Making your Home More Energy-efficient

Making your Home More Energy-efficient

Energy efficiency has long been a buzzword of which we’ve been dimly aware, but there’s no question that it’s coming more into focus. With the climate crisis continuing to intensify and a sharp increase in energy costs in the UK, it’s never felt more important to get your home as energy-efficient as it can be.

If you’re looking to make a bigger contribution to saving the planet and save yourself some expenditure on bills, we’ve got a few ideas to improve things at home.

• Incorporate LEDs

Traditional halogen light bulbs are wildly inefficient – roughly 90 per cent of the energy they consume is wasted as heat, which makes them both environmentally damaging and a poor return for your money.

The UK is already gradually phasing out these bulbs, but if you still use them it’s very much worth your while to make the switch to eco-friendlier LED bulbs. They require far less electricity to achieve the same results whether you deploy them in the garden or as your main in-house lighting, so it’s a no-brainer.

• Have your boiler serviced

The boiler is the main source of heat in your home, so if it’s working poorly and wasting energy it’ll really add up in terms of costs. It’s a good idea to get your boiler serviced so you can be sure it’s in proper working order – and to address any problems if it needs to be repaired or replaced.

It’s much better to get ahead of any potential problems with a boiler. If some investment is required to get it into proper shape, you might want to consider a bad credit loan alternative to ensure the work gets done promptly.

• Protect your home from limescale

If your home is in a hard water location, limescale will continually impact its efficiency. When hard water is heated and evaporates, it deposits limescale in your boilers system, pipes, appliances, kettles and more. Limescale will accumulate in anything that warms the water. This build-up affects your home’s efficiency, leading all of those stated to consume more energy. Installing a water softener will eliminate these minerals, leaving your property free of limescale. It will gradually dissolve any limescale build-up, increasing the efficiency of your home, lowering your carbon footprint and saving you money. In addition, removing the limescale will help extend the lifecycle of products and protect against costly repairs caused by scale build-up.

• Recycle and repurpose

Everyone knows that recycling is a responsible way to look after the environment, but you might be surprised at how much in your house can be reused or repurposed instead of thrown out. This might look like cutting apart old pieces of clothing to be used as cleaning towels or turning empty glass jars into stylish vases for flowers. Get creative!

• Go smart

Adopting smart home devices enables you to monitor and alter your energy usage. If you’re out of the house for long periods, you can set it so that devices power down during those hours, preventing needless waste. You might find it eye-opening to discover how much energy you’re using without even thinking about it!

At a challenging time for the country and the wider world, we’re all looking for ways to do our bit while relieving financial pressure. With these tips, you’ll be well on your way to saving money and feeling good about how you do it.

Guest Article. Contains a sponsored link.