Stay green this winter with hints and tips around the home

During the winter months, it is tempting to turn up the heating to the max, make more hot drinks and have lots of hot baths to stay warm but all of these habits can have a very negative effect on our carbon footprint.

However, we have a few tips for you to help enjoy your luxuries, as well as being eco friendly!

Heating:

Turning up the heat to warm the house quickly doesn't work. The house will warm up at the same rate, regardless of the temperature setting.

Install a programmable thermostat:

Programmable thermostats allow you to reduce your home's temperature at night and during the day and still have the home warm when you wake up or come home from work. Some programmable thermostats cost very little and can be installed by homeowners.

Let sunshine in windows:

Open curtains/blinds on the south side of your home during winter days and close them at night. Sun angles are low in winter, allowing substantial solar heating through all south windows.

Drafts from outside:

Check and replace weather stripping on doors and windows. Air leaks around faulty weather stripping on doors and windows not only make your home drafty but they also increase heating costs. Check for drafts, and repair or replace worn stripping.

Operate kitchen and bath vents minimally:

Bath and kitchen vents exhaust moisture, along with heated air, to the outside. If your home is dry during the winter, you may not need to operate these vents at all. However, if you have condensation on windows, operate the vents as needed to remove cooking and bathing moisture.

Install a water heater blanket:

Older water heaters may not have adequate insulation. Installing and insulating a water heater jacket can save energy costs. But be careful to follow manufacturers' recommendations and don't cover the thermostat.

Reduce hot water use:

Reducing hot water use reduces the cost of heating water. Low-flow showerheads save water and energy. Showers generally use less water than baths. Using the cold water setting on your washing machine and repairing leaky taps will save on water and water-heating costs.

Hot drinks:

When you make a cup of tea, boil just the amount of water you need and in a day we could save enough energy to light virtually every street lamp in the UK!!

Empty rooms:

Avoid heating unused rooms by closing doors and putting radiators on their lowest setting.

Insulation:

Have a look at your attic. To find out if you have enough attic insulation, measure its thickness. If there is less than 7 inches of fiberglass or rock wool or 6 inches of cellulose, you could probably benefit by adding more.

Windows:

Clear plastic sheeting on your windows can add more insulation and reduce icy drafts with minimal effort and minimal cost.

Chimney:

Don't lose heated air up your chimney! The chimney acts like an open window. If you never use your fireplace, plug and seal the chimney flue. Otherwise, be sure your damper is closed when the fireplace is not in use. Check the seal on the flue damper and make it as snug as possible. Consider installing tempered glass doors and a heat-air exchange system that blows warm air into the room.

Garage:

During the winter months, don't forget to keep the garage door tightly closed as much as possible. In doing so, you'll retain warmer air against the garage-side wall of the house and it will act as a buffer against the colder outdoor air.

Light Bulbs:

Fit energy saving light bulbs and remember to turn off unused lights.