With Christmas fast approaching we all find that our electricity bills will be more expensive and heating is more necessary resulting in increased bills.

But fear not there are many ways that you can save money in your home this winter .

Here is a list of top 10 tips you can follow to do so:

1. Turn your heating down – for every one degree you it will save you between 5-10% off your heating bill.
2. Turning your boiler down to 50 degrees will save you masses in heating bills.
3. Turn off radiators in rooms that you don’t use.
4. Avail of the SEAI Better Energy Homes Grants. Grant Aid was reduced in yesterday’s budget but there is still a €500 grant aid available when you install Cavity Wall , Attic Insulation & get a BER Assessment. Every little helps! To apply visit the SEAI Website & FreePhone us for your quotation on 1800 813 813.
5. By upgrading the insulation in your home you can Save up to 50% on your home heating bills.
6. Lag your water pipes! Especially any boiler pipes that are outside to prevent them from freezing.
7. Install a cylinder jacket for your hot water cylinder and save 75% in heat loss.
8. Install EuroTank – Cold water tank jacket and help prevent your cold water tank from freezing.
9. Install EuroHood – Attic hatch insulator and reduce draughts from your attic hatch.
10. Draughts make a home cold. By investing in some draught excluders to put around your doors & windows , you will find a big difference & prevent further heat loss in your home.

For more information on any of the above tips or to get your Free Home Survey Call EuroBead on 1800 813 813 or visit our Website www.eurobead.ie for more info.

Wishing all our Lets Go Green readers a very Happy Christmas & New Year!!

EuroExternal along with Bostik Climatech & McDonoghs launched the newest solution in insulation to arrive in Galway .

Be Wealthier , Warmer & Greener this Winter with  External Wall Insulation from Bostik, McDonoghs & EuroExternal.

EuroExternal qualifys for a €4,000 grant from the Better Energy Homes Scheme from SEAI.

FreePhone us on 1800 813 813 for more information or visit our website  www.euroexternal.ie for more information and to see how EuroExternal is applied.

EuroExternal use Bostik Climatech product which wraps your home in warmth by keeping heat within your home while reducing drafts. Because the heat can no longer escape through the outer layer of insulation, it is reflected back into the living areas, creating a constant warm home. With up to 40% heat lost through external walls, Climatech can help reduce your heating bills by up to 50%.

Did you know that:

• 90% + of homes are poorly insulated
• 60% + of heat is lost through walls & roof
• Fuel costs & carbon taxes are rising
• Winters are increasingly severe
• Carbon emissions harm the planet

Benefits of installing EuroExternal:

• Save up to 50% on you heating bills
• Add value to your home
• Conserve the planet
• Revitalise your homes appearence
• Weather proof & low maintenance
• Improves internal living comfort
• Provides additional soundproofing
• No loss of room space
• No internal redecoration
• Improves airtightness

Financials:

• Cut utility bills by as much as half
• Qualify for government grants of €4,000
• Claim back remaining spend against tax credits
• Achieve payback on spend in 5-7 years
• Avail of green loans from lenders

Wrap your home in warmth & comfort this Winter with EuroExternal External Wall Insulatuon & Start Saving up to 50% on your home heating bills today! €4,000 grant aid available from SEAI also. FreePhone 1800 813 813 for your Free Quotation TODAY or e:mail: info@euroexternal.ie

A Building Energy Rating (BER) label is a standardised way to examine and represent the energy performance of a property, the building fabric and its heating supply are surveyed.

With Energy prices on the increase and BER certs lasting for 10 years, it pays to have the best rating done, as your properties value in a few years will be significantly impacted by the BER rating it has.

Grant Aid towards your BER Assessment of €80 is available from SEAI’s Better Energy Homes Scheme. In order to avail of this grant aid you must upgrade two measures from the list of approved measures. Visit www.seai.ie or www.eurober.ie for more information and to apply for your grant TODAY.When the survey has been carried our BER Assessor will enter the details obtained from your house into a system and issue you BER Certification & Advisory Report. The Advisory report is issued to you outlining the various improvements that can be made to your property to improve the efficiency & energy rating of the property. Once published the BER Certificate is valid for a period of 10 years.

Who needs to get a BER?

The requirements to provide a BER is as follows:

• New dwellings: The regulations apply to new dwellings for which planning permission was applied for on or after 1st January 2007. Transitional BER exemptions will apply to new dwellings for which planning permission is applied on or before 31st December 2006, where the new dwellings involved are substantially completed on or before 30th June 2008.

• New Non-Domestic Buildings: The regulations apply to new non-domestic buildings for which planning permission was applied for on or after 1st July 2008. Transitional BER exemptions will apply to new non-domestic buildings for which planning permission is applied on or before 30th June 2008 provided the new non-domestic buildings involved are substantially completed by 30th June 2010.

