Take Steps Today to Improve Energy Efficiency this Season

According to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), changing weather patterns have had a big impact on the amount of energy used for heating in Ireland. The SEAI Special Report titled “Energy in Ireland 1990-2008” shows an 8.8% increase in the amount of energy used for heating by households in 2008.

It’s impossible to predict weather patterns, but it’s fairly easy to predict how turning up the thermostat will affect your monthly budget. In these challenging economic times, even a modest rise in home heating costs can be disastrous for your budget. The environmental impact of increased energy usage for home heating is another major concern responsible homeowners cannot ignore.

Now is the time to act if you’d like to take a proactive step at reducing your energy consumption and costs related to home heating this winter. Keep in mind that you don’t have to make massive home improvements to make your home more energy efficient. If you take just one step towards greater energy efficiency, it will make a difference in the coming months.

If you’re not sure what that one best step to take towards improving your home’s energy efficiency might be, there’s an easy solution. Arrange for a free consultation with experts who specialize in residential energy efficiency solutions. Quality companies will be happy to visit your home and offer advice on how you can make your home “greener” and take action to save on heating costs.

It probably won’t come as a surprise to you to learn your home is insufficiently insulated during your consultation. This is especially true if you own an older home in Ireland.

There are many, many ways heat generated through energy in your home may be lost. You may lose heat due to insufficient attic or wall insulation. Your heating system may not be nearly as efficient as it could be. It’s possible you’re in need of a boiler or hot water cylinder upgrade.

If you discover your home is in need of several such improvements, don’t despair! What may seem overwhelming can be viewed as a sign of very good things to come.

The good news in the case of a home that’s in need of several home heating energy related improvements is, any steps you take will make a dramatic difference. You stand to benefit the most by investing in energy efficiency improvements. When you do so, you can look forward to dramatic improvements in your home’s environment and your home heating costs.

Take Part in Ireland’s Sustainable Energy Transformation

In March of 2010, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) revealed its five-year plan aimed at transforming Ireland into a recognized sustainable energy leader in the global community. Homeowners can participate in this plan that benefits the economy, the environment, businesses and Irish citizens by focusing on energy efficiency and sustainable energy.

If you already own a home, now is the perfect time to take part in an impressive opportunity for savings on upgrades that focus on enhancing energy efficiency. The Home Energy Saving (HES) scheme available through SEAI can assist with the costs of improvements such as wall and attic insulation, roof insulation and heating control upgrades.

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Taking advantage of assistance available through HES financial grants is a win-win situation for homeowners. You simply apply for the grant, have work completed as outline in the scheme’s details and then pay for the completed work. You’ll then receive reimbursement as outlined when your application was approved.

Investing in your home with the goal of increasing energy efficiency has always been a smart move. You benefit from such improvements by paying less for energy consumption related primarily to heating costs year after year.

Now with assistance available under the SEAI’s new plan, you’ll recoup the money you invest even quicker, as it will cost you less to upgrade. The improvements you make are likely to pay for themselves in just a few short years. They will then pay for themselves many, many times over during the course of your ownership of your home.

If you happen to be building a new home in Ireland, the SEAI’s mission for transformation can help you make the best possible decisions about building materials and sustainable energy options.

You can dramatically reduce the impact your new home has on the environment in a variety of ways. Everything from your choice of building materials to the decision to include a few solar panels will make a big difference in terms of environmental impact and energy consumption for years to come.

If you’re interested in finding out more about how you can take part in the transformation outlined for Ireland by the SEAI, visit their website at SEAI.ie. When you’re ready to take advantage of an HES scheme grant, consult with a company that specializes in home efficiency services and products. You can arrange for a free consultation that will outline options for energy efficiency improvements for your particular home.

Now is the Time to Take Advantage of Home Energy Savings (HES) Grants

Are you thinking about taking advantage of The Home Energy Saving (HES) scheme available from the Irish Government through SEAI? Maybe you heard about the program at some point and planned to look into it, but never got around to following through. Whether you’re hearing about HES for the first time or you’re already somewhat familiar with what’s available, now is a great time to take advantage of this offer.

The HES is designed to help make improving the energy efficiency of your home more affordable. The government put this program in place with the goal of reducing energy consumption as well as costs and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

You can take advantage of the HES to improve the comfort level in your home in the coming months, cut costs on home heating and at the same time, do something positive regarding the environmental impact heating your home involves.

HES grants are available for homeowners for a variety of energy efficiency improvements. Depending on the particular improvement you make, upgrades are available in the range of €250 to up to €4,000.

