Improving the energy efficiency of our homes has both economic and environmental benefits, and more and more homeowners are turning to their energy suppliers to provide products and services that help them use their home energy more carefully.
Many homeowners are now making home improvements with improving their energy use in mind, and effectively received cheap gas and electricity as a result, as the savings are immediately passed onto their tariffs.
One of the most common and effective home improvements in terms of improving energy efficiency is the insulation of walls and ceilings, and a large number of energy suppliers now offer this service.
In the UK there are a number of financial incentives available to people considering installing insulation, and the six biggest energy providers in the UK can all help homeowners access these grants (which can pay between £149 to £199 towards the cost of the project, depending upon the age, size and condition of the property).
As well as helping reduce energy bills, attic and wall insulation takes a large edge off a home’s annual carbon emissions – for some homeowners it can save between twenty and thirty percent off of yearly heating bills and cut one hundred and forty pounds off CO2 emissions.
Another accessible and cost efficient method of improving CO2 emissions is to invest in double glazing, though it is worth seeking clarification of the precise payback that each type of double glazing offers from a source other than the sales company (in the UK, and for much of the EU, a standardised energy efficiency code is in place, which aims to provide consumer clarity).
As a rough rule of thumb, the installation of argon filled windows in a moderately sized, electrically heated home could save around 9.8 tonnes of CO2 per year, and a large percentage off your bill.
Whilst making home improvements to improve energy efficiency is, in many cases, the ideal, it is not always feasible to bring forward this kind of project simply for the energy efficiency savings it’ll bring in.
However, by being more conscious about many of our day to day activities it’s actually possible to save a surprising amount. Covering pasta as it boils, for example, can save a huge amount of energy, as can defrosting the fridge and freezer on a regular basis. If it’s not currently feasible to carry out a home improvement project, it is almost certainly worth taking the time to research more tips on using energy as carefully as possible.
