Carrying out renovation and home improvement work is important for a number of reasons, from making a more relaxing environment, to improving overall aesthetic appeal, and not forgetting of course, adding value. These days it’s also becoming more and more common for people to carry out their renovation work with a strong environmentally conscious bias. Going ‘green’ is not only great for the planet, but also your bank balance, so it’s definitely worth paying attention to.
Energy Saving Light bulbs
These days energy saving light bulbs are pretty much the standard when it comes to lighting up our homes, and it’s easy to see why. This type of bulb uses 70-75% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs, and better still they last for up to ten times longer, it’s a no brainer!
Hot Water Heater Jacket
Another easy win is to fit an insulating jacket around your water heater (otherwise known as an immersion heater) if it isn’t already. This is important particularly because this device is typically on all the time at certain times of the year, so being able to shave 15% off your energy bills by doing this would seem to make good sense
Cavity Wall Insulation
It’s standard practice to fully insulate modern houses, but if you live in an older house you might want to check out whether this has been done or not, and if it hasn’t, be sure do do it!
Low Flow Shower Heads
These reduce the amount of water used per shower, and save water overall. A particularly good idea if you prefer regular, short showers.
Solar Panels
At one time solar panels were too expensive to install to justify the end benefits, however modern technology means that they are becoming increasingly more viable and popular. Besides the free energy they provide to you personally, the really great thing about solar panels is that you can sell the electricity you generate back into the national grid, therefore making back some of the costs of your initial outlay.
Save Water
Carry out a decent inspection of all faucets (taps), and other potentially leaky pipes, making repairs as necessary. If you can bare to wear your clothes for a day or two longer, that will save on having to use your washing machine as frequently as you do currently. Encourage your children to save water by turning the water off when brushing their teeth, and by taking shorter showers.
Motion Activated Security Lighting
If you do choose to have lighting left on outside your home during the night then it would be better to opt for motion activated lighting that only comes on when a person or animal moves within range. Lights left on all night not only waste energy, but also disturb wildlife unnecessarily.