With energy prices set to dramatically increase this winter, it is more important than ever to make changes to your property to make it as efficient as possible.
Here are some of the things you can do:
Upgrade your heating system
Old heating systems are notorious for being inefficient and using excessive amounts of energy. With energy efficiency for homeowners becoming an increasing concern, alternative heating sources such as solar panels are now increasingly popular. Not only are these more efficient, but they also add considerable value to a property. Upgrading your heating does of course come with an initial expense, however, they will yield monthly savings.
Bleed radiators
Ensure there’s as little air as possible in your radiators and bleed them so that water can fully circulate to provide you with more ecomomical and hotter, heat.
Insulate
If you are planning to replace your heating system, your home must be equipped to retain the heat generated. Home insulation can take many forms and can be added to the walls, roof, and floor. Do some research to determine what would be most effective for your home.
Double glazing
Similar to insulation, double-glazed windows are extremely effective in retaining heat. If your home doesn’t already have double glazing, then consider making this change to benefit from vastly improved heat retention and lower energy bills.
Exclude draughts
A more cost-friendly way to improve the efficiency of your home is to exclude any potential draughts. Whilst this can be done by a professional at a higher cost, there are also lots of homemade solutions that are equally as effective. A quick google will take you to a range of tutorials for making draught excluders which can then be distributed around your home to stop draughts coming in from windows, doors, and skirting.
Make your home smarter
No matter how hard we try, we can all be guilty of forgetting to turn things off at the wall every now and then. Whether it’s a phone charger that is constantly plugged in or a lamp that you always forget to switch off, these small things can have a big impact on your energy bill. Purchasing some smart timer plugs will allow you to set schedules for your electronics and when they need to be on, eliminating the problem of forgetting to turn things off.
Switch out your lighting
Although they are small, the energy consumption of light bulbs can be mighty. Switch to LED light bulbs to benefit from up to 90% less energy expenditure.
Install a water butt
Simple yet effective, installing a water butt in your garden allows you to collect a reserve of rainwater which can then be used to water plants. This is perfect for cutting down on your water bills.