Celebrating World Earth Day 2024

Today's Earth Day blog hopes to give you some ideas on how you can reduce your carbon footprint and you will be pleased to know that some of them won't cost you anything, but could save you money in the long run.  

Conserving Water 

Water conservation makes a huge impact on your carbon footprint.  In the UK, most of us take water for granted, we have always had running water from our taps.  There are a few things you can consciously do to reduce the amount of water you use, which will in turn save you money. 

1. Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth 
2. Take shorter showers 
3. Use a bowl to wash fruit and vegetables. 

However, leaks, in particular leaking taps, left unfixed can have a big impact on water wastage.  Imagine you have a leaking tap which leaks 10 drips of water a minute. After a day it will add up to 14,400 drips, which is equivalent to about 3 litres;  after a week it will be 21 litres, after a month will be 90 litres and so on.  If you need help replacing or fixing a dripping tap, give us a call. 

Boiler Service 

Did you know that a boiler is one of the most common household appliances?  Unfortunately, carbon emissions from boilers contribute to climate change.  One way to reduce your carbon footprint is by ensuring your boiler remains efficient and one of the easiest ways to do this is getting an annual service.  

Not only will servicing ensure your boiler is running efficiently it can also help avoid costly repairs in the future and ensure any manufacturer's warranties are kept up to date.  The average price for a boiler service in the UK is £80-£100 (check a trade).  If you would like to find out more about how to book a boiler service, give us a call at 01536 903123.  

Smart TRV's and Controls 

Smart thermostatic radiator valves (Smart TRVs) are devices that were designed to provide individual room-by-room heating control, by working in conjunction with your thermostat kit and creating a so-called zoned heating system, which can be easily managed through an app for smartphones, tablets or computers.

Only heating the parts of the home you are using at any given time is a great way to save money and reduce carbon emissions.  Below is a great video produced by the Energy Saving Trust that shows you how to use your room thermostats and radiator thermostats.  

Air Source Heat pumps 

One of the biggest ways you can reduce your carbon footprint is to install renewable energy technology in your home.  This is because heat pumps are run off electricity and not natural gas and more electricity is produced from renewable sources such as wind farms.  

Gas boilers account for a 5th of air pollution from nitrogen oxides in urban areas.  Nitrous oxide is a climate-warming gas that is 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide, that can also damage the ozone layer.  Air source heat pumps on the other hand don’t emit nitrous oxide.

The government has set challenging targets for heat pump installations to help the UK meet its next milestone to cut carbon emissions. From 2025, all new homes will have to have low-carbon heating systems, and from 2035 sales of new gas or oil boilers will be banned.

To make them a financially comparable solution to getting a new traditional boiler installed, the Government have cut taxes on clean technologies and introduced the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. The scheme provides grants of £7,500 towards the cost of installing a new air source heat pump, bringing the installation cost broadly in line with a new gas boiler.

There is a lot to consider if you are interested in finding out more about air source heat pumps.  You will find more information on our website, but if you would like to discuss this option or book a home survey, give us a call at 01536 903123.  

If you would like to discuss any of the options mentioned above, we are always happy to help and together we can do our bit to help the Earth.