Energy prices are rising almost universally, with the average UK household energy bill expected to exceed £1100 per year by 2013.
Officials blame everything from the rising cost of oil to the on-going economic crisis engulfing Europe. Whatever the cause, it’s a major source of concern for many UK families.
As a result many households are taking steps to improve the energy efficiency of their homes, either using free, practical methods or by spending a bit of money now in order to save it later.
If you’re looking to make your home more energy efficient and cut your heating and electricity bills down to size, here are a few things you might want to consider.
Draught-Proofing
We all learned in school that hot air rises; well, in doing so it also escapes out of whatever nooks and cracks it finds along the way.
Conserve heat in your home by locating and eliminating the draughty areas of your rooms. These are most often found around window and areas near your front door.
You don’t need to spend a huge amount of cash sealants and professional draught proofing for your windows and doors, although you may want to have them permanently sealed eventually, a simple draught excluder or some subtly placed duct tape will do a great job blocking up those little holes that the heat is escaping through.
In the long run, however, having your windows and doors checked by a professional could save you money down the road.
Roof Coating
A lot of houses in the past twenty or so years were built with clay or concrete roof tiles instead of slate. Clay and concrete are naturally porous, meaning they aren’t waterproof and heat passes through them much more easily than the old slate tiles.
Roofs can be treated with a special thermal coating which has many benefits. Applied properly it can make your roof resistant to growths such as moss and lichen, it can leave your roof waterproof and, crucially, can increase the energy efficiency of the tiles meaning that heat stays put for longer periods.
Solar Panelling
It’s becoming more and more common to see houses with solar panelling on the roof. These industrious home owners have installed the panelling in order to generate their own energy, negating the need to use as much from their energy supplier.
Solar electric tile systems can be installed in such a way as to blend in with the style of your roof, making them aesthetically pleasing, and some systems don’t even have any annual maintenance costs associated with them.
There are two types of solar panel, one which generates electricity and the other to generate hot water; so either one should save you a decent amount on your monthly energy bills.
Of course, there is the school of thought that says, “just wear an extra jumper” but who wants to sit around the house wearing two or three layers? Using the options above may involve a little initial outlay, but the savings on the annual energy bill will ultimately be worth it.
Kevin J. Hyde is a freelance copywriter in Scotland serving clients across various industries; this piece was written on behalf of Aqua Protection roof coatings.
