7 Steps you Can Take to make your Home More Energy Efficient

Do you feel as though your home isn’t as energy efficient as it could be? Maybe you want to make a positive change but you don’t know how to go about doing this. Either way, this is the guide for you.

Insulate your Roof

You lose most of your body heat through your head, so if it is cold outside, it is wise to put on a woolly hat. The same concept applies to your home. If it is cold outside then it is wise for you to take steps to insulate your loft. Installing loft insulation doesn’t cost a lot and it could save you a small fortune. You won’t have to turn your heating on as much because most of the warmth you generate will be trapped within your home. This is a great way for you to keep your home warm during winter, but what about summer? The truth is that having solid insulation protects your home from the elements, so in other words, you can stop your home from getting too hot, even when it peaks at dangerous temperatures outside. Little things like this can help you to get the best result out of your energy bills, and it means you’ll be doing your bit for the environment.

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Keeping an Eye on Things

Small actions lead to big changes. It may be that you swap from LED lights or that you stop leaving things on standby. If you can take the time to invest in a water-efficient showerhead or even an eco-kettle then this will help you out a lot here too. If you have gas heating then bleeding your radiators is crucial. Ideally, you should do this at least once a year, so that they can work as efficiently as possible. Turning down your thermostat by one degree is also the best way for you to save money,  so you don’t have to make your home uncomfortable just to see huge savings.

Insulating your Walls

Whether you have cavity walls or solid walls, it’s safe to say that if you fill your walls with insulation then this is one of the best ways for you to retain heat within your home. It is also one of the best ways for you to save energy. Believe it or not, one-third of the heat loss from your home, happens through the walls. If you take the time to do something about this then you will soon be able to reap the benefits. Whether you live in a detached house or a small flat, it’s safe to say that you can recover the installation costs in under five years. This all comes down to the amount of money you will save by simply making sure that your home is properly insulated. If your walls are made out of strong stuff, then solid wall insulation could be the best way for you to make a dramatic impact. This is because solid walls let twice as much heat escape when compared to cavity walls.

Smart Meter

Another thing you can do is try and invest in a smart meter. The great thing about getting a smart meter is that it comes with an in-home display. Smart meters are very useful as they give you the chance to track your energy in real time. You will soon find that you can send your reading automatically and you can get them for free. If you want to try and get the best result out of your smart meter then try and get an app that you can connect to your phone. If you do this then you will soon see a huge improvement to your bills, as you will be much more aware of the energy you are using.

Draught-Proofing

Believe it or not, insulating your windows is truly a rewarding way for you to energy-proof your home. In winter, a draughty room is not very comfortable so if you can, it does make sense for you to invest in some double-glazing. If you can do this then you can take advantage of monumental savings.

Upgrade your Boiler

Inefficient boilers are a major problem and this is especially the case when it comes to energy savings. Your boiler accounts for 55% of your energy bill, and this is far more than all of your appliances combined. Boilers are becoming more energy-efficient by the year so if you have not upgraded yours for quite some time then now is the time for you to change that. You need to try and make sure that you replace your gas boiler with one that is condensing if you have an older property. If you are not in a position to replace your boiler right now then don’t worry, there are other tricks you can try.

Install some Solar Panels

There is no denying that getting solar panels is one of the best ways for you to upgrade the energy efficiency of your home. If you can afford them and if you have room, this is easily the best way for you to cut down on your home’s energy bills. Solar panels are 70% cheaper than they were several years ago and in this day and age, they are much more efficient. If you want to benefit your home’s energy efficiency then it could be wise for you to invest in a solar generator kit so keep that in mind if you want to start exploring the idea of solar energy.

So as you can see it has never been easier for you to get the result you want out of your home’s energy efficiency and if you follow this guide, you should be able to see a monumental improvement in how much energy you use per month. If you want to take things to that next level then getting an energy audit done could be a good idea. If you get an audit done, you can pinpoint the areas of your home that require the most improvement.

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