Many of us spend a big chunk of our money on the energy we use at home. Over time, this can soon mount up and leave a big hole in our pocket. Not only does energy use cost money, it also costs the environment. Luckily, there are money things we can do to become more energy efficient, save money, and reduce our carbon footprint.

Here, we take a look at seven top tips that will see you saving energy in your home in no time. Interested in learning more? Read on!

Insulate Every Part Of Your Home 

Insulating your home is one of the most important parts of making sure your home's energy efficient. Without proper insulation, you’ll use more heat from the heating system or more cold air from your air conditioning. This is inefficient and leaves you spending and wasting money and energy. Instead, be sure to insulate every part of your home for maximum efficiency.

1. Insulate your ceiling and roof to avoid heat escaping from the top 

Having an insulated and well-permeable ceiling means keeping the house warm in the winter and keeping it cool in the summer. As we know, heat rises, therefore we need to ensure the roofing area is as thermally efficient as possible. Depending on the type of insulating material that you choose, roof insulation will be able to protect your roof from the outside elements, as well as retain heat in your home. 

2. Floor Insulation provides added warmth and comfort 

Floor insulation is most commonly done when putting a new floor in place, but most floors can be retrofitted with insulating material, making a huge difference to heat loss through your floors. Adding an insulating material, can prevent heat loss from the floor and sealing the gaps between the skirting boards and the floor, may help in reducing draughts. 

Our products provide high quality performance to ensure you a cost-effective floor insulation. Depending on the type of floor you have, you will need to install insulation in different ways and be mindful of different materials. For example, if you have a concrete floor that is solid, rigid boards are a great option as they can be laid flat onto the structure. However, if you have a timber floor that is suspended you can opt for stone wool insulation material. This will allow you to fit the insulation between the joists for a tight fit.

3. Wall insulation reduces cold air transmission from the outside 

Insulating your walls alone can save you up to 40% in heating bills. Put simply, wall insulation will help to protect you against the cold in winter and also against excess heat in the summer months (although that might be a lesser problem in Ireland!)

A good option for insulating your walls is to use fiberglass insulation. It is created by cementing glass fibres together which gives the effect of wool. Given it’s thick and dense structure with many layers, it makes a great insulator for the internal walls in your home.

4. Install a Smart Thermostat To Measure Energy Usage

A smart thermostat automatically adjusts and gradually changes the temperature inside your home meaning less waste, more efficiency and more comfort.  It allows you to change the temperature depending on a number of conditions. For example, if the temperature is below freezing, you are able to set an optimal heating temperature. They are also super efficient and easy to use, as you can monitor and change the temperature in your home remotely. This means wherever you are, you can make sure your home isn’t wasting energy.

Some reputable companies and brands that sell smart thermostats include Currys and Amazon. The prices range from 170 euros to 300 euros, depending on the advanced technology you would like to make use of.

5. Buy more energy efficient lightning and other appliances

The average household uses 11% of its total energy budget on lighting alone. Using LEDs and CFLs will help you to reduce energy costs long-term in your household. You can also buy dishwashers, washing machines, and dryers that are highly efficient. 

A good tip is to start making small changes to your home. For example, invest in some LED light bulbs at first. There will be an initial increased cost compared with filament bulbs, but this will be negated in the long run. Research shows that an LED with 5 watts can do the same job as a filament bulb of 40 watts.

6. Be careful with and monitor your water usage 

This can be as simple as watching how long you spend in the shower or making sure you don’t leave the taps running when washing the dishes. Tracking your water usage like this can make a big difference. Alternatively, it can be useful to install a more efficient shower head that reduces the amount of water used.

U Value Can Help You Save Energy In Your Home 

We hope you have found this post on energy saving tips for your home useful. Taking these steps will ensure you save energy and money all in one. The U Value Insulation team is available to give you tailored advice on what will work best for you and your home as well as support you throughout the project. For further information please visit: https://www.uvalue.ie/contact or phone: 01 861 2000.