Every house holder should do a simple check list on their individual property or place of work and consider doing an energy saving project. Look around - do your doors and windows close properly? When there is snow or ice on your neighbours roofs is yours clear as this is a clear indication all your heat is being lost through your roof. Are your heating bills and electric bills higher than normal or than the neighbours’? New doors are a very effective way of keeping the heat in a room. If you eradicate any drafts or gaps then this will reduce the amount of heating needed to keep a steady temperature in this room. Replacing the doors will also improve the value of the house. New windows are also very important to keeping the heat in. Look around and check for gaps, drafts and windows that will not close. If you have decided to change them then the best option is double glazing. This is a sealed unit of two panes of glass bonded together with a gap in the middle. They offer a higher rate of heat retention and there is a huge option for styles of frames from plain white to various colours and wood affect so once again you are adding value to the property and style. Loft insulation is required in all homes that have a loft space. It is inexpensive and in some areas grants can be obtained from the local authority or they may come and do it for you so check this out first. One obvious way of checking is when your neighbours roof is full of snow, frost or ice is yours? If not then it needs to be done as soon as possible as you are loosing heat which means you are also loosing money. Solar power heating is an option that is dependant on your local environment and geographical position as if you do not get much sun then it is not an option for you. If you live in sunny place then this can be considered but remember it is expensive to install and may take years to pay for itself. Insulation to the exterior walls is a big job and may need planning consent so check first. This would give the property a nice stylish look, improve the value and save on your heating bills. But if you have not carried out the list of improvements above then this option could be considered a waste of time and money. All these improvements need to be planned as fitting new windows after the exterior insulation is done could damage the new finish and so have a cost implication of putting it right. So an energy saving plan must be done first so you will save time and money. Low usage light bulbs are an easy one. Some local authorities even supply these bulbs free of charge. They last a lot longer and save very expensive electricity. Change every bulb in your house and you will lower your carbon foot print and save cash. These are just the basics of energy renovation (in Danish the term is ENERGIRENOVERING) and I hope they will be useful. To read more click here.
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