Six Ways To Make Your Home More Energy Efficient

*Collaborative Post

Some of us are trying to find ways to be more eco-friendly. Some of us are worried about the ongoing increase in electricity and heating bills. Whatever the case, there’s never been a better time to think about how energy efficient your home is, nor what you can do to improve it. For that reason, we’re going to take a look at a few of the upgrades, changes, and general tips that you can follow to make sure that your home isn’t using much more energy than it needs to, while still making sure that you can stay comfortable, safe and, most importantly, warm throughout those colder months.

Turn the thermostat down, even if just a little

None of the other tips that we’re going to share here are going to recommend that you keep the home’s temperature down. However, if you’re looking for the easiest ways to be a little more eco-friendly, then just turning your thermostat down by one degree alone could help you save up to triple-digit figures per year, as experts have recently been reporting. A change of that single degree isn’t even likely to be all that perceptible, you can still stay well within your comfort zone, you can just make sure that you’re not spending as much to do so.

Be mindful of energy vampires

There’s a lot of energy waste that happens in the modern household, and it’s not always your fault. Faulty appliances can consume more energy than intended, for instance. However, if you leave appliances plugged in and turned on overnight, even if they’re on standby mode or not even turned on, that is a sign of some negligence. These energy vampires can add to your bill more than you might imagine. Make sure that you take the time to ensure that everything non-essential is turned off at the wall at night.

Get the insulation you need

Aside from being mindful of how you’re spending energy in the home, you should make sure that the energy you do spend is well used. The biggest portion of your energy bills in the winter is likely to go towards your heating. However, the heat that you’re spending cash to create could be escaping your home if you don’t have the right insulation. Do some investigating to find out if your walls are insulated, as well as your roof. You might be able to get some financial help in adding the insulation that your home needs and it’s certainly the most effective way to keep heat indoors.

Some general home renovation tasks can also have a positive effect on heat retention in your home. When looking at flooring, for example, UK supplier Carpet Warehouse recommend using either a thick, plush rug on top of laminate or hardwood flooring if cold, or even a deep pile carpet if upgrading completely. Thicker, wool-fibre carpets are typically the best for heat retention, but looking at the tog rating will give you a good indication of how effective it will be.

Find and fix your air gaps

Your home might heat up just fine, and your insulation may be working as intended, but if there are air gaps in the home, then it could lead to the drainage of heat from the home, all the same. Most of these appear around doors, windows, and any ventilation hatches or the like. Check them for air gaps and, if you find them, caulk them up. In some cases, caulk alone might not be enough, and weather stripping can be highly effective in those cases.

Reinforce those windows and doors

Even without air leaks, the energy efficiency of doors and windows can vary a lot. As they get older, they can lose some of that efficiency, too. As such, there are a few strategies to upgrade or improve them. The most expensive is to replace them wholesale. If you don’t have the budget for that, right now, however, then options like secondary glazing from Clear Amber Shop could make a major difference. Another layer of glazing on your window can prevent, or at least slow, heat transfer by a significant degree, making it harder for them to lose the heat from inside.

Aim for a more renewable heating system

Although the costs are certainly starting to fall as the technology becomes more readily available, switching to a renewable or sustainable source of energy and heating is the biggest investment you can make towards energy efficiency. It can pay itself off a great deal, and you may be able to get government assistance such as grants for such installations, whether it’s a solar panel, or investing in a heat pump installation. It can make a huge difference in your energy bills alone.

With the tips above, hopefully, you have a good idea of a few ways to stay in control of your energy bills, while making sure that you don’t have to sacrifice too much comfort for the cause. A little investment here and there now could mean big savings down the line.

*This is a collaborative post. For further information please refer to my disclosure page.