Making your home more energy efficient
What you can do
There are many ways you can help make your home more energy efficient. Not only will it help you reduce your fuel bills and keep your home warmer, but you will also be doing your bit for the environment too.
- Fit draught excluders - draughts in the home can be a drain on your heating bills. Fitting draught excluders to your doors and windows as well as the letter box and keyholes will make a difference. You can also close gaps between floorboards and under skirting boards. Make sure that you don't block ventilation that's needed for boilers and fires as this could be dangerous.
- Look after your gas heating - gas central heating and gas fires need to be regularly serviced to keep them safe and to keep them running efficiently. Remember to only use a Gas Safe contractor to carry out the work. If you've got central heating it is also worth getting the radiators bled to remove any air that could stop it working efficiently.
- Insulate your roof - on average a quarter of heat is lost through the roof if it's not insulated.
- Insulate your walls - on average a third of heat is lost through the outside walls of your house if its not insulated.
- Use energy efficient light bulbs - these are a quick and easy way to start reducing your electricity bills.
- Appliance efficiency - Citizen's Advice have detailed advice on selecting efficient appliances for your home and also how to use them and your heating system efficiently.
You may be able to get help towards the cost of some of these measures, our Energy Efficiency Measure Grant Checker can help you understand what support you maybe eligible for.
Getting it done
While some simple energy efficiency improvements can be done by householders themselves, other jobs will need professional help. We are not able to recommend contractors or tradespeople but would urge people to consider the following:
- Use local companies which employ local people and get materials locally and so help the local economy.
- Get more than one quote for the work and get this in writing. Make sure you have all labour and material costs, the time it will take and when they can start.
- Ask how long the quote is valid for and look out for anything left off or hidden extras such as planning and building inspection costs
- Identify insurance responsibilities and health and safety issues (for example if they are fitting a new heating system, will they be removing asbestos?)
- Security- for example will they be working on your house when you are not there? Will scaffolding be secured at night?
- Make sure you know of any disruption to your home such as expected mess, where materials will be left and who is responsible for clearing up afterwards
- Always ask for references. There may be online reviews of the company you have chosen. Check other websites as well as their own.
- Check if your property subject to any planning requirements as installing some measures such as solar panels and external wall insulation may require planning permission.
