Lower Your Power and Gas Bill
- Replace all incandescent and halogen light bulbs with fluorescent or compact fluorescent bulbs.
- Replace old hot water cylinders with new insulated models or better still install a Heat pump water heater.
- If using gas for cooking only convert to LPG if possible and remove the gas meter.
- Double glaze windows
- Replace anodized window frames with powder coated or pvc window frames.
- Insulate ceilings and walls.
- Insulate floors
- replace convection type heating eg oil heaters, panel heaters with radiant heating or heat pumps is best.
- heat transfur systems can make other rooms warmer for little cost where there is an excess of heat.
- Use thermostats where electric heaters are used.
Convection heater such as Oil heaters and panel heaters are slow to heat spaces and in most cases home are not insulated sufficiently to retain the heat therefore most of the heat is lost before it is even used. It is better to use radiant heat or warm the air of the room quickly when it is needed. Radiant heat is felt almost immediately. It also has a nice romantic glow.
Why no solar in the above list. Thats because it has a large capital cost. It takes a lot of hot water to be needed to pay off solar water heaters. Heat pumps are not as expensive and have the added advantage of generating free heat 24 hours a day where as solar only work from sunrise to sunset.
