SUPPLIERS & CONTRACTORS INSULATION
Talking energy efficiency in the home South Africa is finally taking energy-saving seriously. With numerous interruptions in our electricity supply grid caused by loadshedding and a declining infrastructure, we are expected to do more with less. There is also a massive increase in the cost of power, making it a luxury that many cannot afford in great quantities. And then, let’s not even get started on greenhouse gasses and using less fossil fuel! 1.
Stop the leaks!
When there are gaps around your windows and doors, warm air will escape and cold air will enter your home in winter, so you’ll have to turn up the thermostat. For more energy-efficient windows, check the caulking and weather stripping around your home and plug any gaps to prevent heat loss. You can also check out stylish window treatments for every room in your house.
3. Insulate
Good insulation will help keep heat inside in winter and outside in summer, so you’ll have to rely less on appliances for heating and cooling. Pay special attention to the attic and ceiling but remember to insulate the floors and walls too.
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So, along these lin es, there are two ve ry good reasons to use les s energy in your ho me : it will help you reduce your ca rbon footprint and it will leave you with a much sm aller energy bill ev ery month. It doesn’t have to co st you an arm and a leg to make the changes eithe r. Here are some ea sy ways to make your home mo re energy-efficien t.
Do an energy audit
Before you blindly make upgrades, find out how much energy your home uses and where it uses more energy than it should. You can have a professional energy audit done or you can use common sense; just make a list of everything in the home that uses power and just how much power it uses. Then, look at ways that heat is lost from the home (during winter) and how much heat enters the home (in summer). This is called passive heating and cooling.
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From 2020, we als o have something called Energy Performance Certifi cation, which legall y applies to all buildings large r than 1 000m2, irre spective of their purpose.
volume 12 | issue 2 www.tobuild.co.za
4. Adjust the thermostat
Adjusting your thermostat even by only a degree or two can make a difference in the amount of energy your home uses. In winter, turn it down three or four degrees when you’re going out and in summer, turn it up again.
TO BUILD did an int ernet search to se e what the experts are saying and have come up with 20 fairly easy steps that the homeowner can tak e to improve energy efficiency.
5. Get a smart or programmable thermostat
A smart or programmable thermostat will save you the effort of having to adjust the thermostat manually. You can programme it according to your schedule and it will automatically do the rest.
6. Install fans
Fans use only a fraction of the energy your air conditioning unit does. Save the air conditioning for only the unbearably hot days and use ceiling or electric fans the rest of the time to cool your house.
7. Change the filters on your HVAC unit
Your HVAC unit will work more efficiently with clean filters. For the average home, the filters will need changing every three months or so. If you have pets or suffer from allergies, you’ll need to change the filters more often; about every 45 days.
8. Install energy-efficient windows
The right windows can help regulate the temperature inside your home. There are different options when it comes to energy-efficient windows, including double or triple glazing, e-coating and vinyl windows. Find out if it’s time to replace the windows in your home.
