These days more and more of us are worried about our carbon footprint – or the amount of CO2 that we’re responsible for producing. For this reason, many people are choosing to take steps to reduce the environmental damage they do, for example by driving less or choosing not to fly. However, you can carry on a convenient lifestyle and do all the things you want to do whilst still taking steps to make your home as efficient as possible.

The more efficient a building is, the less energy it will need to run; therefore costing less money and producing less CO2. So if you’d like to do your bit for the environment then follow these top tips to help you save electricity in the home, save money and reduce your carbon footprint.

Get Glazed

Double or triple glazing can make a massive difference to energy efficiency so if your home’s windows are looking worse for wear it could be time to get them replaced. Double glazed windows can increase a building’s ability to retain heat by up to 40% so although it’s a large expense it’s easy to see that over time new windows pay for themselves in the savings you make on energy bills.

Insulation

If you live in an older home then it’s worth investigating whether your insulation meets modern standards. Today, insulation should be at least six inches thick in lofts so take a look at yours and determine whether it needs replacing. You can get government grants to improve roof insulation in most homes as well as getting help to install cavity wall insulation.

Exclude Draughts

It may sound old fashioned but sometimes the old fashioned ideas are the best so if you don’t want to spend weeks going around your house covering every nook and cranny with dowels and polyfilla then get a few draught excluders and place then under your door. If you live in an older home you’d be amazed by what a massive difference they can make.

Install Solar Panels

Did you know that many UK homeowners could be getting their entire energy supply for free and even selling energy back to the grid by installing solar panels? I you’ve got a roof then it’s very likely you could fit solar panels and produce your own renewable energy rather than having to rely on the major supplier and pay extortionate prices. Once your panels have really got going you could even be producing enough energy to sell some on.

Turn it Down

If you turn your heating down a degree or two the chances are you won’t even notice but it will make a difference to your bills. It’s also more cost effective to keep your heating at a consistent temperature as opposed to constantly heating up and cooling down your home. Turning the heat down will save you money and also mean they your home produces less CO2.

Switch to LED

LED’s are much more economical and environmentally friendly than conventional bulbs. They can last up to eighty times as long and don’t use harmful substances like mercury in their manufacture. They use significantly less energy than normal bulbs too which lose 90% of their energy producing heat. Because LED bulbs don’t get hot they can be used in places where normal lights could be a fire hazard and as they use so little energy to run they can also be used in areas where lights re left on for long periods of time, for example in hallways and corridors.

So if you’d like to start making changes that could make a real difference to the environment and your bank balance then why not try one of these ways to save electricity in your home.