The New Green Man says…here are the three most important things for improving energy efficiency…okay, actually more than three, but I’m trying to “save” money for you, so there’s a few more thrown in for good measure:
1) Feel a draft? If so, check out your house and see where it and possibly others are coming from…a useful tool is a lit candle as the flame will flicker or waver in the presence of a draft (careful if kids or pets about though!).
2) Insulate, insulate, insulate. Probably no other act will decrease your energy costs and have quicker payback on your “investment” than insulation. Check out the attic and walls and if your house has a raised floor, under there as well. Make sure you insulate correctly though, for wood houses need “breathing” space for the insulation in order not to create condensation, which of course leads to dampness and wood rot.
3) Heating system. Depending on whether its an oil or electrical system, check the filters, flues and other connectors for leaks or need to replace. Got a modern thermostat system? If not, get a technician in to fit one out. Make sure the pipes that carry steam are insulated well until reaching their destinations. If your system is more than 15 years old, better consider a new system, but make sure you recycle your old system or if scrapping, get some financial returns that you can invest into something new and “greener”!
4) Cooling. Well, in Britain air conditioning is not a major factor as yet, but it will be as the climate changes to a more Mediterranean-like feel. But one form of air conditioning that all Britons do have is refrigeration. Make sure you’ve got as modern an efficient a refrigerator as possible. Virtually no other appliance is the modern house, with the exception of a immersion hot water heater, uses as much electricity. So investing in a very efficient refrigerator is a very good idea.
5) Hot water immersion heater. Insulate, insulate, insulate. Make sure the olde big electrical teapot is well-insulated-the less it runs, the less electricity you have to pay for-simple enough. Also, make sure the thermostat is functioning correctly. If your heater is located in a garage, or any other un-heated area, make sure its got an insulating blanket…even hot water heaters get cold, and if they’re cold, you pay for it with a lighter wallet and a surprise in the bath tub.
