5 ways to make your home more energy efficient
Are you spending more than you need to on heating, hot water and electricity? To help you cut your household costs, here are five ways to make your home more energy-efficient.
1. Get your boiler serviced regularly
According to the Energy Saving Trust, more than half of the money spent on fuel bills in a typical UK household goes on providing heating and hot water. This highlights the importance of making sure that your boiler and central heating system are working as efficiently as possible.
As heating oil supplier heatingoil.co.uk points out on its website, boilers start to lose their efficiency over time. In part, this is caused by a gradual build-up of sludge created during the combustion process. So, whether you have an oil boiler, gas boiler or another type of appliance, it’s essential that you get it looked over on a regular basis. During a service, a suitably qualified engineer will check that your boiler is working properly and carry out any cleaning or repairs needed. This will help you to ensure that the appliance is functioning as efficiently as possible. It’s generally recommended to have your boiler serviced once a year unless the manufacturer suggests otherwise.
2. Make improvements to your central heating system
As well as keeping your boiler in good condition, you might benefit from making improvements to your central heating system more generally. For example, fitting the right heating controls could lower your energy usage. Your full set of controls should include a programmer or timer, boiler thermostat, thermostatic radiator valves and room thermostat. You might also want to get smart heating controls that allow you to manage your heating remotely from a tablet or phone.
Another improvement you can make is to insulate your central heating pipes using easy-fit foam tubes, and you may want to bleed your radiators from time to time to remove trapped air. If your radiators still don’t get hot after you’ve bled them, consider arranging a power flush of your heating system. Carried out by an engineer, this process involves pumping special chemicals through your radiators, pipes and boiler to remove sludge and debris.
3. Improve your insulation
Poor insulation can really drive up your energy costs, so it pays to make improvements in this area. Depending on the type of property you have, your options could include insulating your roof and loft, solid walls, cavity walls or floors. This work can lead to long-term energy savings and it could increase the value of your home too. You can use an electric cost calculator to know your energy consumption which helps you plan your budget more effectively.
Think about draught-proofing as well. This is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to save money. For example, you could buy draught-proofing strips for your window frames and draught excluders to place at the bottom of your doors. Keyhole covers and letterbox brushes or flaps can also help to retain heat.
4. Choose your appliances and lighting carefully
When you’ve chosen new appliances for your home, make sure you pay attention to their energy efficiency ratings. Electrical appliances, from fridge freezers, washing machines and cookers to kettles and microwaves, now come with an EU energy label which grades them from A to G based on how efficient they are. A+++ is the most efficient and G the least.
Take care when buying lights too. The Energy Saving Trust suggests that lighting accounts for around 15 per cent of an average household’s electricity bill, so it makes sense to go for efficient solutions. LEDs (light-emitting diodes) are the most efficient bulbs available, followed by CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps).
5. Don’t leave electricals on standby
Did you know that the typical UK household spends around £30 a year powering electricals left on standby mode? So, by getting into the habit of switching appliances off when you’re not using them, you could bring your energy bills down. There is now a range of products available that are specifically designed to reduce your standby electricity consumption. For example, you can purchase standby savers that allow you to switch all your electrics off standby in one go. Some of these savers are available with timers. As well as helping you to bring your energy bills down, following these tips could reduce your household’s carbon footprint – making it a win for your wallet and the environment.
