Environmental Money Matters
People are increasingly considering the impact of their actions on the environment. The reasons for this are many:
- Greater knowledge of the risks of global warning has contributed to an increase in awareness.
- People acknowledging the link between being green and saving money.
- Governmental changes forcing people to consider how they interact with the environment.
The list goes on.
If you are one of those that wants to save money then the good news is that changing your daily pattern and investing in some more energy efficient products can save you money long term and will also see you gain some eco-friendly points in the process!
In the UK, we tend to battle against the drizzle and general cold weather in the autumn and winter months by turning to our central heating systems. This reliance comes at a cost and with the price of fuels such as gas, oil and electricity all set to rise in the next few years, it can certainly be beneficial to invest in a more efficient heating system.
A condensing boiler has larger a heat exchanger, allowing the boiler to use a lot more of the heat energy that it produces. This increased level of efficiency will impact positively upon heating costs. The faster you can achieve sufficient levels of warmth and hot water in your home, the lower the levels of fuel you use. This subsequently means you pay much less than you otherwise would on your heating.
Condensing boilers are much more beneficial for the environment. Less fuel is burnt, helping to better utilise the world’s natural resources and on top of this the lower levels of carbon are released into the atmosphere.
If you haven’t already moved to a boiler that benefits from condensing technology, it is definitely worth considering moving to one. Making the change has been known to give you savings of upwards of £300 per annum.
While you are addressing the performance of your central heating system, it also makes sense to ensure that all of your radiators are working in tip top condition. If after putting your hand on your radiator you feel patchy areas of cold, then it could be that cold air has risen and settled within your radiator. This prevents hot water from accessing the entire surface area of the panels on your radiator. To resolve this easy all you need to do is bleed your radiators – this removes the air from your rad and replaces it with water. Once completed this will give you a much more efficient radiator performance, again allowing you to reach the levels of central heating you want in a shorter space of time.
Using a room thermostat or timer to set the temperature and stipulate when your heating is to be operated ensures that you are the one in control. This in turns can enable you to save money by minimising wastage by ensuring you don’t have your heating on full blast when you don’t need to use it.
In fact wastage is a common theme, as a vast number of us could make substantial savings and contribute towards a more environmentally friendly outlook if we were to utilise the heat energy in our homes a lot better. Simple things like closing doors behind you on rooms that aren’t occupied, shutting windows and curtains and ensuring you have the appropriate insulation in your roof can go a long way to retaining heat in your home, where it is needed, rather than releasing it to the outside of your home where it is not.
Addressing some of the things above can be beneficial, so if you want to become a guardian of all things green and save some pennies in the process, now is the time to start!
About the author: Tom works for Direct Heating Supplies, UK retailers in plumbing & heating supplies.
