5 ways to improve energy efficiency in your home
There are easy ways to instill energy savings in a household. Sarah Jones highlights the quick wins.
Have you ever come home to find the security light has been burning electricity all day? Or left the oven on for hours after cooking a meal? Do you use the tumble dryer in secret because you know how much electricity it burns?
We all dread opening up our electricity bills when they drop through the door, and many of us feel quietly guilty about the part we play in contributing to climate change. From switching off lights when leaving the room, to installing solar panels and solar battery storage, here are some simple steps you can take to reduce your environmental impact and save money - for more exciting, guilt-free purchases.
Make it everybody’s responsibility. Encourage your children to take the initiative in policing unnecessary usage – perhaps there could be a reward for turning off lights and ensuring sockets are switched off. Changing bulbs to low-energy versions and fitting timers to key lights may also be shrewd moves.
Choose energy-efficient appliances. An air fryer uses significantly less energy than an oven and reduces cooking time. And your chips will be both fluffy and crispy!
Update your boiler. Although this may be a more pricey investment, it could pay dividends in the long run. Modern boilers tend to run at A in energy efficiency, which also looks great if you are trying to sell your house and will save you hundreds of pounds each year in energy efficiency.
Reduce draughts. Walls, loft space and even doors and windows are all significant factors in heating loss. Some simple padding or insulating strips around doors and windows can make a surprising difference. As can rugs on wooden floors or heavy curtains across windows or patio doors. Victorian homes, which many of us in Eastbourne own, have solid masonry walls which can be made much more energy efficient through insulation. For excellent, detailed impartial advice visit LABC.
Invest in the future. Renewable energy sources such as solar panels are a financial commitment but you will undoubtedly reap the rewards within ten years and will be future-proofing your home - and doing future generations a service.
Solar battery storage systems enable you to store energy and use it at a later date. Market leader Tesla Powerwall is a slick design and offers the unique potential to use power stored during power outages. What’s more, you can control your usage remotely through the Tesla Powerwall app. Now is the right time to install a unit given the recent VAT tax break on battery units.
For more information or a quote, contact the team of experts at CDS Electrical. This Eastbourne-based company has been serving the community since 1996 and specialise in solar panel installation.