Photo Courtesy: Ryan McFarland

If you are going to work on your home, why not spend that investment on improvements that will pay for themselves over time. It makes sense if you think about it; money that you spend now could cut your household bills and reward you for decades to come.

It’s not difficult. If you have a modicum of common sense and a bit of foresight, you can start saving cash immediately. If you don’t believe me, read on. It’s all here.

Make Your Home Snug

Insulation is the first part of the project that you must tackle. The idea is to wrap your home in an imaginary blanket that will keep in any heat you generate from the energy you consume. If you can do that, you house will remain warm for longer, and the heating will not switch on as often as it does now. That is it in a nutshell; I told you it was simple.

But how can we create the warm jacket of which we speak? Here are a few ideas that will serve you well.

  • Double or triple glazing will stop a lot of your valuable warmth escaping through the glass. Sometimes the two panes are separated by a vacuum, other units might have an inert gas in them. Either way, you will notice that the condensation you suffered on your single glazed windows will virtually disappear. That is an indication that they are doing their job well and helping to keep your bills to a minimum.
  • Loft insulation will stop heat going through the roof. Some people board the loft out and think that is adequate, but it isn’t. If yours is like that, fit some insulation panels between the rafters. They are easy to cut to size and wedge into place.

Use Efficient Appliances

If your appliances are ancient, it could be time to replace them. The guys at  plumbarena.co.uk think you can cut gas consumption by up to fifty percent with a new boiler, compared to one that is ten years old. Technology has moved on since your antique friend came off the production line. Most boilers can be swapped out in a day with a minimum of fuss, and a new one will start saving you money immediately.

Behaviour

Even when your home is snug and efficient, you must change your habits to lower your bills even more. If it’s yellow, let it mellow; a phrase to describe your toilet habits. Don’t flush unless you need to. Toilets are responsible for a lot of the water you pay for if your home is on a water meter.

Turn the lights off when you don’t need them, and draw the curtains in the evening. Try lowering the thermostat on your heating by one degree to see if it has an impact on the house. I bet you won’t even notice the difference.

If you get a bit chilly, try putting a jumper on instead of reaching for the thermostat. It is the way they kept warm only a few decades ago when central heating was not so prevalent in society.

It doesn’t take much to lower your bills and your carbon footprint. A relatively small financial investment and changes in your behaviour can have a significant impact on the health of your bank balance. You know it makes sense!

HMH

By HMH