Top 5 Tips for Energy Saving This Summer
You might think that when it comes to saving energy it’s the winter months that you need to think about; after all, isn’t that when you are going to be using more heating and hot water, for example? Although that’s potentially true, these are not the only things that are costing you money when it comes to energy – in the summer months you can be just as susceptible to higher bills due to air conditioning, fans working constantly, having more (yet cooler) showers, or even having windows open so that your energy usage literally floats away. Our EPC London or EPC Glasgow team can give a fantastic overview of how to be more energy efficient, but for now, here are some useful tips to save energy for your business or home this summer.
Use Solar Energy
When the sun is shining it seems a pity not to make the most of it, and what’s true for spending time outside soaking up the sun is the same when it comes to solar panels. If the sun is shining, you can harness that energy and use it within your home or business, cutting your costs considerably.
Solar panels are an extremely cost effective way of creating your own free energy, and even when the sun isn’t shining brightly they can still collect enough energy to work perfectly in your property.
Less Boiler Use
Many people choose to keep their curtains closed during the day when it is super sunny, but this can be a mistake. When the sun goes down, it can turn chilly and that can mean you will increase your energy usage and make your boiler work more. If, however, you have managed to leave your curtains or blinds open all day, you’ll find that your home stays warmer much longer, and you may not have to touch your heating at all for days at a time.
Watch Your Heating
Did you know that as much as 60 percent of your annual energy bill is due to your heating costs? And it could be that the issue is your old boiler. If your boiler isn’t working as it should, you might be paying a lot more for your heating and energy than you should be. If it could do with a service or even being completely replaced, the summer – when you are using it less and it isn’t going to cause you too many problems if you end up with some down time – is the ideal time to do it. Get it all ready for when the colder weather comes and you really wouldn’t want to be without your heating and hot water.
Better Bulbs
You may not think too much about your lighting during the summer; as the days are so much longer and it stays lighter much later, it could be that you are barely needing to switch them on at all, or are only using small side lamps, for example. When the winter comes around and you need them more, you’ll remember that switching your normal incandescent bulbs for better, more efficient energy saving ones is a good idea – and then you’ll have to pay out for them all at once.
Rather than doing that, you can spread the cost by buying one or two a month, starting in the summer, so that by the time you need to use them more and more, they are already bought and installed. This will save you time and money, and it will keep your home much more energy efficient too.
These bulbs are great to use because they have a much longer lifespan (many years – even decades) compared to standard bulbs. This means that, although they are generally more expensive to buy, in the long term they will save you a lot of money as they need to be replaced a lot less.
Utilise The Heatwave
If, as happens every now and then, we experience a heatwave, that can truly be used to your advantage (in fact, the following tip can be used even if the heat isn’t extreme, so a typical British summer will be just fine!). This is the time to check out your insulation and cavity walls. A well built house will have excellent insulation installed and it makes a big difference; it keeps the place much cooler in the summer and warms it up in the winter, so no matter what time of year, your house will feel just right (give or take). If your insulation is lacking, old, or simply not up to the job at hand, replacing it is a great idea. It may seem daunting, but there are plenty of experts who can help you out.