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One of the biggest challenges the U.K faces today is sheer heat loss and energy waste from our older, period properties. The cost of energy in the U.K is high in comparison with the rest of the world and this makes it all the more important that we workout how to save energy and where. It simply won’t do to ignore the inherent problems of our properties by turning up the heating to match the chill
s outside. We must look at how to keep the cold out without causing any loss to the aesthetics of our period properties. We should invest in energy saving methods because it’s an investment in our own comfort, and in most cases our pocket as well. I intend to go through a number of issues options that are not all that costly, however will considerably improve the comfort of our homes. We must reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. Not only will they eventually run out, they may do damage irreparable damage to our environment before this happens. I’m not suggesting we all panic, and head out to buy a whole house of new double glazed windows, not only does that have a negative impact on our carbon footprint, we could spend the money better elsewhere. In order of value for money I list the best ways to insulate our home and that always starts with loft insulation. There is no better value for money than sealing the loft. Typically a Victorian home will leak 20-30% of all heat this way. When we consider loft insulation costs a mere £400 on average per home, the £200-£300 a year it saves is just incredible value. Any home that does not have loft insulation, at least 25cm of it, is literally pouring money into the drain as well as burning up fossil fuels. Cavity wall insulation costs are similar to loft insulation. The payback is estimated to be around three years on cavity wall insulation. There are other benefits that come from cavity wall insulation as well as heat retention. Cavity wall insulation will reduce noise pollution considerably. Its not just windows and doors that allow noise to pass. Draught proofing sash windows provides the next best value. Personally I would not bother with stick on draught proofing, I would have a team of London sash window draught proofing specialists take this up for me. The cost of DIY can amount to £120 plus time taken. These guys try to keep costs to £200 a window, so when considering the specialist skills and finish as well as the tools required to do the job, it is a no brainer to use them. The payback at £200 per window will be around four years and a draught proofing system is often said to have a ten year quality lifespan. If your windows need sash window repairs then please take a look at this page as well because all the info on how to save your original windows, without causing damage to the environment and reducing carbon footprint is there as well. They also offer double glazing to existing sash windows in London and they have a full London Sash Window Repairs service which is cost effective and energy efficient. Alternatively if you’d prefer more information then why not take a look at our sash window repairs London page with more suppliers and relevant information. Low energy lighting savings add up quickly. Every single LED will save around £4 per year. So the cost of the bulb. A bulb also typically has 30,000 hours of life and therefore saves money on replacement standard filaments as well as the £4 on energy. This is a saving every home should have. It also saves on replacement and keeping a large stock. So rarely do they fail I have no spares at home! The real way to resolve our electric problems lay in solar power and advancing our ability to store electrical power efficiently. Make sure that you have a thermostat and timer for your central heating. We get up early here so our timers set for 5 a.m. We get up half an hour later in warmth. The heating goes off at 6:00 a.m Typically in winter months we will have the heating running 2-3 hours per day, but never set a situation where heating runs more than an hour at a time. If you’ve insulated your period property with the first three great money saving methods, then your not going to need heating blasting all day.
