Celebrate the 42nd Anniversary of Earth Day this Sunday, April 22, a national awareness day to encourage people to make changes to reduce their environmental impact. 

Energy saving advice website thinkinsulation.com has compiled a selection of top tips to help homeowners learn more about energy saving and greening up their Home, from installing insulation to upgrading your old boiler.

Our homes are one of the biggest users of energy and making them more thermally efficient is one of the best ways to reduce your carbon footprint and save money on your fuel bills.

Thinkinsulation.com’s top five Earth Day tips show how to do just that.

1. Insulate your loft – This is a job that can easily be completed yourself in less than a day. 25 per cent of heat in an un-insulated house escapes through the roof. Insulating an uninsulated loft to the minimum recommended depth of 270mm can save you around £175* a year on your energy bills. Loft insulation costs between £50-£350 to install and you may even be eligible for funding for free loft insulation – enquire with your local council and energy supplier.

2. Insulate solid walls - Older properties built before 1930 tend to have solid walls and if uninsulated can lose between 35 – 45 per cent of heat. Installing internal wall insulation makes sense if your home is soon to be undergoing interior refurbishment as it can be approached on a room by room basis. Alternatively, if your external walls need work anyway, then having external wall insulation installed might make more sense. Although it will require significant cost investment solid wall insulation could save you around £445 - £475*a year on your annual fuel bills.

3. Insulate cavity walls - If your property was built after 1930 it is likely to have cavity walls and insulating them will save up to £135* a year on your fuel bills. You can arrange for a professional to complete the work in a day and it will cost £100-£350 to install but there are also grants offering it for free. A specialist should always be sought to complete this type of work - ensure that you choose an installer that is Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency (CIGA) qualified. Don’t forget to ask for home assessment to assess suitability of your property before any work begins.

4. Draught proof gaps - If you have poorly sealed windows and doors you may be losing a significant amount of heat through the gaps. Draught proofing is a simple and inexpensive DIY measure and by keeping warm air indoors you’ll need less energy to heat your home and can save money on your fuel bills. Costs start at around £100 and full draught proofing will save you around £55 per year*.

5. Upgrade your boiler – This will increase the energy efficiency of your heating system. If your boiler is more than ten years old then upgrading to a modern condensing model could reduce your heating bills as much as £300* a year according to the Energy Saving Trust.

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  1. by Anthony 22nd Apr 2012 18:31

    The first thing to do is block all drafts, look round window frames and under window sills, use a candle to identify drafts.
    Keep in mind that most people spend most of their time in o... Read More