Saving energy in your home has a knock-on effect – it saves you money as well. For many people, this is important especially as when energy prices are currently so high. Here, we look at five simple ways you can reduce the amount of energy that you need to buy.
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1. Use the OFF button more
Turning things off instead of leaving them on standby means that they don’t draw any power at all. It might seem like a very small saving, but add it up over lots of appliances (think about your microwave, TV, games consoles, computers, chargers for your phone etc.) and it can make more difference than you might think.
2. Turn down the temperature
Turning down the temperature you wash clothing at, the temperature your hot water tank heats water to, and even the thermostat that heats your home can all make a difference because the less you need to heat the water or your house, the less energy you’ll use.
3. Add Insulation
Adding insulation around your house can cost less than you might think. If your home is poorly insulated it will lose a lot of heat meaning that you use much more energy than you need to keep your home warm. Insulation can be added by lagging the loft, having cavity wall insulation put in, putting up thick curtains at windows and doors, and adding insulation to concrete or wooden floors as well. You can also put lagging around hot water pipes and a jacket on your hot water tank to help stop heat loss here too.
4. Fit Double Glazing
Like with insulating your home, fitting uPVC glazing will help stop heat loss from your windows. A single glazed window only offers a single layer of glass between your home and the outside world. Double glazing offers two layers of glass and an air gap between them all of which will help to stop drafts, and keep the heat from escaping so easily.
5. Fit Solar PV
Fitting Solar PV panels to your home will mean you can produce your own electricity and won’t need to as much from the national grid as you currently do. Solar panels gather energy from the sun’s rays and convert it into electricity.
With Solar PV there are additional benefits in the form of the FiT scheme from the government, which gives you money back over 25 years for producing electricity. Similarly, fitting some types of insulation around your homes such as cavity wall insulation and insulation in the loft, you may be able to get help in the form of a grant or even get it done for free if you receive certain types of benefit.