• Existing Buildings: (dwellings and other buildings) when offered for sale or letting on or after 1st January 2009.

• Large Public Service Buildings: A public body shall, in relation to a large building occupied by it on or after 1 January 2009, secure and display a BER certificate in a prominent place clearly visible to the public.

What will happen if I don’t get a BER Cert?

Failure to obtain a BER Certificate as required may result in conviction in a district court and a subsequent fine of up to €5,000. Failure to secure a certificate in time may delay the sale of the property.

How is a BER calculated?

A BER is based on the characteristics of major components of the dwelling i.e.:

• wall, roof, and floor dimensions,
• window and door sizes and orientations
• construction type and levels of insulation,
• ventilation and air tightness features,
• the systems for heat supply,
• the type of lighting

How is a BER measured?

BER covers annual energy use for space, heating, water supply, ventilation, lighting and associated pumps and fans calculated on the basis of a national standard family with a standard pattern of occupancy.

The energy performance is expressed as

• primary energy use per unit floor area, which is represented on a scale of A-G
• associated CO2 emissions per metre squared per year

Are there grants available for carrying out a BER?

Yes, The Better Energy Homes Scheme offers grants for energy saving home improvements which includes a BER Assessment. Grants are available up to €650 for installation of Cavity Wall Insulation , Attic Insulation & BER Assessment. Visit  www.eurobead.ie or  www.seai.ie for more information.

]]> http://www.letsgogreen.ie/2011/09/eurober-building-energy-rating/feed/ 0 http://www.letsgogreen.ie/2011/08/584/ http://www.letsgogreen.ie/2011/08/584/#comments Fri, 12 Aug 2011 11:43:41 +0000 Eurobead http://www.letsgogreen.ie/?p=584 If you are looking for an insulated storage space for your attic, EuroFloor is the perfect solution.

EuroFloor is an insulated timber panelling which can be used for attic walkway access and attic flooring
systems. EuroFloor is specially designed to allow house holders to insulate their attic and still use the space for storage. EuroFloor is essential for ensuring that there is safe , secure access from the attic hatch to the tank in the attic. It is comprised of a high density foam insulation which ensures it meets the current building regulations when used in conjunction with existing fiberglass. It is a mandatory requirement under the SEAI’s HES Scheme to install an insulated walkway from the attic hatch to the cold water tank or any other appliance that is located in the attic.

U-Values

Contact EuroBead technical department for further U-Value calculations (Calculations Method I.S. EN ISO 6946) The Mineral Wool Insulation used has a thermal conductivity of 0.044 W/mK

Dimension Table

We are always looking for ways to save more money in the home. Below are 10 Home Energy tips that will save you money!

Hot Water

Set your cylinder thermostat to 60°C/140°F and your waster will be hot enough for bathing and washing. This can save up to €15 per year.

Light bulbs
If you use a particular light for an average of four hours or more a day, then replace it with an energy-saving equivalent – which will use around a quarter of the electricity and last up to 12 times longer. Each energy efficient bulb fitted could give you an estimated saving of €10.50 off your energy bill per year.

Kettles
Heat the amount of water you really need and if you’re using an electric kettle, make sure you cover the elements. More modern kettles have no visible element so you use less water, you could also try to fill a cup and use it as a guide to fill the kettle, so that you boil the right amount of water.

Curtains
At night pull the curtains to stop heat being lost through the windows. Ensure not to drape curtains over the radiator as this will funnel heat straight out of the windows.

Heating
Turning the thermostat down by just 1°C can cut as much as 10% off your heating bills. Consider heating your home for an hour led a day and you will also save on your running costs.

Television, Hi-Fi and Computers
Standby can use as much as 10%-60%of the electricity that would be used by the device if it was switched on. Ensure to switch off your TV, video and Hi-Fi at the set. Also don’t forget to turn your Computer monitor off, as it too wastes electricity if left on.

Appliances
When purchasing kitchen appliances such as fridges, freezers, dishwashers and washing machines, opt for a more energy efficient appliance. An EU Energy Label should be displayed (A to G Scale) on appliances for sale in order to help you make a choice, “A” being the most efficient and “G” being the worst for energy.

Tumble Driers
Tumble driers consume high amounts of energy so try to use washing lines or airers.
Avoid putting very wet clothing into the dryer, make sure you wring clothing out or spin dry again to help use less energy.

Draught Proofing your Home

It will keep your home warmer, drive down heating costs, and also make your home increasingly environmentally friendly. Savings will continue year on year, so depending on the extent of your draught proofing, the fairly low cost of draught proofing can often be paid off within a few years.

