Posts Tagged ‘Insulation’

Top 10 tips to reduce bills in your home!

Many of us are looking for ways to save money all the time, so why not save money, go green and be more energy efficient in your home all at the same time! Below are some tips to get you started!

1) Switch to energy efficient light bulbs and your bills can drop by up to 80%. They last up to 10 times longer than traditional bulbs.

2) Wash your clothes @ 40 degrees instead of 60 degrees it uses 40% less power.

3) Insulate your cavity walls and attic and save up to 40% on your heating bills. Did you know that there is up to €750.00 grant aid available towards the overall cost? Visit www.seai.ie for more info. For your Free quotation call 1800 813 813.

4) Installing a lagging jacket on your hot water tank can save you up to €2.50 a week in water heating costs. It will pay for itself within 3 months. Also, don’t forget to insulate your pipes!

5) Gaps around doors, and windows could account for up to 20% loss of heat in your home. Fitting draught excluders will reduce heat loss.

Practical measures for upgrading insulation – Roof Insulation

In my last blog, I focused on some basic principles of Building Science that apply to most of our existing homes. I highlighted the following physical issues that can impact on thermal comfort and indoor-air quality. I outlined principles that can reduce space heating energy demand, by upgrading the building fabric’s elements that enclose all the external envelope of the house, such as the roof, external walls, ground floors, windows and external doors

Sealing against draughts and wind infiltration:

This work should be carried out on the outside of the insulation layer, of external walls, roof and ground floor, especially at critical junctions, such as at roof eaves, attic trap doors, chimneys/fireplace, dormer roofs and attic conversions, caulking and taping joints between block work walls and window frames. Also, opening sashes of windows and doorframes not draught-sealed, gaps around pipes, cables and cavity block walls that are dry-lined on the inside.

Energy Retrofitting our Existing Homes

House holders certainly have their difficulties today that impede their ability to tackle this problem. In this unprecedented time of economic downturn, falling property values, less disposable income to play with and much less possibility of borrowing, the cost of maintaining comfort conditions is becoming a huge issue. Last winter’s long cold spell was a wake up call to take real action. For most people, the focus has shifted from luxury to necessity and surviving through these difficult times for others.

Most people regard their present abode as their long term home. Moving home is no longer an option for most, so making the best of what we have is where householders are focusing their minds. With global energy prices creeping up quickly, climate change and global warming now the greatest threat to life on this planet over this century, primarily caused by our excessive CO2 emissions from burning fossil fuel, becoming very urgent to reduce so weaning off oil and coal is our greatest challenge, So consolidating and future-proofing our homes is where the solutions householders have many concerns about their home.

There are so many options to select from and yet so many risks of mistakes being made, so many products and installers selling their wares, there’s a huge need for competent, independent information and impartial advise that can be trusted.

In the next blog I hope to try and empower householders with some basic knowledge on the practical choices they can make to future proof their home.

Duncan Stewart

Ireland’s Government Budget 2010; – Continuation of the Home Energy Saving grants.

I welcome the positive announcement, in these gloomy recessionary times, of a further €130 million in the December Budget for 2010, towards retrofitting private homes, as a continuation of the ‘HES’ and Social houses through the ‘Warmer Homes’ scheme.This will stimulate householders to upgrade their home, who take advantage of this, where it funds up to 30% of the total investment.

It starts at home

Going green starts at home and our next post from Duncan is going to give an overview of the steps we can take to future proof our homes, from the small and simple to the major changes. To get us ready for this post, over the next two weeks we are going to explain a [...]

Firstly, Lets take stock

Have no doubt, Ireland now stands at the cusp of dramatic environmental and economic change. We have gone through the madness of an oil age which was fuelled by greed and have now to come to a sudden halt at our current reality. It is now time to reflect on where we are and how [...]