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Energy efficiency
By Emma Tyrrell
I have been stricken by guilt - global warming guilt that is. Having started writing about all the ways to make your home more energy efficient, it occurred to me that I am as guilty as the next girl of selfishly plundering our planet's energy resources
(and of course bumping up my gas and leccy bills at the same time). Really the only gainers in all this are the utility companies, and I think they've got enough dosh.
So off I swooped around the house, turning off lights, switching the TV from standby to fully off, turning down my heating thermostat, and shrieking like a fishwife at the builders for leaving the front door wide open - again.
The fact is that there a lots of very good reasons to be energy efficient right now. On the selfish, micro side, there's the cash savings. You can knock hundreds of pounds off your gas and electricity bills, simply by using energy saving products and being less wasteful.
On the global, macro side of the argument, you'll be doing your bit to help cut greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). The huge amounts of carbon dioxide produced when fossil fuels like coal and gas are burned to generate energy is thought to be responsible for climate change.
And if the dangers of climate change, such as rising sea levels, increased flooding, and extreme weather events are too far off for you, how's this for something a little nearer term.
The Met Office has warned that Britain could be in for its coldest winter in years this December and January, causing bookies Ladbrokes to halve the odds of temperatures falling below the record of -27.2 °C.
Earlier this month energy regulator Ofgem, and National Grid Transco warned that gas supplies were at their lowest for ten years. In the event of a bitterly cold winter, big industrial gas users and gas-fired power stations would have to be switched off to preserve domestic heating gas supplies, leading to fears of blackouts.
So, the arguments for saving energy are compelling. But what can you do about it, and how much money will it save you?
- There are lots of energy saving measures you can take which will affect your comfort very little. Remembering to switch off lights in rooms you aren't using could knock a significant chunk off your electricity bill, as lighting accounts for 10 to 15 per cent of it on average. You can also change your ordinary light bulbs for energy saving ones. Although they are a bit more expensive, costing from £3.50, they last up to 12 times longer and for each bulb you fit, you can save up to £7 on your annual electricity bill.
- The normal recommended room temperature is between 18°C and 21°C, but attitudes have changed. While we used to slip on a cardigan or jumper when the weather got a bit parky, these days we whack the heating up and sit around in T-shirts. But turning your heating thermostat down by 1°C can actually knock up to 10 per cent off your annual heating bill, a powerful incentive for giving your woolly jumper an outing.
- Leaving your TV, computer and other such appliances on standby can waste up to £30 a year, so taking the effort to switch them off properly when you're not using them makes sense.
- Make sure all your hot water pipes are properly lagged, and that your hot water cylinder (if you have one) is similarly insulated with a jacket. Together these measures can save you up to £20 a year
- Fitting thermostatic radiator valves will help you control the temperature of each room, stopping the age old dilemma of choosing between cold ground floor and comfortable first floor, or comfortable ground floor and sweltering bedrooms. Fitting aluminium foil behind your radiators is another cheap tip, which could save you up to £15 a year, by reflecting heat back into the room.
- You should also look at how the heat escapes from your home. Fitting draught excluders at the bottom of doors is an inexpensive solution; fitting double glazing more pricey. But double-glazing cuts heat loss through windows in half and could cut your heating bill by over £60 a year.
- If your boiler is more than 15 years old, it may only be 55 to 65 per cent efficient, and is probably due to be replaced. New condensing boilers are usually over 90 per cent efficient, using as much as 40 per cent less energy and saving up to £180 a year, according to British Gas.
- If your house was built between the 1930s and 1980s it is likely to have unfilled cavity walls. In houses with no cavity wall insulation, around a third of all heat is lost through walls. You could also be losing a lot of heat through your roof if you have less than the recommended 27cm thick loft insulation. Together cavity wall and loft insulation can cut heat loss by three-fifths, and cut bills by around £120 a year.
Try and buy the most energy efficient appliances you can, and look out for the energy saving logo. Tumble-dryers are particularly inefficient and use a lot of energy, so try and spin wet clothes as much as possible before putting them in the drier. Set washing machines, dishwashers and tumble dryers on economy programmes where possible.
If some of these options sound initially pricey, you'll be pleased to know that there may be grants and subsidies available to help you pay for them, particularly if you are over 60 or on certain benefits. Local councils, energy companies and government programmes offer savings on everything from energy efficient light bulbs to solar heating panels and new boilers. Check out the Energy Saving Trust to search for grants available to you, at www.est.org.uk/myhome/gid. British Gas also offers an online energy efficiency audit for your home. Find out more at www.house.co.uk/ee .
Anyway, I'm off to shout at the builders again. There's an icy draught coming up the stairs from the vicinity of the front door, so it may be time to reprise my fishwife impression.
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