Insulation
Upgrading your Cavity Wall & Attic Insulation will save energy in your home by reducing energy losses through the building by up to 40%. Grant Aid is still available from SEAI. Contact EuroBead on 1800 813 813 for more information in upgrading your insulation.

Got some tips that we havn’t mentioned here??

Leave us a comment and share them with our fellow readers!

Check out article below published on The Irish Times Website today..

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2011/0711/1224300497332.html

CONOR POPE, Consumer Affairs Correspondent

BORD GÁIS Energy customers will see their energy bills rise by more than €300 a year as the company prepares to dramatically increase its charges in the weeks ahead.

The firm will announce an electricity price increase of more than 10 per cent later this week and is preparing to apply to the Commission for Energy Regulation for a gas price increase of between 20 and 30 per cent, The Irish Times has learned.

The increases come at a time when more than 100,000 of the energy provider’s customers are in arrears and struggling to pay their bills.

While the company’s electricity price increase will take effect from August 1st, the gas price increase will have to be delayed until the beginning of October, pending sanction from the commission.

Bord Gáis Energy is blaming a spike in energy prices on international markets and says wholesale gas prices have doubled over the last year.

It says it is no longer in a position to absorb price increases of this magnitude so will have to start passing them on to consumers.

In May, when the company announced a profit before tax of €120 million, its chief executive John Mullins warned it would raise electricity prices by up to 10 per cent and would be seeking sanction from the energy regulator for a gas price increase of 10-20 per cent.It is understood the situation has since worsened and the gas price increases are likely to be substantially higher.

The average domestic gas bill in the Republic is €720 a year; an increase of 25 per cent will see bills increase by about €180 a year. The average electricity bill for Bord Gáis Energy customers, meanwhile, stands at €1,200 annually; an increase of 12 per cent will add a further €144 to consumers’ bills.

Bord Gáis Energy now has more than 114,000 customers in arrears of two months or more, an increase of 300 per cent on 2010, although the number in arrears has declined by about 1,000 over the last month, indicating the situation is stabilising.

Sources in the company say that even with increases of this magnitude, prices will still be below the levels of three years ago.

“We do not expect people to like the price hikes but we would hope that they would, even grudgingly, accept that it is beyond our control,” one source said.

When contacted, the company would not confirm the imminent price moves.

The EuroHood is a dark grey attic stairway insulator comprised of a durable, soft to touch fibreglass material and tough, highly reflective foil. The EuroHood comes fully assembled and is easy to install.

Performance Properties

The EuroHood helps reduce energy loss in the home. The thermal imaging in figures 1 and 2 show the products effectiveness.

Prior to using the EuroHood the surface temperature of the attic stair panel was colder than the rest of the home interior as seen by its blue colour in the before photo. When the EuroHood is installed the panel surface temperature was similar to the rest of the home.

Figure 1 Thermal image of attic panel before EuroHood Installation	Figure 2 Thermal image of an attic panel after EuroHood was installed

Purchase your EuroHood  for only €90.00 Inc Delivery and start saving today!

To purchase your EuroHood please call 1800 813 813 , e-mail: info@eurobead.ie , or visit www.eurohood.ie .

Since the recent cold snap we have all become to realize that investing in energy saving products has its financial benefits in the long run. With increasing fuel costs and rising home heating bills it is important to be prepared and to be insulated!

SEAI grants are still available with a total of up to €750 available towards Cavity Wall Insulation, Attic Insulation & post works BER assessment. The Savings alone with your home been insulated correctly will benefit your pocket significantly. Poorly insulated homes loose between 40% & 50% of heat.

By upgrading your insulation in your home you will dramatically cut your home heating bills and cut your energy use, which in turn will reduce your carbon dioxide emissions.

Below is a list of extra measures than can be installed to help you save further in your home:

Letter Box Insulator:

Brush will always retain original shape

Rigid back – gives extra strength and barrier against draught.

Pipe Insulation:

Ideal for insulation for frost protection and energy conservation

Totally CFC & HCFC free

Cold water tank  jacket

By installing a tank jack on your cold water tank it provides you with extra protection against freezing and will also help you save more 

Lagging Jacket:

Fitting a good quality, thick lagging jacket on your hot water cylinder will keep your water hotter for longer and save up to 30% on your water heating costs.

EuroHood:

Seals and insulates your attic hatch and eliminates draughts. The EuroHood is the perfect solution for your attic hatch door.

CFL Bulbs:

By replacing you traditional bulbs to CFL bulbs you can save up to €260 per annum on your electricity bill, based on replacing 20 bulbs and 4 hours use per day. 

For more information on any of the above products or to receive a Free quotation:                                  

FreePhone us on 1800 813 813

E-mail: info@eurobead.ie ,

Website: www.eurobead.ie

Find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/eurobead

Follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/eurobead