It’s said that the biggest impact can come from the smallest changes – and this is certainly true when it comes to doing your bit for the environment. There are lots of great ways to reduce your environmental impact and hundreds of sustainable practices to adopt, many of which can be adopted at home.
Finding ways to reduce your energy usage at home is one of the most effective things you can do to minimise your carbon footprint and become a greener individual – and doing so doesn’t have to be difficult! Here, we’ve listed some of the many great ways to use less energy at home.
Invest in double glazing
This is one of the most effective ways to regulate the temperature in your home and stop you from cranking up the heating during the cooler months. By blocking warm air, double-glazed windows can help to keep your house cool in the summer and warm in the winter, making them an extremely efficient and cost-effective household solution. Once you’ve installed double-glazed windows, you’ll certainly notice the difference!
Remember – if your windows are damaged in any way, it’s important to take care of the damage before you have them double glazed. Cracked frames also allow heat to escape so take care of any repair services to make sure your windows are operating as efficiently as possible.
Switch your curtains and blinds
Again, switching your curtains and blinds is another easy way to keep your home at a comfortable temperature. In the summer, consider opting for thin, cotton curtains or blinds that keep your home cool even when it’s hot outside. In the winter, swap your cotton curtains for thick alternatives that provide better insulation against the cold temperatures.
By doing so, you can reduce how much you need to rely on your central heating system and cut your energy usage. Switching your curtains and blinds is also a cost-effective way to regulate your property’s temperature, making it one of the first things you should try when evaluating your energy usage!
Layer your floorboards with rugs
If you have floorboards, you may notice that your house feels colder throughout the winter months, even when you have the heating on. This is because the gaps and cracks in floorboards often let heat escape. One simple way to prevent this from happening is to insulate your floorboards with rugs. By blocking the gaps or cracks in the floorboards and preventing the warm air in your home from passing through, you can regulate the temperature of your home without using energy.
Have your boiler serviced regularly
One of the most effective ways to use less energy at home is to make sure your appliances are running soundly. If they are damaged in any way or no longer run efficiently, they will use more energy to operate. This is especially important when it comes to your boiler. If your boiler isn’t running efficiently, it’ll harm the environment and cost you lots in energy bills.
To make sure your boiler is running smoothly, it’s vitally important to have it serviced regularly. A professional boiler engineer will identify potential issues and also make sure the boiler is running safely, helping you to keep on top of maintenance and minimise running costs. With a well-serviced boiler, you can heat your home quickly and efficiently without using excess energy – or paying out for extortionately high bills!
Have your central heating system serviced regularly
Similarly to boilers, central heating systems must also be serviced to ensure they are running efficiently. Various issues can affect central heating systems and prevent them from producing heat quickly or effectively, such as the build-up of dirt and sediment within radiators and pipes. If your central heating system is struggling with these issues, it’ll need to work much harder to heat your home.
Having it serviced regularly is an essential part of reducing your energy consumption. During a central heating service, engineers will use power flushing techniques to break down the dirt and debris in the pipes and restore your system to its former glory. As a result, you’ll use much less energy when heating your home, especially during the winter.
Switch up the layout of your home
Switching up the layout of your home is a simple and instantaneous way to make your property more energy-efficient. You’d be surprised at how the layout of your home can affect factors such as temperature and lighting and how a few small tweaks could help you reduce your energy usage.
For example, if your radiators are blocked by sofas or other furnishings, you’ll waste energy every time you turn the heating on. The heat won’t travel as far or as quickly and you’ll need to run the heating for longer to feel its effects. Simply repositioning the furniture to let the heat from the radiator travel freely throughout your home could make a huge difference. Who knew switching up the layout of your home could help you become more environmentally-friendly?
Install intelligent heating controls
There are many great technologies and solutions designed to help homeowners reduce their energy consumption, with intelligent heating controls being one of the most popular. This isn’t surprising, given how effective these systems are.
So, how do they work? Intelligent heating controls work by using sensors and timers – in addition to sophisticated built-in software – to optimise your heating system as efficiently as possible. These systems can even detect when you’re home and when you’ve left the house to make sure they don’t heat an empty property.
By learning your schedule and only using the energy required to heat your home to its optimum temperature, intelligent heating controls can help you cut down on wasted energy and also save on your utility bills. To learn more about intelligent controls, talk to our team of heating engineers today!
Opt for energy-saving light bulbs
Even small tweaks, such as swapping your current light bulbs for energy-saving alternatives, could help you cut your energy consumption! Energy-saving light bulbs, including LED lights, give you the same brightness as more traditional bulbs, such as halogen bulbs, but require less electricity to do so. Swapping your light bulbs will only take a few minutes but the results could be huge!
Take care of important house repairs
Over the years, your house is bound to develop wear and tear. From splintered door frames to cracked window panes, maintenance issues can be difficult to avoid altogether! However, these small issues could be the reason behind your high energy usage. If there are gaps or cracks in the walls and roof, the heat from your home will escape throughout the day. No matter how high you turn up the heat, your home won’t stay warm if there are house repair issues that you haven’t taken care of.
With this in mind, it’s important to keep on top of your property maintenance as much as possible. Making sure to inspect your home regularly, paying particular attention to the condition of your walls and roofing, can help you keep track of any maintenance issues that require repair or replacement services.
West London Gas: Reliable gas and central heating engineers in West London
If you’re searching for reputable gas and central heating engineers in West London, then you needn’t look further than West London Gas. With our range of boiler, central heating and gas services, we can help to reduce your energy usage at home while cutting costs on your utility bills.
Whether you require central heating installations or boiler breakdown assistance, you can rely on our team of engineers to provide a prompt and professional service. We can also install an intelligent heating system for your home to help you take advantage of the latest heating technology.
No matter what your gas and central heating requirements, we at West London Gas are here for you. To learn more about our range of services or for a free, no-obligation quote, please don’t hesitate to contact us today. We look forward to helping you use less energy at home.