Saving energy – it’s not just for drafty old houses

When most people think of energy inefficient houses, they think of big, drafty old stone-built houses with single glazed, rattly windows.
Think again!
Even those living in recently modern houses might be able to save too.
On one recent visit, we found a 1990s semi detached, timber framed house in very good condition.
This house was built to pretty good standards – 10cm of wall insulation, a full moisture barrier, double glazed. Full mains gas central heating.
Since then, the loft insulation has been topped up to 25cm and the windows replaced with the latest, energy efficient double glazing.
Add in underfloor insulation and this house would come pretty close to current building standards.
The homeowner have done many of the right things – turning down the thermostatic radiator valves in unused bedrooms,
But the householders thought their bills were high – and they were right. Their monthly electricity bill was £60 per month, when the average for two people in that standard of house would be more like £30.
Their gas bill was a bit on the high side too.
Switching to longer life, safer LEDs would reduce this to about 5 pence – a 90% saving.
The kitchen was on the north side of the house, so the lights would be on whenever they were cooking, and the couple are both keen cooks, so 6 hours per day in winter is not unlikely. That simple change could save over £50 per year. Hmmmm
Turning to their gas bill, the main issue was their boiler – a conventional condensing boiler. This was nearly twenty years old. When installed it would have been state of the art. But over the years, technology has moved on, and their boiler has been slowly getting less and less efficient. A modern boiler could easily reduce their gas consumption by over 10%.
Now a new gas boiler isn’t cheap – at least £3000 – but many people qualify for free boiler upgrade. If you are a qualifying benefit or a suffer from a chronic health issue, one of the industry or government funded schemes might be just the ticket.
All in all, we think this couple could reduce their energy bills by between £12 and £20 per month if not more.
If you want an energy health check, just contact The HEAT Project Scotland. We’re local, we’re free, and we can help you save money.