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If we are being honest, most of us would admit that there is still more we could do in order to cut down on the amount of energy we use.
It is easy to think that changes to the energy we use are dramatic and expensive things that take a lot of time and effort to sort out. However,with a bit of thought and some research there are some easy and cheap changes that can result in big benefits. The importance of saving energy was recently highlighted by the Big Energy Saving Week hosted by the Government, npower, Citizen Advice, Acre and a few other firms interested in helping us save money and help the planet.Among the great ideas covered by this event the following are some of the simplest ways to make sure that a home uses less energy.
Keep an Eye on Usage
The first step to a more sensible use of energy for most people is to keep a closer eye on the amount they currently use. This means using the resources provided by their energy provider and being aware of any changes in the level of consumption. Once the householder notices how much they usually spend on energy it becomes a lot easier to see the effect of any changes they make. The energy usage graphs provided by npower is a good example of how this can work, letting customers know how much energy they used on average per day. A customer fromWorcestershire who spoke about their energy usage for the energy saving week campaign has already seen how this can help. They said that the resources let them see how their usage increased when their partner retired and spent more time at home. By seeing how energy usage changes with the seasons or with changes in the personal lives of the people living in the house it is easier to find ways to use less.
Think of EasyAdjustments
A family from Hertfordshire was also quoted with their support for the energy awareness campaign. They say that they try and make adjustments when they see the effect on their bills of just turning on one light. A smart idea offered by this family is to dry clothes in the garden when the weather is nice, instead of using the tumble dryer. It seems fair to suggest that in most homes across the country there are some easy changes that can be made to get immediate benefits. Anyone who has already carried out the previous step should already be in a good position to think about doing this. With this information to hand it is a question of considering what could be done slightly differently at home to use less energy. Many families will be surprised if they do this, as they discover that saving money and helping the planet isn’t as difficult as they maybe thought that it was.
Lose Less Heat
There are a number of ways of cutting out draughts and other wise-trapping more heat in your house. Probably the simplest of all is to open and close your curtains at the appropriate times of day. This means letting the maximum amount of sun into the rooms and then making sure that as much warmth as possible trapped there. Another piece of advice is to fix gaps or cracks in the walls. These are often found next to doors or windows and can be filled in reasonably easily in most cases. If we move on to look at more complex issues,double glazed windows and loft or wall insulation are among the best ways of making sure that the heat you generate doesn’t get lost. In fact, 35% of the heat generated in a home is lost through its walls and 25% through the roof. The good news is that the Governments Green Deal and ECO schemes allow UK householders to apply to get financial help for this work. The npower website has some great information about the benefits of insulation and how to get started.
Use the Heating TimerWisely
The timer on a homes central heating system can offer a great deal of help to anyone who wants to spend less on their energy use and is keen to live a bit greener as well. Not everyone uses their heating timer as well as they should but it is easy to do so. If you go out to work each day then you should make sure that the heating only comes on about half an hour before you arrive home. In the morning it can come on 30 minutes before you get out of bed and can switch itself off again the same length of time before you leave. Little changes like this are often the key to lower energy bills and a more eco-friendly home.
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