TOWARDS A MORE ECO-FRIENDLY HOME

There are many ways that we can all progress towards the ultimate eco-friendly home and there are new developments all the time as we move towards becoming a more eco-conscious society.

However, many of us cannot yet extend ourselves to initiate the more ambitious projects but we can start with small steps that will make our homes more eco-friendly.

• Use an energy calculator to assess your energy usage. Some energy companies supply these.  It will be easy to see from there what you are saving once you are more vigilant in those areas.
• Energy consumption can be saved by simply unplugging appliances when not in use.
• Ensure that your computer is in ‘sleep’ or hibernate’ mode when not in use.
• Replace old light bulbs with energy efficient LED (Light Emitting Diodes) or CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lamps. LEDs are more efficient than CFLs and good for replacing spotlights and dimmable lights.
• Composting your kitchen scraps will be great for your garden and keeping the food waste out of landfills prevents the build-up of methane gas as they decompose.
• Buy recycled products wherever possible such as toilet tissue and kitchen roll.
• Cook smartly, you will lose a lot of heat if you open the door during cooking and a lot of energy will be required to get the temperature up to the required level again.
• Where possible, plant trees because one tree will absorb massive amounts of carbon dioxide and release enough oxygen for four people in one day.
• Turn the tap off when brushing teeth and this can save 6 litres of water per minute of brushing.
• Think about changing to more natural cleaning products which are better for the environment.  When we use harmful chemicals they are washed away into the water supply and will need more purification to be safe for re-use.  Many natural products such as vinegar and bicarbonate of soda can be used effectively for most routine tasks.

Replace old, draughty, single glazed windows with modern, energy efficient windows that can look just like the originals.  If you need to replace old timber sash windows that are past their prime, then you will find that windows from the Bygone Collection will be the perfect low maintenance replacement, especially if you are in a Conservation Area.

To find out more about how our windows could improve your home’s energy performance, contact your nearest approved Bygone installer here.