Saving Energy in The Home

Energy bills are expensive, but there are a few ways you can help reduce these bills by being aware of how you can save energy around the home.

Insulation

In a typical home around one third of the heat produced is lost because of poor insulation. You can eliminate this almost totally by ensuring you have adequate insulation .A lot of energy lost through the roof, so it's important that you have good loft insulation. You can get a contractor to do the work for you, or you can insulate it yourself by using Mineral wool, fibreglass or recycled paper products. Remember to wear a facemask, goggles and protective clothing if you do it yourself, and leave sufficient gaps around the eaves to avoid condensation.

Make sure all the walls in your home are insulated. Cavity walls can be filled using insulating beads, fibres, or foam. Insulation of external walls should only be carried out by specialist companies.

Draughtproof all your windows and doors. Make sure your double glazing doesn't leak and fits properly. Be careful if adding draughtstripping to a room with an open fire or a gas fire that does not have a balanced flue, where there is no airbrick near the fire. A good flow of air is vital for fires to burn safely and if a room is sealed too tightly there is a danger of being poisoned by Carbon Monoxide fumes.

Insulate floors by laying insulating blankets under suspended floors or by boarding concrete floors.

Other ways you can save energy in the home:

Buy "A " rated electrical appliances like freezers and washing machines.
Use low energy light bulbs
Put aluminium foil behind any radiators attached to an outside wall
Make sure your hot water tank has a good insulating jacket fitted.
Fit thermostatic radiator valves and set them to low or off in rooms you don't use.
Only use heat and light that you need to turn off lights and TV when you leave the room for any length of time.
Try turning your heating down by 1 degree. You probably won't even notice the difference, but could save yourself $20-30 per year.
Avoid using tumble driers and radiators to dry your clothes; on nice sunny days clothes can be dried outside.
When using the washing machine try and have full loads and use the lowest hot temperature setting.
When it's sunny outside open windows and doors in any rooms that catch the sun and let it circulate throughout your home-after all it is free!

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