This week, we examine options to allow us to make an immediate impact on sustainable living. How do we keep warm more efficiently?
Firstly, use less gas – something we will all be keen to do in this moment of extortionate energy prices.
Close curtains on winter nights and seal up draughty holes so that the heat we put into our homes stays there longer.
We installed thermal blinds behind the curtains in the rooms we use and heat most. We live with draught excluders to keep the heat in the rooms we want it in and try not to let it escape. An extra jumper and a few cosy cuddles also allow the thermostat to be turned down a bit, and every degree is a saving.
Thermal blinds are simply insulated blinds that reflect light and heat back into the room and stopping the heat escaping out through your windows. These things don’t all cost much money, but other items are worth investing in.
The first of these is thermostatic valves on the radiators, allowing rooms to be set at different temperatures. Fancier systems control the heat throughout the house; different rooms at different temperatures at different times throughout the day and all possible to control from your phone.
The move away from gas central heating is coming, and we have explored low energy far infrared heaters.
Initially a standalone plug-in heater, but then one that hangs like a picture on the wall and, having tested it to see if this technology works for us, we have this winter installed ceiling panels in our most used rooms.
Far infrared is a type of radiant heating most easily absorbed by people’s skin and is a part of natural sunlight and completely safe. This infrared heat beams at us from a heater in waves like the heat from the sun.
Compared to ‘radiators’ which actually don’t radiate at all but warm the air in the room, with the result that the air rises and heats the ceiling a lot more than it does your feet, infrared heaters warm whatever is in line with the heater, which means it can be blocked by furniture in a room, but when placed on the ceiling beams heat down at you, warming you before it warms the air.
It is a different way of living and heating ourselves rather than heating the air in the room and has helped us drastically reduce our gas consumption. Infrared heaters start at less than £100, certainly cheaper than a new gas boiler, and also don’t need annual servicing.
Thermal blinds are not much more expensive than normal blinds and in fact some companies offer free thermal lining upgrades on their blinds and curtains. Draft excluders cost nothing if you have some scrap material that you are willing to pack into old tights or stockings.
Heat pumps are also advised and is something we are investigating, alongside solar panels and possible battery storage. Grants will become increasingly available to make these more costly transitions, so watch out.
Next time, we will examine the logistics and benefits of switching to electric cars.
Bishop Auckland's local community newspaper.
