How to Reduce Your Utility Bills with an Eco-Friendly Home

Making eco-friendly decisions around your home is not only beneficial for the environment, but also for your pocket because it should reduce your energy usage. Sometimes, all it takes is a few small adjustments, like reducing the length of time you spend in the shower to cut down on water use or remembering to switch off plugs when they’re not in use. However, there are some other, larger changes you could consider making that will reduce your utility bills for the foreseeable future and make your home feel more comfortable and modern. 

Foundations 

If you are in the unique position to be building a new home from the ground up, you will be able to decide what materials are used for the biggest return on investment. For example, pile foundations are a more environmentally friendly option than concrete for various reasons. They can be reused, if the house is ever knocked down and they produce less pollution when installing. 

Windows

When building a new home, it’s worth considering the position of the windows to ensure you are getting enough natural light, which should reduce the amount of time you have to have the artificial lights on.

Don’t worry if you’re not building a new home, as there are plenty of other ways to convert a pre-existing property into something that’s more efficient. You could swap out your single glazed window panes for double or even triple glazing, is this stabilising the temperature in your home. So, during winter, you won’t have to turn the thermostat up too high because less heat will be escaping through your windows, thus saving you on your bills. 

Insulation

Insulation is also important when it comes to regulating the temperature in your home. Without adequate insulation in your roof, a lot of your heat could be escaping (as heat rises), which is a complete waste of money. Insulation and double glazing will also help keep your home cooler during the summer months, which is another bonus, and may reduce noise pollution. 

Radiators/Underfloor Heating

Speaking of heat, it’s important to avoid blocking your radiators with sofas and other furniture, because the heat won’t circulate, and the room will feel cold. As a result, you may be inclined to increase the thermostat. In fact, underfloor heating might be a better option altogether, because it ensures heat is evenly spread around a room, rather than just in one area. 

Boiler

If you have your boiler serviced each year, there’s a higher chance of it lasting longer and operating more efficiently. Even something as simple as the pressure being incorrect can result in a malfunctioning boiler, so while the servicing may be costly and inconvenient, it’s far better than having the boiler replaced completely. 

Water softener

While maintaining your boiler is essential, there is more you can do to help keep it and other appliances running at optimal efficiency. A water softener doesn’t sound like a necessity and is often considered a luxury, but in fact, it will pay off in many areas of your home. Anything that heats water in your home can be compromised by limescale build-up caused by hard water. The scale build-up decreases their efficiency, which costs you more in energy, repairs and in certain situations, replacement. Limescale wreaks havoc on heating systems, washing machines, dishwashers, kettles – even when you shower or bathe. A non-electric water softener removes the minerals from the hard water that causes limescale without adding to electricity costs. Freeing your home from limescale will help reduce your energy consumption, making it more eco-friendly.

Smart Technology

While a costly investment to begin with, smart home technology is great for reducing your overall utility bills. For instance, if you forget to turn the heating/lighting off before you head out for work, you can do so remotely from an app on your smartphone, rather than leaving it on all day. Likewise, if you plan a spontaneous night out after work, you can delay the timer on the thermostat, so that it’s not heating up an empty house. 

LED Bulbs

There are lots of benefits to LED bulbs when compared with their traditional alternatives. They have a longer lifespan, which means you shouldn’t have to replace them as often, they are energy efficient and provide instant illumination. Essentially, they have a high lumen output per watt, meaning they turn around 70% of their energy into light. Other bulbs tend to turn a lot of their energy into heat, which is a waste of energy and therefore money. 

On a final note, there’s plenty of more ideas on turning your home into an eco-friendly abode and in turn, slash your utility bills, so be sure to do your research!