In recent years, smart heating systems have gained significant traction, transforming how we manage and experience home heating. These systems integrate advanced technologies to offer unprecedented control, efficiency, and convenience, contributing to both comfort and sustainability. This blog post explores the evolution, features, benefits, and future potential of smart heating systems, underscoring their importance in contemporary home management.
Read more »Buying Eco-Friendly Summerhouses: Best Sustainable Options
Summerhouses have long been cherished as serene escapes within the confines of one’s own garden. These versatile structures serve various purposes, from home offices and art studios to relaxation spaces and social hubs. As environmental consciousness grows, many homeowners are seeking eco-friendly options for their summerhouses. This article explores the environmental benefits of summerhouses and evaluates five products from Buy Sheds Direct, highlighting their pros and cons with an eco-centric perspective.
Read more »The Best Portable Power Stations of 2024: Stay Powered Anywhere
Portable power stations have become essential for a variety of needs, from emergency backup during power outages to powering devices during camping trips or remote work setups. In 2024, several models stand out for their performance, portability, and value. Here’s a look at some of the best options available.
Read more »Smart Home Technologies: Revolutionizing Energy Efficiency
As the world grapples with the dual challenges of energy conservation and climate change, the role of smart home technologies has become increasingly significant. These technologies not only promise to make our lives more convenient but also play a crucial role in optimizing energy use and reducing our carbon footprint. This blog post delves into the various aspects of smart home technologies, their benefits, and how they are transforming energy efficiency in households.
Read more »Exploring Sustainable and Reliable Portable Power Solutions
In an era where sustainability and energy independence are increasingly crucial, finding the right portable power solutions can make a significant difference in our daily lives. Whether you are preparing for outdoor adventures, seeking reliable backup power for your home, or looking for ways to reduce your carbon footprint, portable power solutions offer a versatile and eco-friendly option. This blog post explores the importance of portable power and highlights some of the leading products available to meet diverse energy needs.
Read more »Clever Heating Controls – best on the market?
When it comes to controlling the heat settings in your home, it usually just entails setting the timer to turn the heat on in the morning and then again in the evening for a couple of hours. Maybe you also set the thermostat? Fiddle with a few radiator temperature settings? But beyond these relatively simple settings most people do not do anything else to control their heating in the home. What if we told you that you can now get devices that control the temperature in every room in the house, turning the heat up in one room and down in another. Welcome to the new world of clever heating controls, the latest products to hit the energy saving market in the UK.
Read more »Saving Energy in Your Living Room
Your living room may be the place you escape to at the end of a long day at work, or where you like to gather the family on a weekend; but have you had a look round to see where you could be wasting energy and consequently money with your energy bills?
There are many simple ways to ensure that your lounge is heated, and without costing you a small fortune. With a few simple yet effective energy-saving tips you could be heating your lounge for a lot less, and here’s how.
Get rid of draughts from your door
This is a common place to be losing the heat from your lounge from, particularly if your lounge is located next to a hallway or room that isn’t as well heated as your lounge. Make sure you and your family shut the door behind them whenever you leave or enter the lounge.
You should also look into draught proofing your door
By draught excluding your loft hatches, doors and windows, it is thought that you could save approximately £55 a year on your heating bill.
Shut your curtains and get double glazing
Double glazing is a fantastic way of saving money on your energy bills if you only have single glazing installed at the moment. According to the Energy Saving Trust, by upgrading from single glazed to double glazed windows you could be saving £100 a year.
If you can’t afford to upgrade all of your windows to double glazing then you may want to upgrade your windows one at a time, starting with rooms that are used the most, e.g. your lounge. Equally, just by shutting your curtains as the night starts to turn could save you around £15 a year, which will add up! This is also the case if you already have double glazing.
Don’t forget about your chimney
If you have a fireplace installed in your lounge then you could be losing hot air up the chimney, which will make it more expensive to heat your lounge and to retain the heat within it. You can stop the heat from escaping my making sure the flue dampener from your fireplace is firmly shut whenever you aren’t using your fireplace. You can also purchase a chimney balloon
Heating your lounge
It has been suggested that just by turning down your heating by one degree you could save around £55 a year on your energy bills; so pull on that extra jumper and get the heating turned down by a couple of degrees if you can.
Try not to dry any laundry on your radiators too as this can make the room feel a lot colder and more humid, resulting in you needing to turn the heating up again. Even though this is tempting, particularly in the colder weather, it could increase your energy bills.
Energy-efficient lighting
If you’ve thought about it but haven’t actually changed your light bulbs to energy efficient ones then now may be the time. By swapping to LED lights
Be energy-efficient with your gadgets
Streaming the Radio on your TV – if you listen to the radio via your TV then try to put a blank background on your TV whilst you are doing this as this will save energy therefore saving you money.
Leaving on Standby – if you are in the habit of leaving all of your electrical appliances on standby then try to curb this habit by turning them off at the plug. Leaving appliances on standby could be costing a significant amount a year and figures produced by the Energy Saving Trust show that you could save £86 a year if you stop leaving them on standby. Try to get all of the family into the habit of turning things off at the plug.
Reducing the Brightness – on your TV settings try to reduce the brightness of your set; only a little so you can barely notice the difference. The brighter your TV set the more it will be costing you to keep it running.
Easier Unplugging – to make it easier to carry out the unplugging process so you don’t just leave items on standby, try to create enough room to unplug your TV etc. Move your TV forward slightly so you can easily reach round the back; or you could look into purchasing an intelligent mains controller which will automatically switch off any devices that are connected to your television set (e.g. DVD players, speakers and games consoles) when your TV is turned off.
What to do if you think your Energy Performance Certificate is incorrect?
There are several circumstances within which you might think your Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is wrong. You may have moved into a new home and found that you use much more energy than the EPC implied. These circumstances can be frustrating and you may want to seek out ways to complain. It is important that you don’t react quickly and look at all your options.
What is Dual Rate Electricity, Economy 7?
You may have heard of Economy 7 electricity, or Dual Rate, but what is it? How do you know if you have it? And what good is it if you do have it?
Use a toaster, avoid grills where possible
Energy Saving Tip 4 – Using a toaster is more energy efficient than a traditional grill. Grilling food is generally healthy and a more efficent use of your electricity than a traditional oven.
Read more »Save Energy and Money with a Steamer or Slow Cooker
Energy Saving Tip 3 – A steamer or slow cooker can save you energy as often whole meals can be cooked at once.
The Key Benefits of Owning or Renting an Eco Property
Eco properties are paving the way for the property market. Now more than ever, investors and tenants are looking for eco-conscious developments, which has led to a rise in property sales in the UK over the last year.
The idea of eco-friendly developments came about in 2007 when plans were put in place by the British government to build eco-towns throughout the UK. According to the Guardian, since the government first mentioned these plans, more than 30,000 eco property projects have been put into planning.
Read more »UK businesses pledge £3bn investment as they call on PM to back British hydrogen
The UK could see more than £3 billion invested in the emerging hydrogen sector as more businesses step forward to pledge funding – but only if PM Boris Johnson backs the low-carbon fuel in his forthcoming Net Zero speech expected this week.
1/4 of Brits Concerned They’re Unable to Meet Fuel Payments this Winter
2020 Plunges into darkness if energy companies don’t better support customers
Read more »
Recent Comments