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As you’ve probably noticed over the last few years, here in Ireland, we’re doing a lot more nowadays to cut back on our energy usage and wasted energy than we did previously.
More and more businesses are cutting back on the use of plastics, or, are removing them entirely and are instead utilising bio-degradable products and looking for renewable energy sources.
Big corporations are finally looking to save energy and be eco-friendly, but to help make even more of a difference, more and more households in Ireland are looking to make their homes more energy efficient, which is what we’re looking at today.
Saving energy in the home will not only help the planet, it will also help your bank balance and help you to save money by reducing your energy bills. But how can you do that?
If you’re looking to save energy, here’s a look at the best energy saving upgrades for your home.
Programmable thermostats
In this day and age, there really is no real reason not to have a programmable thermostat in the home.
Programmable thermostats are very useful for saving energy because you can use them to kick in or shut off when the temperature reaches a certain point.
Not only that, but you can also use your phone or other smart devices to adjust the temp when you aren’t home.
LED lighting
When energy saving light bulbs were first introduced, it’s safe to say that they were not met with approval by the general public.
Most people agreed that those particular bulbs did not live up to expectations and as a result an alternative was sought after.
The alternative solution came in the form of LED light bulbs. LED lighting can use up to 80% less energy than regular lighting, plus it is brighter and cleaner, and it lasts much longer. A good quality LED bulb will last as much as 25% longer than a regular bulb, and it is cheaper to run.
Install an upgraded boiler
Nowadays, most newer combi boilers are designed to not only function more effectively, but also to be a great deal more energy efficient.
Older and outdated boilers will use more energy to heat up your water, which not only wastes energy, but will also cost you a considerably larger amount of money than you would expect to pay with a newer boiler.
An upgraded boiler will reduce your home’s carbon emissions, it will heat the water quicker and more efficiently, and it will help you to save money by reducing your gas, heating, and electricity bills.
Replace older kitchen equipment
Okay, replacing a fridge/freezer isn’t as cheap as buying a new kettle or toaster, but if your fried/freezer is older it will likely not be as energy efficient as newer models, so again, it will be costing you more money to run.
If you think of a new fridge/freezer as an investment, it can help reduce wasted energy and cut back on energy bills.
Whilst you’re at it, you may as well replace other equipment such as kettles and toasters, with newer energy efficient models in the process.
How does Ireland generate renewal energy?
Our guide to renewable energy in Ireland
Saving Energy in Ireland – 3 Useful Tips
Right now, with such an emphasis being placed on being ‘green’ and eco-friendly, it’s important to do your part and look for ways of being environmentally friendly and saving energy in and around the home.
Here in Ireland, a lot has been done to address climate change and preserve natural resources whilst cutting back on emissions, so we are certainly heading in the right direction.
However, there is still much to be done which is what we’re going to be looking at in today’s article.
From energy saving LED light bulbs, to smart switches, here’s a look at 3 useful tips for saving energy in Ireland.
Alter your daily behaviours
Believe it or not, but right this second there are almost certainly things that you can do to help conserve energy and cut down on greenhouse gases and emissions.
For example, at night when it’s dark, get into the habit of switching off lights when you’re not in the room.
You could also unplug electrical items which are not in use, rather than leaving them on standby, as they still use energy when left ‘on red’ even if it is just a small amount.
Not only will this help to conserve energy, it will also help you to cut back on your energy bills and save money, which has to be considered a good thing, right?
Use LED bulbs
Years ago, when we first started to look at the importance of saving energy, energy saving light bulbs were introduced. While these light bulbs did indeed save energy, the amount of light they gave off was comparable to a 1970s torch that you’d get free in a pack of cereal.
In the modern era, LED light bulbs were the solution, and a solution they proved to be. LED light bulbs give off a much brighter and “cleaner” light, plus they can use as much as 80% less energy than a regular light bulb found in the home.
As an added bonus, LED bulbs also last 25 times longer than standard light bulbs so you spend less money replacing them, and you’ll find yourself spending less time up and down a ladder replacing old light bulbs.
Smart switches
Smart tech is very much in fashion at the moment, and for a very good reason.
Smart technology revolutionized modern life as we know it today, and it continues to innovate and evolve at an impressive pace.
Smart switches have been found to be incredibly useful for energy saving in Ireland, and other parts of the world for that matter.
These switches serve as replacements for in-built switches, but they offer new ways to control your power. As an example, you can connect to the smart switches via an app and operate the gadget you wish to control via your phone or tablet, from anywhere at any time.
Smart switches can help to reduce wasted energy by as much as 60%, making them a very viable option for cutting back on your energy consumption.
Supervalu offer a wide range of eco friendly grocery products that help consumers do their bit.
Betfree.ie use eco friendly website hosting that helps them play their part and save energy.
The SEAI provides grants to those looking to implement energy saving upgrades.
Grants Available for Energy Improvements
If somebody were to tell you that there was a way for you to cut your energy usage way down, reduce the amount of energy your home wastes each year, and save yourself a considerable amount of money, you’d think they were pulling your leg, wouldn’t you?
If something sounds too good to be true, it often is. Often, but not always.
Here in Ireland, there has been much talk over the years about the importance of reducing the amount of energy we waste and of finding renewable energy sources before it’s too late.
To help households all over the country to do precisely that, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, or the SEAI for short, have a series of grants available for energy improvements in the home and in your business.
Here’s a look at several SEAI grants available.
Heat Pump System Grants
The first grant we’ll be looking at today is the heat pump system grant.
Heat pumps are specially designed electrical devices which actually take the air from outside your home and convert it into heat. If you want an example of how it works, just take a look at how a fridge basically extracts heat from within and turns it into cold air, and the same is true here, but in reverse.
If your home is well insulated a heat pump is cheap to run and serve as great alternatives to gas, electric, and oil central heating options during the colder months of the year.
Heat pumps can provide all of the hot water your home requires, from everything from the kitchen tap, to the bath upstairs.
Grant values begin at €650 for air to air systems, all the way up to €3,500 for the other types of upgrade available, including air to water.
Insulation grants
During the winter, it can get cold over here. In fact, it can get chilly in the summer now and then as well. A great way of keeping your heating costs down is to insulate your home. This is where the importance of SEAI Insulation Grants really enter the fray.
Insulation grants are available in the following forms:
- Cavity wall insulation grants
- Attic insulation grants
- External wall insulation
- Internal wall insulation
Insulation grant values begin at just €400 for attic insulation and cavity wall insulation, all the way up to €6000 for external wall insulation for a detached property.
Heating controls grants
The last grant we’re looking at today is the heating controls grant offered by SEAI.
This is a grant designed to help you regulate and control the heat in your home more efficiently.
These easy-to-use heating controls can reduce energy wastage by as much as 20%. You will receive a 7-day timer to better heat your home, and you can even utilize these controls via an app on your smart device.
If you want an example of how these devices can help, ordinarily in most homes, if you wanted to switch on the hot water to run a bath, you would also need to switch on your home’s heating. These controls help to isolate the heat where you need it.
This heating controls upgrade is worth €700.
Don’t get missed out.
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