It’s been a long time coming but Spring has arrived! With the weather set to finally improve and the days getting longer and warmer; heating your home might not be at the front of your mind. Who wants to think back to those cold, dark, chilly winter months? I’m sure you don’t need reminding but December 2022 saw the coldest days in the UK for more than a decade! Preparation is key so with the long weekend approaching and being the time for new beginnings, why not take some time this bank holiday to think about lowering your emissions this Easter.
Switching to efficient devices
It might sound straightforward but switching to devices that are more energy efficient is vital when starting your clean energy quest. England and Wales both have a median energy efficiency rating in band D. The scale runs from A to G, so it’s not terrible but also not great. Small changes to how you use appliances in the home, such as washing machines, dishwashers and tumble dryers can give you a great head start into becoming more efficient.
Those bulky washing machines and tumble dryers can account for 14% of the typical energy bill. Even using essentials like fridges and freezers adds another 13%. Little tweaks like washing clothes at 30 degrees can cut up to 40% of their energy used each year!
Appliances run on different efficiency scale of A-F: A being the most efficient and F the least. Switching to an ‘A Rated’ fridge freezer over a ‘F Rated’ one could offer savings of around £800 over the course of it’s life span! Many online retailers now offer sections featuring only energy efficient appliances, so making a conscious choice has never been more straightforward.
It’s not just our large appliances that send our energy bills souring. Electronic devices that are left on standby is accounting for 9% – 16% of electricity in our homes, costing UK households £3.16 billion each year, working out at £147 per household! Remembering to turn that TV off will add up in the long run.
Diversifying your energy output
Changing the way you use and consume energy in the home is a great way to start lowering emissions. It’s understandable that perhaps refitting your entire home might not be a financially viable option but making smaller changes can add up in the longer term. Remember there isn’t a One Size Fit’s All solution. Switching your older radiators to new electric ones is an excellent starting point.
With electricity prices finally set to fall, the government pledging to have the ‘lowest electricity prices in Europe’ by 2035 and penalties for using gas coming in the not too distant future, making the switch to electric heating can future proof you, now! With electric heating, greater control is allowed. Unlike conventional central heating, you heat the room you are in to a desired temperature using a Wireless Thermostat. Electric Heaters also pose impressive heat retention capabilities, Fischer’s 40mm HeatCore radiates heat to maintain a comfortable room temperature even when the heater is not drawing energy so lowering your emissions!
Insulation
Making sure your home is insulated is a sure-fire way to maximise heat efficiency by not allowing it to simply seep out of your home. If your home was built pre-1980s, it’s key to insulate your house properly. A house loses more heat from its roof than anywhere else, and the windows are another classic escape route. Living in a semi-detached house in England, Scotland or Wales, the Energy Savings Trust has estimated that cavity wall insulation, loft insulation and A-rated double glazing could save you £660 a year. Professional draught proofing can also save you up to an additional £125 a year on your energy bills.
By thoroughly insulating your home, you aid in the effectiveness of your heaters. Allowing you to reap the benefits of newer lower emission heating which can work in different ways to traditional methods. As the government is highlighting the push for Air Source Heat Pumps it’s vital to ensure you have a well-insulated home. The ASHPs work at lower temperatures to conventional heating, building up over a longer period of time. Insulation allows you to retain this heat and enjoy the benefits of a lower cost renewable heating source.
Whilst having a well insulated home will provide you with the warmth you require from ASHP’s. To combat these reduced temperatures, Fischer are providing customers with a new ‘Warm Home Hybrid Package’ which includes an Air Source Heat Pump, a Dual Hot Water System with Buffer Tank and Fischer 40mm HeatCore radiators. Offering peace of mind, ensuring you have zero worries about heading to away from fossil fuels.
Don’t Forget The Water
Heating water for showers and baths with a traditional water tank using gas boilers could be costing you more than you think. Hot water accounts for 10% of the average energy bill. Whilst simple fixes like supplying an uninsulated hot water tank with a jacket can save you an incredible £315 a year and switching your mixer shower for an electric one can also provide savings, longer term sustainable solutions could be more cost effective.
Modern electric water heaters are 100% efficient. They convert all the energy they intake into heat for the boiler. This level of efficiency is far greater than gas boilers which are at best 80-90%, which can decrease over time. Some examples of these are:
Immersion Heaters: Electrically powered, stored water heaters that heat the water with coiled elements, acting intermittently to maintain a pre-set temperature, minimising energy wastage. This method, in conjunction with a tank jacket and pipe insulators, will provide long term heat retention, reducing energy usage, lowering your emissions.
Another is utilising the ambient air around us to heat water. The Aquafficient Eco+ uses the air in your home to provide you with hot water, this method proves three times more energy efficient than a conventional cylinder, surrounding the heated water in 80mm stainless steel, highly efficient insulation!
Go Tankless!
Removing the water tank completely is also an option! This frees up space, without the need for valves or a water discharge pipe, the Aquafficient is mess and stress-free. The Aquafficient can provide instant hot water, store four times more heat than a domestic water cylinder and provides up to 280 litres of water, depending on the size of the unit installed on a single charge. As well as being self-charging, the Aquafficient is half the height of an average water cylinder making it a discreet, tankless option.
Turn The Lights Off!
And finally, probably the easiest tip to follow today… when you leave a room, remember to turn the light off!
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