You can receive a grant for virtually all types of home insulation installations or upgrades as appropriate, including roof insulation and internal, external and wall cavity insulation. You can also take advantage of grants for financial assistance with heating controls upgrades, including controls for a high efficiency gas or oil boiler.

A BER Assessment will be a necessary part of your HES grant application. This Building Energy Rating must be completed after the work for which you applied for a grant is completed.

The BER will provide you with a complete overview of your home’s energy performance, so you can see the results of your energy efficiency improvements. You can apply to have the cost of your BER assessment compensated through an insulation grant.

Any homeowner in Ireland who owns a home that was built prior to the year 2006 can apply for an HES grant. You do need to apply for the grant and receive approval before you buy any materials or begin the work energy efficiency improvements will involve. You receive the grant after the work is completed and you’ve paid your contractor.

You can find out more about insulation grants, grant amounts for specific home energy efficiency improvements and the application process by researching “SEAI HES” online. You’ll find a complete website resource that contains all of the information you need to start taking advantage of this terrific opportunity today.

Improve Energy Efficiency and Save on Heating with Attic Space Insulation

Did you know investing in attic insulation can make a dramatic difference in your heating costs? It can also make your home much more comfortable.

Whether your home is old, new or in-between in terms of age, an investment in attic insulation can probably help reduce your energy consumption significantly. It may seem hard to believe, but it’s estimated that poor insulation in attic spaces accounts for nearly a quarter of the heat loss that occurs in Irish homes.

According to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), insulating the 50 sq m attic space that’s typical of Irish homes costs around €254. According to SEAI statistics, most homes will save up to 20% of their fuel bill with attic insulation. This works out to approximately €76 annually. Doing the math, you can see – attic insulation pays for itself in about 3 years!

Not only does heat loss through your attic space increase energy consumption, poorly insulated plumbing in your attic cavity can waste even more energy every time you heat water in your home. If you’re thinking about having your attic insulated, it’s the perfect time to have your pipes properly insulated, too.

If you recall that your attic was insulated once upon a time or you remember seeing some insulation the last time you were up there, don’t assume it’s functioning optimally to conserve energy. Insulation degrades over time, and it also becomes displaced.

Even if you know your attic space is “insulated,” it may be it’s not insulated as well as it should be. If your attic space is insulated, but your pipes are not, there’s still an opportunity to reduce energy consumption and associated costs with improvements.

The best way to find out about opportunities to save on energy consumption costs with attic space insulation is to arrange for an expert consultation. Contact a company that specializes in products and services that improve energy efficiency and see if they offer a free initial consultation and quote.

You can also research information on possible reimbursement for the costs of improving your home’s energy efficiency through the Home Energy Saving (HES) scheme available through Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI).

Grants are available for Irish homeowners who are investing in improvements that make their homes more energy efficient, such as adding insulation. You can find out more about the HES scheme online, or ask about it during your expert energy efficiency consultation.

Home Builders Benefit from Expert Advice on Energy Efficiency

If you’re preparing to undertake building a new residential property in Ireland, energy efficiency is probably a topic that’s on your mind. Energy efficiency matters a great deal in all types of new properties, and it should be a top priority whether you’re building a one-off house or several houses or apartments.

One of the first steps you should take when considering building is to contact an expert in home energy efficiency. It’s important to do so before you even take the first step of selecting a site if you want to benefit from owning an energy efficient building as much as possible.

The reason you need to consult with an expert is because there is much more to home energy efficiency than most people ever consider. Don’t make the mistake of assuming that since everything in the home you build will be “new,” it will automatically be highly energy efficient.

Building Regulations will place some demands on you regarding achieving minimum standards of energy efficiency. According to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), surpassing these minimum levels may be well worth your while. Consider how long the building you will own will be occupied and try to imagine the energy savings that may be achieved over its lifetime. This all depends on steps you take as a home builder.

There are several ways an energy efficient home can benefit occupants as well as the environment. The most obvious benefit will be a reduction of the cost of energy related expenses such as fuel and electricity bills. Consider not only today’s fuel costs, but what future prices may look like to gain a full perspective on this benefit.

A home that is highly energy efficient will also be more comfortable year round. It will be warmer during the cooler months and stay more comfortable when temperatures outdoors rise.

Site selection, your building’s form and orientation, and its fabric and structure may be just as important in terms of energy efficiency as more obvious decisions such as looking at heating systems. Your decision about not only insulation, but building materials can have a big impact on the environment as well as the energy efficiency of your home.

You can find out more about energy efficiency topics related to new home construction online. This is a good place to start doing some research, as you’ll begin to see the true value and importance of consulting with an energy efficiency expert before you move ahead with your home building plans.