Cold draughts are common place in many homes and are caused by exposed gaps between the inside and outside of your home. These gaps allow for valuable energy to escape and leave some areas of the home feeling very uncomfortable. Fortunately solving draught problems can be achieved cheaply and easily.

Draught proofing measures work by blocking or filling the gaps that exist within your home. These gaps are are usually found beneath door ways and window areas. This is usually because they have either been fitted poorly or draught protectors have not been put in place.

Draught proofing comes in many different forms including rubber, brushes and foam but for the most comprehensive advice it is worth visiting or calling the Draught Proofing Association. They will be able to advise you on the types of stops you will need for your home.

Installing draught proofing is considered a basic energy saving method as it helps reduce heat loss and according to the Energy Saving Trust can save around £25 a year on energy bills. Draught proofing measures can often be self installed which means they are extremely cheap measures to introduce.

The lights finally went out on old 100w incandescent light bulbs as new greener ones were phased in earlier this month. The new more efficient light bulbs were bought in as part of an EU mandate. However it has left many customers disgruntled.

Research shows that the new bulbs are undoubtedly greener, using 80% less electricity. This equates to an average of £45 saved in electricity each year. If you couple this with insulation savings could be well above £200. The Energy Saving Trust believe this will help cut national energy consumption considerably.

Despite the obvious benefits people are somewhat reluctant to change to the new bulbs. Social network sites such as Facebook have reported the creation of new groups and comments relating to the subject area. Other sources have also raised concerns about the possible health risks of the new bulbs though they are wholly unsubstantiated. The problem with slow brightening times has also caused annoyance.
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Energy saving has become a huge global issue in recent years and home owners are being asked to do their part to help protect the environment. Our list of 101 energy saving tips will not only help you protect the environment but also save you money.
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Last month we talked about the governments plans to ban the sale of poorly insulated homes and now fresh talks are in progress about introducing higher council taxes for ungreen homes. We got some great emails from our article last month and this latest announcement will undoubtedly cause further debates.

According to the Telegraph the government will not only increase council tax on such homes but also increase stamp duty. The scheme could come in to force later this year and would raise the average home improvement costs for home owners. Despite the proposal it has received strong criticism from both housing experts and politicians.

It is still unclear at this stage whether the scheme will be introduced however the Energy Saving Trust is recommending that home owners start making energy efficient home improvements now. This is because under laws already passed home owners must disclose information about their homes efficiency in the home information pack. A poorly rated home will be much more difficult to sell in today’s environment.

There are many ways in which home owners can improve their homes efficiency. Research carried out by the Trust shows that insulation is by far one of the most effective methods to improve your homes energy performance. On average loft insulation can save home owners £155 a year. The introduction of new technologies means that there are also plenty of ways for creating a future proof home.

We will bring more on this story as its announced.

According to a recent story in the Times the Governments advisory body on domestic energy use has announced that poorly insulated homes should be banned from being sold or rented. Further more the Energy Saving Trust has released figures showing that 5.5 million homes in the UK are in the lowest two energy performance bands. This equates to a fifth of all homes.

The latest figures have also led the trust to believe that tougher measures need to be introduced in order to help the government reach its carbon dioxide emissions target. Suggestions have included additional stamp duty and higher council tax. This will undoubtedly be unpopular with many home owners however the trust estimates that these homes could be made fit for less than £5000.
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Today we are delighted to announce the launch of our brand new roof protection service. The service has been in development for some time and early testing has shown some great results. The service helps protect your roof from erosion and moss build up and saves people from having to replace their roofs. The product used as part of the service is called RoofShield.

[caption id="attachment_985" align="alignleft" width="278" caption="RoofShield Roof Protection Product"][/caption]

The service is available throughout the north west and offers some of the following benefits:
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Recent research carried out by the Energy Saving Services for PSE shows that in today’s tough economic climate home owners are much more likely to invest in cost effective upgrades. These upgrades include insulation, efficient heating systems and more sustainable appliances. People are looking to see results right away and get the most value from their homes.

Figures from other recent studies show that weatherisation of a home can reduce heating costs by as much as 25% and is a high priority for many. Insulation has been one of the key areas being highlighted. This is because of its effectiveness and low cost. People are also able to apply for grants from the government for such upgrades.
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Sprayseal would like to officially announce the launch of their brand new *FREE* home energy efficiency guides. We have created two guides with one designed to explain the energy performance certificate while the other provides a guide as to how to assess your homes energy efficiency.

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Keeping cool and saving money has never been more important with temperatures soaring into the mid 30′s last week. The mini heat wave left many scrambling to buy fans and air conditioning units however there are some other great ways to reduce energy loss and keep cool. So here are our home energy efficiency tips for the summer.

1. Being an insulation company we will mention insulation first. Implementing the amount of insulation helps control airflow and in turn reduces temperatures in the summer months and increases them in the winter. Loft insulation is one of the most effective areas to install insulation for this.
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Property owners have a number of choices when it comes to insulation these days but a recent article by mydesert.com suggests that insulating ceilings is the most effective. In a typical home owners can insulate walls, windows and of course roofs however the article suggests ceiling insulation can save 60 percent in utility costs compared to roughly 25 to 30 percent from window and wall insulation.

source: tand on Flickr
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