. Many homeowners invest in highly-efficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems in order to improve home energy efficiency. However, yeah, the effectiveness and efficiency of these systems may be highly compromised without proper insulation — about 20% of heated or conditioned air that moves through a home is lost because of poor insulation and air leaks.
Yeah, a proper home insulation work wonders. By the way, if you get your hot water from a hot water storage tank, you also need to insulate it. Insulation with an R-value of at least 24 is preferable. This could reduce heat loss by up to 45% and save you around 10% in water heating costs.
Thank you for sharing all these tips! If you have a swimming pool, there are also some things you can do to use less energy.
Here they are:
1. Purchase a smaller, more efficient pump;
2. Lower your pool’s temperature;
3. Choose an energy-efficient heater;
4. Invest in automated pool features.
I completely agree with the point made in this article about the importance of energy-efficient appliances. But I also need to add that even if you have high-efficient appliances like Energy Star air conditioners, you need to remember about regular air conditioner maintenance. Otherwise, it won’t bring good results.
Good point! And here’s an HVAC maintenance checklist that might help: https://happyhiller.com/hvac/spring-hvac-maintenance-tips-for-homeowners/.
When replacing your boiler, make sure you know what you’re doing or hire a professional plumber. While electric boilers do not require the assistance of a gas-safe engineer, knowledge of plumbing is more than recommended to perform this installation. As for gas boilers, you just cannot install them DIY.
With an on-demand boiler, you can save even more energy and money. And here’s why: https://www.gervaismechanical.com/on-demand-gas-tankless-boilers/.