subject: Green Features for a More Energy Efficient Home [print this page] Green Features for a More Energy Efficient Home
These days green issues are at the forefront of many peoples' mind, with issues like climate change and our individual carbon footprints constantly in the news more people are having a conscience when it comes to making sure they use less energy and help to reduce the harmful effect we have upon the planet.
A lot of the actions we can take towards leading a greener life are down to attitudes and habits, things as seemingly insignificant as turning off lights when you leave a room and not leaving the TV on standby can all help towards lowering your energy usage and even saving some money whilst you are at it. Whilst you may find that things like this are silly or ineffective there are other ways you could become more energy efficient by making some small changes to your home.
One of the most common energy saving features has been the introduction of double glazed windows into many homes; this technology has helped to insulate one of the most vulnerable parts of our homes with regards to heat loss. Heat lost through our windows and other areas such as wall cavities and lofts can require much more heating from central heating radiators and gas fires to get our homes to a comfortable level. This means using more energy and so larger bills for us as well.
One other way to reduce our energy levels is to get solar panels fitted to our homes; these panels are able to generate electricity from the sun's natural rays and are a great way to produce a supplemental energy source for our homes. We don't live in a sunny enough country to be able to live solely off the power from solar energy but by using one of these panels we can help to reduce our usage and dependence on fossil fuels.
Getting a solar panel fitted on to your home may require you to get planning permission from your local authority so before you set out to get yourself one make sure that you have consulted with them first, professional solar panel fitters will be able to advise you on the steps you need to take and how best to go about installing a solar panel to your home. So there are plenty of options when it comes to saving energy in your home and you could even make savings in the long run.
As well as solar panel quotes you can get the energy saving double glazing quotes online to make sure your home is performing well in the green stakes.