Understandably, everyone right now wants to save energy. Many think changing to more efficient electrical appliances and switching off things they don’t need is the best solution. While it is a good idea, there are more effective ways to save energy.
Around 85% of the energy used in the home is for heating and hot water, if you only think about your appliances, you’re missing the biggest saving options. Today we’ll explore the different ways you can reduce your dependence on heating and hot water in a bid to lower your energy spend.
Enhance and protect your attic insulation
Attic insulation is responsible for retaining the warmth of your home’s heating by trapping it in the fluffy material as it rises. Having no attic insulation can mean that around 25% of the heat produced is lost through the roof. The same can be said for insulation compressed underneath the weight of standard attic boards. Squashed insulation can’t work effectively, and the US guidelines recommend insulating it to R-38 or about 10 to 14 inches. To achieve this, investing in a raised attic boarding system like the LoftZone StoreFloor is designed specifically to allow for attic flooring while still allowing the full depth of insulation.
You may need new or replacement attic insulation to help reduce the heat lost in the home, but this is easy to do as a DIY job, though we have professional installers who can help, as well, if required. Beyond attic insulation, many more insulation measures work but cost more and need professional installation, including wall insulation, double-glazing, modern draught proof doors, and underfloor insulation.
Other ways to save energy apart from attic insulation
Stop Draughts
Draughts are a massive culprit of wasted energy and something that, if prevented, can quickly and easily help save you money. Check that windows and doors seal properly, and buy some adhesive foam strips or tape to fill areas where you can feel cold air passing into the home. It’s important to consider that your home still needs some ventilation, but you should be able to choose when to have that rather than for a drought to blow, constantly wasting the heat in your home.
Thick curtains for windows, and even doors, help a lot too. And whilst it’s fashionable to have wooden floors, you can get cold draughts from under the floor in older properties. There are clever ways to insulate underfloor, even sometimes using a robot to spray insulation underneath, but rugs and carpets work wonders too, they all provide insulation and stop draughts.
Individually controlled radiators
Most homes have one single thermostat controlling the temperature of your radiators universally. But many rooms need less heat than others, so if you have radiators, ensure each one has a thermostatic radiator valve (TVR) to turn the temperature up or down on individual radiators. TRVs can be fitted without any plumbing necessary, they simply screw on.
Electronic ones which you can set with individual timers, are about double the price of manual ones. However, more recently, smart TRVs can sense when you are in the room and switch the radiator on or off are also available. No matter which TRV you go for, they will help save energy by letting you be smart about where to prioritise your heat.
Underfloor heating
If you have a large room, radiators are quite a slow way of heating it. This is because heat rises, warming the ceiling first before it slowly spreads down to the lower part of the room, where you actually want the heat. That’s why underfloor heating is good, as it works the other way around.
Reduce hot water
In terms of saving hot water, there are obvious things like taking quicker showers and having fewer baths. But don’t forget that if you’re washing up, use a bowl or the plug to fill the sink and use that water rather than washing every item under a constant stream of hot water, as that is just heated water you’ve paid for literally going down the drain. Use cold water to rinse off cleaned dishes, cutlery and glasses, as this doesn’t require hot water once it’s been cleaned.
Implement these energy-saving tips to save money today!
These are all small, inexpensive and quick changes that everyone can make to instantly see the savings you can benefit from at home. Get in touch with a team member to discuss some of these tips in more detail or to see how we can help you further reduce your energy usage with our attic insulation solutions.