By Chris Chambers
So energy prices are going up again!! Do you
think there is nothing you can do about it? The best and most
satisfying thing you can do is to use less energy - here are our energy
saving tips and we promise we won't advise putting on a jumper and turning your thermostat down!
1) Light bulbs - I've banged on about this one in several of my blogs -
get rid of all your old incandescent light bulbs (the classic old
shaped ones) including any GU10 / MR16 bulbs which are not LED or CFL.
They are only about 90% efficient! That means for every pound you give
an energy company for powering an incandescent bulb you're only getting
10 pence of useful energy in return!! LED maybe more expensive (and more
so for dimmable ones) but you'll never have to replace them (when it
comes to LED spots you want a bulb that is at least 250 lumens to be
equivalent to a typical 40w GU10). CFL bulbs have got better - they
don't take very long to warm up and they're no longer the horrible white
harsh colour they used to be. Check out this calculator below for some
revealing stats on inefficient light bulbs.
http://environment.nationalgeographic.co.uk/environment/energy/great-energy-challenge/light-bulb-savings-calculator/
2) Draft excluding: if you have a 1mm gap all around an average sized
external door then that is equal to a square that is getting on for
about 7cm by 7cm - if you actually had a visible hole in your front door
which was that that size then you'd soon cover it up!! Gaps around
doors, letterboxes and windows are frequently bigger than 1mm so get
some draft-proofing installed.
3) Loft insulation: the
recommended depth for mineral wool insulation is 270mm. Check your loft -
chances are you don't have enough! And don't compress it as this
reduces its insulating properties. Boarding lofts and using them for
storage is unfortunately not very energy efficient - can you create a
simple raised section in your loft space to store items on with room for
insulation underneath?
http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Insulation/Roof-and-loft-insulation
4) Change your hob for an induction
electric hob? This is an especially good option if you are in the process or thinking of upgrading your kitchen. Induction hobs are brilliant - very efficient, no wasted
heat and very controllable. If you thought you'd never want an electric
hob over a gas one then think again!
5) Boiler replacement:
This is a bit pricey but the cost of replacement of a very old and
inefficient boiler will be returned in energy savings over only a few
years. Check your boiler's efficiency here: http://www.boilers.org.uk/
6) Get an energy assessment done - most people associate energy
assessments with selling or letting houses but they provide very useful
information and advice bespoke to a particular property.
If
you're in Somerset or Dorset and whether you're a homeowner, landlord or
tenant, Proudhouse Property Management can conduct an energy assessment
for you and also advise on how to access the Government's "Green Deal"
or ECO schemes.
