Improving your health is probably high up on your list of New Year resolutions, but how about thinking about improving the health of the environment? Here’s our suggestions for energy efficient New Year’s resolutions for your home that will also save you money.
#1 Switch off more
A simple yet effective way of saving energy is to turn off electrical appliances at the wall socket, especially items such as TVs and computers that use standby and idle mode.
Households within the UK waste £227 million a year by leaving household appliances on standby and the average household can lose up to £80 per year from their appliances being left on. Smart WIFI plugs can be turned on or off through your phone or by a voice assistant which is a brilliant gadget for those with busy lifestyles who are always in a rush, or for those who are just simply forgetful.
#2 Install a solar system in your home
The only things needed to create solar energy are the sun and a solar panel. So all of the energy created is entirely clean and not polluting the environment around us. Solar panels don’t add to rising Co2 emissions that are damaging the world like fossil fuels do. Solar panels are not only effective for the environment, they are also effective for your bank account.
By including in your new year resolutions one to install a solar system to your home, you could earn back at least £400 for a 4KWH system per year. So, you could be even earning money while you’re helping with keeping the environment green.
#3 Check your home insulation
During winter months poor housing insulation can make a huge impact on your energy bill as a house’s heat is lost through its walls, windows, doors and roof. An un-insulated home within the UK can lose on average up to 60% of its energy through the walls and roof.
The higher quality the insulation installed in your home the less heat will escape through these weak points of the house, this will reduce environmental impact and keep the heat inside your home.
#4 Switch to an electric car
Switching to electric cars is a huge boost for the environment as electric cars don’t emit any polluting substances into the atmosphere which assists and improves air quality, particularly in built-up city areas like London where air quality is at its worst. If you own an electric car you can also drive all over London free of charge without having to pay the Congestion Charge. This one of our new year resolutions could be a huge benefit if you regularly drive into London.
Having an electric car charger installed at your home is simple and cost-effective as you would be simply running your car off free solar energy. There are also an exploding number of charging points dotted all over the UK, currently adding up to approximately 14,000. You can see where these charging point are located by using Zap-Map.
These are just four ideas to make 2019 a greener and more environmentally friendly year for you and your home. For further ideas on how to save money on energy bills at home, including installing solar panels and electric char chargers just get in touch!
For those that are still yet to receive their smart meters, this clever device gives a simplistic view into your home’s energy habits. You can view your live energy usage view a speedometer-like display to help you keep track of costs. This self-install device uses a CT clip or LED reader to transmit the data wirelessly to your device.
This sleek thermostat will help slash your heating bills and boost your 
Smart plugs are a great way to connect your home electronics with your Wifi network, giving you full control to turn the device on and off from your phone. For those of you that already have Alexa, 
Never come home to a dark house with Philips Hue. Automate your lighting experience and control your lighting from home or away with this amazing device. You can connect up to 50 lights to a Hue bridge and with up to 12 accessories such as switches and dimmers to choose from choosing your configuration can be ever-changing. Also compatible with voice controls systems like Amazon’s Alexa, Google Home and Apple’s Homekit you’ll never need to get out of bed to turn a light off again.
Now we may not be plumbers, but we still think that this is a good idea especially for older houses. Instead of controlling your house’s temperature in one zone, this device gives you the capability to control each individual radiator individually. These battery-powered valves can control the time and temperature of each associated radiator via the Wiser Heat app or via your Amazon Echo. The internal batteries have a two year battery life and include open window detection to prevent heat from being wasted.