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[E237]Energy Efficiency In Home

by Scott Baxter, Sco

Over the period of a year there are quite a number of bills associated with a home. One of the most expensive of these bills usually turns out to be the energy bills. However, this is one bill that can be fairly easy to reduce if you know where to start looking for spots where energy is being wasted. There are usually a number of these in any given home that don't take much effort to fix, try looking at your windows, insulation, lights, appliances and also check for any leaks to the exterior. Combined, these things can add up to a hefty energy bill, yet there are so many opportunities to save some money.

Windows - Single pane windows can radiate heat outwards and do not keep the heat in as well as double pane windows. Also available is a window coating the is easily applied and helps the home to retain heat. Modern and up-to-date windows are a great energy saver and they always look good on any home.

Insulation - Many people only think about insulation in terms of keeping the cold air out but they also help to keep cool air in during summer. During the warm months one of the highest bills can be air conditioning. Make sure your home has a high R-Rating number and check the insulation on a yearly basis for any deterioration.

Lights - Lighting is an area where a lot of money can easily be wasted. Simply changing all the bulbs in your home to compact fluorescent can save hundreds of dollars a year. Also try to conserve the use of lighting by using small occasional lights for areas as opposed to overhead lighting throughout the day.

Appliances- Old appliances use quite a lot more energy than modern ones. Look for appliances with a good energy star rating. These are built according to strict energy conservation standards and are perfect for reducing high energy bills.

Leaks - In a typical home there are a number of places where heat can escape and create a draw on energy consumption. Taking the time to seek these leaks out and have them sealed is a good way to ensure that your home is an energy efficient as possible.

Have a shower

Swapping long soaks in the tub for quick refreshing showers uses 40 per cent less water, so if you have a water meter this will make a significant difference to your bills and help you to do your bit for water conservation, especially in the dry summer months.

If you don't already have a water meter fitted at your home, get one installed so that you only pay for the water that you actually use. This will encourage you to keep an eye on the amount that you waste too.

Choose the right bulbs

The Government wants to start phasing out traditional light bulbs because of the amount of energy they waste. Using energy efficient ones not only saves on your electricity bill, they also last much longer so you won't have to replace them as often.

Don't just standby

Leaving appliances on standby rather than turning them off at the wall wastes so much electricity. Appliances can continue to use up to 70 per cent of their active energy while on standby, so think of the difference that you could make by just turning them off properly.

Leaving chargers on but unused is also a huge waste. You could be paying £10 a year for each charger you leave in, and when you add up your laptop, mobile phone, iPod and handheld home phone chargers, it really begins to add up.

Blow out the pilot

If you have an electric shower and cooker at home, you could turn off your gas pilot light once the weather is warm enough. Because while the pilot light is burning, your gas supply is constantly leaking away, even when your heating is off.

Cool it

Turning down you thermostat by just one degree centigrade can reduce your annual energy bill by 10 per cent. This is a difference that you'll barely notice – until your bill comes in up to £49 a year cheaper.

Bleed your radiators

Trapped air inside your radiators makes them less efficient but bleeding them (releasing the air) is easy and makes them perform much better.

Wrap up warm

Insulating your home will save you loads on heating bills and will be an investment that will continue to save you money year after year. You can insulate your wall cavities, roof and windows and lag your boiler. All this can be a bit pricy but even simple things like hanging thick curtains and laying draft excluders at doors will make a difference.

Go A-grade

Whenever you need to buy a new fridge, freezer or boiler, always opt for an “A” rated one. These will save you money on you electricity bills as they're cheaper to run and are also so much better for the environment.

Get technical

There are now a whole host of gadgets available to save the planet and your pocket at the same time. These range from washing powder replacements to gadgets that stop your fridge from over-working and wasting electricity. You can even get wind-up radios, water powered clocks and solar powered lights.

Switch your supplier

By moving to a new supplier you can save money on your bills by taking advantage of new-customer-only deals and sign up to a “green tariff” at the same time. Almost all providers now offer environmentally friendly deals so you could end up cutting your bills and investing in renewable energy sources at the same time.

Article Source : Real Estate Listing Agents

About Author

Both Scott Baxter & Keira Parker are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Scott Baxter has sinced written about articles on various topics from Real Estate, Consumer and Real Estate. Scott Baxter is a long time real estate investor and is also a real estate agent who specializes in Scott's passion for real estate has enabl. Scott Baxter's top article generates over 74000 views. to your Favourites.

Keira Parker has sinced written about articles on various topics from Information Technology, Advertising Guide and Real Estate. . Keira Parker's top article generates over 880 views. to your Favourites.