The best thing about making energy-saving changes to your house is that the benefits felt by the environment are felt equally by your wallet. And it doesn’t even require wholesale renovation. Eco-improvements that really make a difference can be made with very little effort or expense.
Many of these changes can be done on your own, with no need to call in expensive professionals. If you need to get kitted out with some basic DIY supplies, try visiting rs-online.com for well-priced, good value tools.
6 Ways to Make Your Home Greener
Program your thermostats. You could save a bundle on bills by setting your thermostat back while you’re asleep or out of the house. You can set it to come back on to your preferred temperature before you come back home or wake up. You won’t even notice the difference – until you get the bill.
Use CFLs. If you haven’t already done so, replace your old incandescent numbers with compact fluorescent light bulbs. You might save a hundred quid a year. If every family in America made this one change to their household, carbon emissions could be reduced by a trillion pounds!
Plug Leaks. Air leaks waste more energy than anything else in the home. But they’re easy to remed. Weatherstripping and caulking can be installed at very little cost.
Get the most out of your boiler. If your boiler is more than 15 years old, get a new one to drastically improve your home’s efficiency. Install an insulating jacket around the heater and pipes. Consider turning the temperature down to as low as is comfortable.
Plant a tree in the garden. If you live in a hot climate, planting a tree for shade can significantly lessen the need for air conditioning. They also protect the building from cold winds, not to mention providing habitat for birds.
Check your insulation. Go around your house and do a thorough check to make sure there is no inadequate insulation. Poor insulation is the single biggest factor in heat loss, since even one small area of weakness can allow large amounts of heat to escape.