Domestic Economy in the Home

As well as saving money, these hints and tips will also help you do your bit to help the environment by using less energy and fewer of the Earth's natural resources.

Draught proofing

Simple draught proofing and insulation can cut fuel bills by up to 50%. But savings should be set against the cost of the work and materials - for example it could take more than 30 years of fuel savings to recover the cost of replacing all the windows with purpose-made, double-glazed units. The quickest return comes from draught proofing and simple insulation - and the older the property, the bigger the savings - especially if you can do it yourself. Heat loss may be reduced by around 6% to front and back doors with threshold, keyhole and letter box draught excluders which are available from DIY stores. Adhesive-backed rubber, nylon or foam draught strips reduce draughts from wood and metal casement windows; sprung nylon or brass strips will draught-proof sash windows. Wooden floorboards on older homes shrink and form draughty gaps. Laying reflective foil-backed paper under a carpet will reduce the draughts; laying a laminated floor will cut them out altogether.

Loft Insulation

Heat rises. And if you have an uninsulated loft at the top of your house or flat, a quarter of your home's heat can escape up through the ceiling. Even with some insulation in the loft (there should be 100mm of insulation material at least), its performance can be improved by doubling the depth of the insulation. If the loft has been converted into living space, the roof can be insulated from the underside to cut down on heating bills. Loft insulation is available as rolls of mineral or glass-fibre blankets, slabs, polystyrene sheets or loose-fill granules. Placing sheets of reflective foil building paper between the insulation and the ceiling beneath will reduce the risk of condensation and contain heat loss from below. The best time to buy and fit insulation is during the summer for special offers. Insulation is very bulky: ask if the supplier will deliver to your home. To install insulation, follow the manufacturer's instructions, and wear mask and gloves where appropriate. The loft will become colder as less heat escapes into an insulated loft. Make sure the cold water cistern and all hot and cold water pipes in the loft space are insulated against the cold. DIY stores sell easy-to-use lagging for pipes and cisterns.

Retrospective insulation

These days walls, floors and roofs are insulated when they are built. Older parts of a home which have not been insulated can be insulated retrospectively:

  • Specialist cavity insulation contractors can fill older cavity walls with insulation.
  • Solid walls can be insulated from the outside (again a specialist job) or lined inside with thermal boards.
  • Wooden floors can be lifted, insulation laid between the supporting joists and the floor re-laid.
  • New laminated floors can be laid over a layer of insulation.
  • Insulating sloping roofs and flat roofs with sheets of expanded polystyrene, cut to fit between the roof rafters, will help to keep down fuel bills.

Other cost-effective ways of reducing the energy consumption in the home include:

  • Fitting heat-reflective aluminium sheets, available from DIY stores, behind wall mounted radiators. These will increase the radiator's efficiency by around 25%.
  • Install thermostatic radiator valves. Fitted to individual radiators, these thermostats allow you to reduce the heat in places where it is not critical such as spare rooms, kitchens or conservatories