Winter energy savers

Locate interior/exterior air leaks & draughts – This is a good time of year to check all windows, doors, frames, electrical sockets, fireplaces, vents etc for air leaks and draughts.  These leaks can amount to huge energy loses through escaped heat – that you have to keep heating to maintain a warm level.  Think of this as similar to keeping the fridge door open, where the motor has to work all of the time to keep it cool.  Aim to keep all doors shut and use draught excluders to stop air the heated air being drawn out into a cooler room.

Lighting – As you will be using more artificial light come the end of October, make sure all of you bulbs are energy efficient CFLs.

Heating - If you are cold put on another layer of clothing or use blankets when you are sedentary, rather than turning the thermostat up. Ensure that all doors are closed to maintain heat in each room.  If you have a fireplace that is not used, seal this completely to stop warm air being sucked up the chimney and the cool air coming into the interior.  Avoid heating rooms that you don′t use often.  Some of you may be a little impatient with the room temperature and blast the heating when the room is cold, only to open the windows after an hour as the room is too hot and stuffy – what a waste.  Ideally use a heating system which you can programme the date, time, thermostat and room by room – this will help you control, regulate and maintain temperature levels in the home. 

Insulation / Hot water tank – You may have done all the checks in the interior, don′t forget the building itself e.g. floor, walls and roof. Heat rises and the majority of heat lost will be through the ceilings/roof.  Check in the loft and around the water tank that your insulation is intact, without any missing areas or where it has become damaged.  Also check the insulation on any exposed pipes from the hot water tank.  Lastly ask yourself how old the insulation is, does it need replacing?

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