Welcome to i-DEA, independent Domestic Energy Assessors

_________________________

Local.

Independent & Direct Contact.

Professional Representation for Your Company.

Flexible approach to pricing.

Full Time.

Rapid Response.

Fully Qualified & Accredited.

_________________________

Energy Efficiency.
Below you will find some simple, cost effective tips on how to make your home more energy efficient. Of course this is a topic that has a huge volume of web pages dedicated to it and you could easily write a whole book on the subject. In fact, there is one that that we would recommend - The Energy Efficient Home by Patrick Waterfield (rrp £16.99).

For web based sources of information on how you can improve the efficiency of your own home two sites that we at i-DEA would recommend are:

The Energy Saving Trust. This is an excellent website that gives you information on improving your homes energy performance, your impact on climate change, home improvements and information on what grants you may be eligible for. The trust is a non profit organisation funded by the government and the private sector to address the damaging effects of climate change.

The Renewable Energy Centre is a website designed for homeowners who want to save money on their utility bills, and provides a practical and easy to understand introduction to the main areas of renewable energy. The site also features advice on installation and a directory of 1,000's of specialist suppliers and contractors throughout the UK. They also have produced a handy guide to renewable energy which you can view in pdf format here.

Below is some information taken from the guide that the team at The Renewable Energy Centre have produced.

Facts and Figures.

Over 40 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions come from UK homes.
You could easily reduce your households emissions by around two tonnes which is a huge amount when you consider that the average household emits around six tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.
The average household spends £445 on energy each year - that's over 50% more than an energy efficient home. This amounts to over £5 BILLION of wasted energy annually.
By 2010, consumer electronics will be the biggest single user of domestic electricity, overtaking the areas of lighting and fridges and freezers.
UK emissions of CO2 currently account for about 2% of the global total.
At present, renewable energy provides only 2.7% of UK electricity and less than 1% of overall energy use.

Carbon dioxide is the main gas contributing to climate change and the level of emissions will only rise if we continue to live as we do. The likely consequential effects of global warming are serious, including rising sea levels and extreme weather conditions such as flooding and drought.

As a homeowner, you have a significant part to play in the fight against global warming. Reducing your energy use and wastage is one of the most important things that you can do. Time and effort invested in making your home more energy efficient will considerably reduce your carbon output and can also lead to significant savings on your utility bills.

Start Saving Money Today - Low Cost Simple Tips.
Below are some easy and effective tips to enable you to start saving energy around the home and cut as much as £200 per year off your utility bills.

Laundry.

Washing your laundry at 30°C can save you 40% of the electricity used to wash at 40°C.
Always wash a full load as this will uses less water than two half loads.
Use the tumble dryer as little as possible by drying clothes outside or place on a clothes rail in an unheated room.

Lighting.

Lighting accounts for 15% of a typical UK household electricity bill so always switch off the light before you leave a room.
An energy saving light bulb uses 20% of the energy of a traditional light bulb, lasts 12 times longer and will cut £7 off your annual electricity bill.

Draught Proofing.

In a typical home around 20% of heat is wasted through draughts around window and door frames. Fitting draught excluders such as adhesives, sealants or brushes could save you around £20 a year on heating bills.
Secondary glazing using polythene sheeting will also help to reduce draughts and heat loss.

Heating

Turning the thermostat down by 1°C will cut heating bills by 10% and save around £30 per year.
Fit a timer switch on your thermostat so heating and hot water are only switched on when needed.
Fitting boards covered with aluminium behind your radiators to cut down on the amount of heat lost through the back.

Fridges & Freezers.

Defrost fridges and freezers regularly as when they are filled with frost they have to work harder to stay cold.
Try not to open the fridge more than necessary; for every minute a fridge door is open it takes three minutes of electricity use for the fridge to cool back down.
Do not put hot food straight in the fridge or freezer as it will have to use extra energy to cool down to its optimum temperature.

Showers.

Take a 5 minute shower instead of a bath and cut your water bill by up to £50 per year.
Fit a new reduced flow showerhead which will cost you around £20 but can reduce water consumption by up to 50% for each shower.

Toilets.

A water saving device such as the Savaflush fitted into your toilet cistern will cut down the water used by up to 3 litres a flush.
Apply for a Free Water Saving Device by visiting the offers section at The Renewable Energy Centre www.therenewableenergycentre.co.uk/home-energy-saving.

Rainwater.

Use a water butt to collect rainwater which falls on the roof or garden, store it and then use it to water the garden or wash the car when needed. They cost around £20.

Boiler.

Fit a British Standard insulating jacket for your hot water tank. They are around 7.5cm thick, cost around £10 and can cut bills by up to £15 a year.

Kettles.

Only boil as much water as you need and you could reduce your electricity bill up to £30 per year.

Switch off all Appliances.

Save £11 annually by switching off all appliances instead of leaving them on standby.

__________________________________________________________________