With Halloween now behind us it’s time to get our homes ready for the change in seasons and drop in temperature, this year it will be particularly important as it looks like we’ll be spending a lot more time at home. Having a warm home is not only important for comfort and wellbeing but if you can make improvements in your energy use, you will reap the financial rewards too.
Something to really consider this year is insulation, regardless of the fuel source used to heat your home it’s highly likely that you’ll be going through a lot more of it this winter, so now more than is a good time to evaluate the insulation in your home,. On average, a home loses 20 - 30% of its heat through the walls which rises even further if they are not insulated. Up to 30% can be lost through a poorly insulated attic. Insulation will reduce heat loss and your heating bills. Ceiling level roof insulation is generally the most cost effective of any energy efficiency upgrade made to a house. Even if you have some attic insulation you should upgrade it to today's standard of 300mm of rockwool or equivalent. Wall insulation can be broken down into 3 categories; Cavity wall insulation, Internal wall insulation, External wall insulation, which type is most suitable for your property will depend on the construction type used in your home. SEAI have an array of grants available to improve your home’s insulation. https://www.seai.ie/grants/home-energy-grants/insulation-grants/
Those of you out there on a NightSaver tariff will need to remember that since the clocks went back in the end of October the cheaper “off peak” electricity is now available from 11pm to 8am. In summertime the off-peak electricity was available from midnight until 9am. This is very import for those of you who use timers for storage heating, heating water or EV charging, you need to make sure your timers are set to come on during the off-peak rate. Also remember that during the summer you were able benefit by using the tumble-dryer, washing-machine, or dishwasher before 9am, now it will have to be before 8am, just something to keep in mind.
If anybody reading this is asking themselves the question “Is NightSaver for me?” Industry generally uses a rule of thumb, to make a saving with the day/night meter, about a quarter of your usage would need to be concentrated during the off-peak period. So, for example an average home would use about 4,200 kWh annually, this would equate to around 3kWh with average usage of 11kWh per day. 2020 has been anything but an ‘average’, so it might be worth reinvestigating the suitability of NightSaver for your home.
Over the past few months, we have been helping our clients better understand their energy profiles, allowing them to make much more informed decisions around their energy use and what tariff is most suitable for them or their business. If you think you could benefit from this service please do get in touch, either through our LinkedIn or info@dcsixtechnologies.com.
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