HOME & GARDEN IMPROVEMENT

Increasingly focus on cutting our carbon emissions and try to look at the planet, but there are more selfish reasons for eco-proofing your home: it will save you money! The average UK household produces around six tons of carbon dioxide annually, more than the average car. You can calculate your own ecological footprint mycarbonfootprint.eu online. However, there are many small changes we can make this reduction, leading to savings of around two tonnes of carbon dioxide and 200 pounds per year for electricity and gasrekening.
Isolation
Cavity wall insulation and loft

The most important thing you can do to save energy at home to improve insulation. Insulation keeps heat inside the house, reducing the need for central heating or other heating uses. House loses about 40% of its heat through the walls and ceiling and attic insulation can make a huge difference to your heating costs. Do not be daunted by the cost of installing insulation, energy saving, the cost will be recovered within a few years. The government estimates that the cost ceiling insulation around £ 230 and they are easy to install (you may be able to do it yourself, cut labor costs). You can insulate cavity walls for about 260 pounds. In addition, you may be entitled to government grants to help with the costs incurred by non-governmental organization, the Energy Saving Trust. Insulation can be up to 630 kg carbon dioxide per year.
Hot water cylinder and pipe insulation

It’s incredibly easy to fit in a jacket as a British Standard jacket around the hot water cylinder which is 75% of heat loss will save. Check hot water bottle, and if they are already isolated from the wardrobe is at least 75 mm. Thus you can save around £ 20 per year for heating costs, and about 150 kg emissions of CO2. If everyone in the UK have made 1.3 billion pounds this year will be saved on heating bills. It is also easily accessible for isolation of hot water pipes, which further savings, although you may need professional help to adapt to less available pipe insulation.
Installing energy efficiency of boilers and thermostatic controls

In the Energy Saving Trust estimates that a new, efficient boiler average household between £ 190 and £ 240 a year savings. As with insulation, there may be financial assistance available to take this step. Boilers have “seasonal efficiency of domestic boilers in the UK (SEDBUK) label their efficiency prices, so you should be able to make you check. The boilers are rated on a scale from A to G, where A is the most effective use energy. thermostatic radiator controls to regulate temperature according to room temperature, turning off when the room is warm enough to guarantee that not overheat your home.
Double glazing

A significant proportion of heat lost through windows. Double glazing and helps reduce traffic and noise on the street! Assessment of how many professional glazing can save emissions of CO2, ranging from 350 kg to 680 kg per year per year. It will be a financial investment, but for € 100 a year on your heating cost savings, so that eventually recoup your costs.

If you do not want to splash out on a professional double glazing, you can opt for double glazing it is cheaper and will continue to allow some heat loss. You can also create your own version of a temporary plastic or clear plastic tape around windows. Always tuck curtain behind radiators in the rooms as much heat as possible.
Draught-proofing

There are several other things you can do to keep heat in your home and save on central heating. Draught excluders heat will escape the doors or other openings occur, and while they are simple and low-tech setup, they can really reduce to 140 kg CO2 from your annual emissions. You can buy materials, designs hardware stores, or even your own. In the draft Screening Advisory Association can help you find a good source.

After taking these steps, you should be able to experiment with turning the thermostat down or even turning the heating off, depending on time and your needs. You can see that several hours of heating will go, so it is important to your timer system to ensure that their home just as much as you need to save money and emissions of heat.

Although heating and insulation are the main areas of address when eco-proofing your home, there are other areas where you can save energy:
Refrigerator / freezer

Investing in new, more efficient, the A + refrigerator could save 210 kg of carbon per year. If you do not want to buy a new, ensuring the existing appliance is placed in the coolest rooms in your house for less energy, and always let hot food cool to room temperature before refrigerating.
Other products

EU Energy Labelling scheme applies to other large electrical appliances such as washing machines. These tags indicate how effective element, and invest in more efficient products will help reduce electricity consumption at home. Labeling system is explained in energysavingtrust.org.uk.

Other products may have different efficiency ratings. The best product will be energy saving Recommended logo so replacement of electrical appliances such as TV or microwave to look for the label to make sure you make maximum savings.
Shower

You can add up to 230 kg carbon dioxide per year by installing low flow shower. They cost about 15 pounds of household stores and save on your heating costs, less water is heated shower. It will be the amount of water used greatly reduced, so you can consider your water consumption measured instead of paying fixed charges interest. This saves you money on a case saves you the conditions.