Green Up Your Home
We all want to go green, but how? It doesn't take much to make your home more environmentally friendly - a few simple energy saving measures could dramatically reduce your gas and electricity bills.
Find out how it's done.
According to research from the Energy Saving Trust, the average UK household could save at least £300 a year on energy bills just by making a few key energy saving changes around the home.
Many of these changes are simple: switching to low-energy light bulbs or boiling less water in the kettle – changes such as these are inexpensive and surprisingly effective. Other measures are more complex: installing double glazing, cavity-wall insulation or a condensing boiler, - and these can become expensive.
The expense often puts people off but it could be seen as a significant investment. Recent laws require every home on sale to have a Home Information Pack (HIP) which includes an Energy Saving Certificate. The document is designed to tell prospective buyers how energy efficient a property is.
As a result, ‘green’ home improvements are set to become key selling points in the future. A few energy saving measures taken now could add thousands to the value of your home a few years down the line.
We round up seven of the most cost-effective measures:
Insulate your loft
Haven’t got round to insulating your roof space yet? Then you’re effectively heating fresh air. As much as a quarter of your home’s heat can be lost through your roof, yet it costs a mere £300 on average to sort out. Roof insulation should be at least 270mm thick for best effect and fitted between and across the roof joists. This simple measure could reduce your annual heating bill by as much as £100.
Fill those cavities
Almost a third of your home’s heat is lost through its walls - unless you take action. Getting some cavity wall insulation injected between the inner and outer layers of your brickwork can reduce your annual heating costs by 15% - that works out at around £135 for most households. How much the work costs varies but expect to pay around £500.
Install double glazing
Draughty single-paned windows are an environmentally damaging false economy. Fitting draught-proof double glazing can halve your home’s heat and reduce your heating bills by around £90 a year. It’s an expensive measure - fitting three windows can typically cost £1,500 - but it should be seen as an investment.
One word of warning - be sure to choose a style in keeping with your property or you could find yourself actually devaluing your home by thousands of pounds.
See the light
Fitting energy saving light bulbs is probably the simplest thing you can do to save money on your energy bills. They last around 12 times longer than traditional filament bulbs and use 75% less power. This could save you around £65 during each bulb’s lifespan.
Ditch your old boiler
Boilers over 15 years old are energy-guzzling liabilities that should be sent to the tip. Modern condensing boilers are far more efficient and cost between £500 and £2,000 depending on the size of your home – and they can cut your annual heating bill by as much as one third. What’s more, they’ll also make your home more attractive to potential buyers.
Don’t stand for standby charges
Leaving electrical appliances such as TV’s, set-top boxes and DVD players on standby overnight can add alarming sums to your annual electricity bill. Although estimates vary depending on the number of gadgets you have, studies have found that you could shave around £75 off your annual energy bill just by switching devices off at night.
Get into good habits
There are some energy saving measures that can slash your fuel bills but cost little or nothing at all, such as turning down your heating thermostat by one degree. Draught-proofing doors and windows is simple and typically costs just a few pounds. Only fill the kettle with as much water as you need and when buying new appliances look for the ‘Energy Saving Recommended’ logo.
