In the colder winter months, energy usage rises significantly. That’s why during the winter it is more important than ever, to have an energy efficient home. Whilst cutting down on energy usage is good for the environment, it is also good for your bank balance.
By finding simple ways to cut down on your energy usage, you can help to save the environment and reduce your spending.
But, if turning off the heating altogether is too much, don’t worry. There are many different things you can do to reduce your energy usage and make your home more energy efficient. Without turning off your heating.
To give you a helping hand, we have put together a list of our top four tips for reducing your energy usage.
Keep your home well insulated
Lack of insulation is one the main reasons for excessive energy usage. Heat escapes through badly insulated areas, meaning that more energy is needed to keep your home warm and toasty.
A long-term solution to this is to have additional insulation installed in your home. This will help you to reduce your energy bills significantly. As most heat escapes through badly insulated walls, ceilings and lofts, these are the most important areas to get insulated. But, if you can’t afford to insulate your house, there are other solutions available.
A short term solution is to make sure that your windows and doors don’t let any cold air in or warm air out. If you find that there is a draft coming from certain areas, use a draft excluder or a rolled up towel to prevent this from happening.
Invest in thick curtains
If you notice that your windows let a draft in, an excellent, low-cost way of reducing heat loss is by buying thermal curtains. Whilst thermal curtains come in a somewhat limited range of styles; they are effective in reducing heat loss.
To keep your costs as low as possible, you could add a thermal layer to your current curtains instead of buying new ones. All you would need to do is purchase a thermal piece of material to sew inside of them.
Update your doors and windows
If you find that a lot of heat is leaving through your windows and doors, it may be worth considering replacing them. Swapping single glazed, wood framed windows for double or even triple glazed alternatives will save you a lot of money in the long run. Replacing an old wooden door with a new energy saving alternative is also an excellent way to help reduce your energy usage. Of course, it is important to bear in mind that there will, of course, be an initial cost.
To find the best UPVC doors and windows have a look online or contact your local door and window specialist for a quote. Although the initial cost may seem expensive, remember that modern doors and windows are long lasting.
Don’t turn your heating on unless necessary
Although it isn’t good to be cold, turning your heating on unnecessarily is a waste of energy and money. If your house is cold but not cold enough to warrant the use of your heating, wrap up warm. Don’t walk around barefoot, wear slippers. Layer up, make sure you have at least three or four layers on.
The best way to save energy is to monitor or reduce your usage of it. However, small changes like installing new windows, loft insulation and draft stoppers can really help.