Make the change - Top tips for an energy efficient home

As winter draws in you may find yourself cranking up that heating and bringing out the electric heaters for those really cold days. You may not think about it, but alongside this you should also look at how efficiently your house is using the energy that you are pumping into it. After all, an energy efficient home will not only keep you warmer but will also ultimately save you money too.

For many of us, whilst we understand the concept of being energy efficient it might not be something we are entirely sure of how to best approach it and make those changes that can improve your home.

How do you heat?

When it comes to energy efficiency the best place to start is with how you heat your home. Gas heating is not only cheaper but is also energy efficient than electric, you should also take the time to completely familiarise yourself with the controls for your heating as being able to fully control the thermostat and which rooms you heat at given times will be a big help in the long run.

What’s up top?

Over recent years there has been plenty of talk about insulation and primarily the loft space that you have. The thickness of the loft insulation that you use will have an impact on the energy efficiency that you see with 270mm the optimum depth to aim for if you want to see a saving on your yearly energy bills.

Wall it in

As well as being able to place insulation in the loft space of your home, you can further maximise that trapped hot air by choosing to have cavity wall insulation too. In fact, a third of the heat that is lost in an un-insulated home escapes through the walls so by placing insulation in this empty space you can really see an improvement in your energy bills.

The window to some energy savings

Your windows also can have an impact on your energy efficiency. There are three main things to think about when it comes to making improvements in this area of your home; double glazing, curtains and window films. Double glazing has a huge benefit in keeping heat within your home when compared to single glazing and if you use heavy lined curtains instead of thin alternative this will also help.

Window films are another consideration, these are low cost micro-thin layers of polyester sheeting that are bonded to the surface of the glass, just like the ones that www.arcwindowfilms.com provide. Heat lost through your glazing can lead to increased heating costs. By installing energy saving window film you can reduce this heat loss by as much as 40%.

These can not only improve aspects of energy efficiency but also improve glare and provide UV protection too.

Anything else?

Of course there are plenty of other things that you can look out for at home to make an improvement to your energy bills, the age and condition of your boiler, draughts throughout the home, water meters and even energy saving lightbulbs are all items to check off your energy saving plan. It may seem that these things take some time to assess, however in the long run the money that you save should tempt you into making the effort.

Share your ideas on ways of making your home energy efficient by commenting below.

For more information on Arc Window Films visit www.arcwindowfilms.com