How To Make Your Home More Energy Efficient In 2023
With energy costs inexorably on the rise, there’s a good chance you’re giving thought to the ways you can cut the costs of running your home. Unfortunately, a huge percentage of homes in Ireland are extremely inefficient in the heating and insulation department, but that’s where we’re here to help. We’ve collated a list of things you can do – both big and small – to help explain how to make your home more energy efficient and hopefully bring down your costs significantly.
Roof And Loft Insulation
Okay, let’s take it from the top. Literally. One of the major contributors to wasted heat in homes is poor roof/loft insulation. So if you’re wondering how to make your home more energy efficient this year, then this is probably a good place to start. You will start seeing significant improvements in your insulation with only 270mm of insulation. With good loft insulation, you could be looking at a decent chunk of savings on your energy bill.
Wall And Floor Insulation
A poorly insulated home could be losing massive amounts of heat through their walls and floors, which is why if you’re looking into how to make your home more energy efficient we recommend taking a look at your wall and floor insulation. Something like cavity wall insulation or spray foam insulation can go a massive way to reducing heating costs. What kind of insulation works for you will ultimately depend on your building, so make sure that you’re informed about exactly what it is you need.
Underfloor Heating
Underfloor heating makes for a very cost effective alternative to radiators, and offers a multitude of benefits over them as well. It is far better at heating a room evenly, rather than leaving the centre of the room colder than the walls. It’s also proven that the heat coming from the floor is far better at warming the body than conventional radiators. Due to the lower temperatures required to run this system, it’s a big energy saver as opposed to radiators, and due to the fact that the components need to be buried under your floor, the components are all of a high quality. So high quality in fact that we offer a 50 year guarantee on our Qual-Pex Plus+ ‘Easy Lay’ Multilayer Pipe.
Solar Panelling
Becoming more and more popular as time goes on, solar panels are a fantastic way to boost the energy efficiency of your home. While the initial setup cost is quite steep, solar panels are proven to significantly reduce energy costs. Homes with solar panels fitted are estimated to save around a tonne in carbon every year. If you have the cash to invest, solar panels are one of the best ways to boost the energy efficiency of your home.
Glazed Windows
Your windows can be a terrible leak for your heating during cold winter months, so if you’re asking yourself how to make your home more energy efficient, you might want to consider these. Not all homes have the capacity to opt for the traditional double glazing, but there are alternatives to be explored. Double or triple glazing are great insulation options, with triple being more expensive but more effective. But if you can’t replace the windows due to the building being rented or listed for example, you can opt for secondary glazing instead.
Smart Control
For easy management of your energy use, a smart control system might be exactly what you’re looking for. You’ll be able to easily alter your temperature of your underfloor heating system. A smart control system is a great way to obtain greater control over your heating energy expenditure, and you can even get ones that can be controlled remotely to operate them even anywhere.
Don’t Forget The Small Things
We’ve talked a lot about how to make your home more energy efficient with larger-scale and potentially expensive projects, but it’s important not to forget the little things you can do every day that quickly add up into big savings. Very minor actions such as switching off lights more often, dropping the heating a degree or two and turning off appliances that aren’t in use are all small actions that can add up quickly for a big impact on your energy bills.
So there you have it – our top tips for how to make your home more energy efficient in 2023. We hope that this advice will help you combat rising energy bills while making your home all the greener for it at the same time. If you’re interested in making use of any of our products, or just looking for some clear, expert advice, then feel free to get in touch with the amazing team at Pipelife Eco today.