Energy efficiency is very important when it comes to your home, not only in terms of your home’s carbon footprint but also how much those pesky energy bills are going to cost you at the end of the month. Which is why it is very important to make sure that your home is as energy efficient as it can be. Following the five tips through this guide will give you a great start towards becoming a more energy-efficient household and reducing both your carbon footprint and monthly bills!
Replace your old boiler
Boiler efficiency
Replacing your old boiler is a sure-fire way to make sure that your home becomes more energy efficient. This is because older boilers are a lot less efficient than their modern counterparts and often lose a lot of the energy that is generated, which is shown by their efficiency rating of a letter between A-G, A being the most efficient and G being the least. Most boilers that are older than ten years are often efficiency rating G which means that they have an efficiency rating of 70% or below, this will result in 30% of all energy being generated by this boiler being lost. When you look at modern boilers they often have an energy rating of around 94%, which means that only 8% of all energy generated is being lost, which is a huge upgrade and means that you’d no longer be losing out on 22% of all energy generated.
Boiler replacement
When it comes to replacing your boiler there are a few things that you must keep in mind before buying your new boiler. The first of which is what type of boiler you’re going to need to install in your property out of a combi boiler, system boiler, and a conventional boiler which will often depend on how many bathrooms and how large your house is. Second of all is choosing a brand, which can be easier than it seems as there is a range of trusted boiler brands out there such as Ideal Boilers, Vaillant boilers, Heatline boilers, and Worcester Bosch boilers. Finally, when it comes to installation you want to make sure you choose a gas safe registered engineer to fit your boiler.
Use smart technology
Smart technology is a great way to make all our lives easier, especially when it comes to becoming more efficient with your heating. This is done by a smart thermostat that replaces your conventional thermostat and allows you to control your home’s heating via the WIFI. This allows you to control your home’s heating on an app on your smartphone or computer. This is great for increasing your home’s energy efficiency as it means that you can check if you have ever left your heating on during the day while you are working or out and about. It even allows you to put the heating on during your commute home meaning you will be coming home to a nice cozy home. However, the best feature of a smart thermostat is the ability to create heating schedules in the companion app. Setting up this heating schedule means that your heating should never be left on unexpectedly due to your smart thermostat following the set times you’ve told it to turn on and off. This means that there is less energy being wasted and your home is becoming more efficient with its energy!
Turn appliances off standby
While it seems like a simple task to do it is one that we are all guilty of and that is leaving our appliances on standby. It has been shown that leaving appliances on standby rather than turning them off means that they are still using energy, which is not efficient. Turning appliances such as TVs, games consoles, laptops/desktops, and even washer/dryers can reduce this waste of energy dramatically. Not only is it reducing the energy that you are wasting but you will see a slight decrease in the cost of your energy by the end of the year!
Add some extra insulation
Insulation is essential to any home in making sure that the heat that is being generated does not escape the home through the walls and ceiling.
Cavity wall insulation
Cavity wall insulation is vital in making sure your home is as energy efficient as it can be. When it comes to heat escaping your home around 35% is lost through the walls so make sure you have good cavity wall insulation should be the top of your list. While cavity wall insulation can cost a lot of money, anywhere from £400 – £750 depending on your property type, you will see the benefit in the long run as your home will no longer be losing 35% of all heat that is generated.
Loft insulation
Just like with cavity wall insulation, loft insulation is also vital in making your home energy efficient. Around 25% of your home’s energy can get lost through a poorly insulated loft. Loft insulation is often cheaper than cavity wall insulation, at between £250 – £300. However, just like loft insulation while it is a big upfront cost the benefits are instant and you will start to see a return on your investment within a few years of from saving money on your energy bills.
Switch your energy provider
Finally, possibly the simplest of all things you can do, switch your energy provider. It is a simple thing that most people often overlook, and it only takes around ten minutes to see what other energy providers are available for you to use. All you’ll need to switch providers is a recent energy bill so you can identify your current supplier and tariff, a comparison website to select a new tariff and provider and then once this is complete it will take around three weeks to successfully switch provider.
Following this guide will give you a great start and an idea of what you can do to make sure that your home is more energy efficient. But don’t just stop at this guide there are a multitude of things you can do to make your home even more energy-efficient, so get out there and see what else you can do!
