General News

Helping Save The Planet

7-September-2007

As global warming seems to be playing havoc with not just our Summer but weather all round the world, we need to take measures to help save the planet.

Brendan Cox, Managing Director, of Waterfords Estate Agents says that one of the biggest contributors to global warming is carbon dioxide and over a quarter of carbon emissions come from our homes.  To help cut bills and make your home more energy efficient, Waterfords have come up with some top tips:

• Turn down your thermostat by 1 degree and you could reduce your heating bills by 10%.
• Fix dripping taps. Just one dripping tap can waste up to 90 litres of water in a week.
• Use the heating timer to ensure you only heat the building when necessary.
• The hot water cylinder thermostat should not need to be set higher than 60 degrees C.
• Switch lights off when you are not in the room.
• Do not leave appliances on standby or chargers turned on when not using them.

In addition to these basic tips, insulating your home is one of the most effective ways of improving its energy efficiency as around half of heat loss in a typical home is through the walls and loft.  Good cavity wall and loft insulation, draught proofing, tank and pipe insulation and energy saving glazing can all significantly reduce your bills.  You can further reduce emissions by using renewable energy sources.  Solar panels convert light into electricity via panels placed on the roof.  The production of this electricity produces no waster or emissions and it works exactly the same way as energy purchased from an energy supplier.

email: caroline.keeble@waterfords.co.uk