Winter for a lot of us has reared its unwanted head, for those who are still basking in an unusually warm and long summer it is only a matter of time. This time of year is synonymous with colder temperatures, shorter days and unfortunately a lot of bigger electricity and gas bills.
Some of us now are so used to these bigger bills that they go unquestioned; they generate a sigh followed by a begrudging look for the checkbook. The price of power has obviously gone up over the years; but in our current complicated economic environment having a bill which you can directly impact shouldn’t be ignored.
Reducing your energy consumption won’t just benefit your wallet, the environment will also be thanking you. Using less energy at home should be a priority and hopefully with the 5 DIY projects we have listed below will be achievable as well. Go on; reduce your footprint and energy bills at the same time:
Loft insulation
I know it is obvious, but if you haven’t already got an insulated loft you are going to be losing at least 25% of your home’s heat through the roof. Most home insulation is guaranteed for up to 40 years, in which time it will have paid for itself over and over again. If your loft is used for storage and you have even joists use strip wool insulation first between the joists then at right angles over the top of them. If you use the loft or have uneven joists the process might be a little trickier – do your research.
Install a new door
The front door can be responsible for up to 15% of your homes heat loss, which is why installing a new one should be high up on your list of projects. The efficiency of doors is measured in U-values (amount of heat loss through a certain area), the lower the value the less heat will escape. You may fancy installing the door yourself, but shop around any you may find companies willing to fit them free of charge. Giving you time to get on with other projects.
Install CFL bulbs
We all know about the benefits of energy efficient bulbs but yet so many of us still decide to use their inefficient cousins… Using compact fluorescent light bulbs can save you a lot of money annually and even more over the lifetime of the bulb. If you replaced just 10x 60watt bulbs and 10x 100watt bulbs you would pocket close to $200 your first year and nearly $1000 over their lifetime. A bit of a no brainer really.
Stop air leaks
You would be very surprised how much heat you lose through small air leaks throughout your home. Doors and windows aren’t your only culprit; in fact if you really start to look there will be lots of places where air is escaping. Some of the obvious air leak locations are around plumbing, wiring and light fixtures which penetrate into attic or crawl space. To seal use regular caulking and some polyurethane foam in cans. The real benefits here are the potential cost savings against the extremely low costs involved; time consuming but well worth it.
Switch your ceiling fans to reverse
“I never knew you could do that?” I hear you say and to be honest I bet you aren’t alone. Some of the newer fans allow you to reverse the direction of the blades. By switching the direction of the blades to clockwise you will be making your living area warmer. Warm air trapped by the ceiling circulated back into your living area. Making your home warmer and ultimately saving you money on heating.
These winter energy saving tips were brought to you by Yale composite doors. Yale front doors meet the strict new door U value standards, with every door scoring between 1.0 and 1.8 W/(m2.K).
Wow I never knew that it could be possible, great idea to switch the fanblades in reverse to produce warm air.
I already have a CFL bulb at home but I was surprised with the ceiling fan idea. 😀 That just sound amazing. Thanks for the tips!
The easiest way to make your home more energy efficient is to seal any air leaks, and one that is often overlooked is the bathroom ventilation fan and exhaust vent. The back-draft flap these units come with do a very poor job of stopping leaks. To address this issue, I use a replacement insert fan. It saves the most when air conditioning is being used.
sealing air leaks makes a big difference. One place most people do not think about is the rim joist that is located on cellar walls. spray foam and batt insulation works well and any place cable or phone lines or other things go through the rim joist should be sealed.
I know air leaks and door sweeps make a big difference. They also are cheap and work well. Insulation works best if you have less than you should it does not work that well if home has enough already in attic.
Reversing your fan blades? It sounds like a bit of an old wives tale but I guess it could work. Nice idea!