INDEX interiors Get ready for the
chill big
Winter’s here with a vengeance - but we have lots of energy-saving tips for keeping your house warm and snug. Mary Gold offers advice
J
ack Frost is back with a vengeance but the good news is that there’s lots you can do to keep the cold at bay in your home without spending a fortune. Last winter’s Big Freeze was one of the coldest on record, and Kent was particularly hard hit. But to combat plummeting temperatures many households ramped up the heating – a short-term solution that came back to bite when the energy bills landed on the doorstep. With gas and electricity prices going sky-high, it’s now more important than ever to look into ways of running an energy-effi cient home to help reduce costs while staying warm and cosy. And there are plenty of companies in Canterbury which can help you do just that.
The Energy Saving Trust estimates that the average home in the UK could save around £280 a year on fuel bills if householders were more energy effi cient. Rosalyn Foreman, of the trust, says: “There
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are simple things people can do to cut their energy bills, such as draught proofi ng and insulating lofts and cavity walls, for which grants are available.”
The loft is a common source of draughts and the cold air will soon fi nd a way to circulate throughout the home. Insulation is relatively easy to install and it could save you up to £150 a year. Canterbury City Council can advise you on what grants you may be entitled to. You should also keep your hot water cylinder warm by wrapping an insulator blanket around it to reduce the rate at which it loses heat. And try adding insulation to exposed pipes in the airing cupboard and around the cylinder, as this will also help conserve warmth. Lion Insulation covers the whole of Canterbury and can provide loft insulation and water tank jackets. Prices for insulating cavity walls – which you may have if your home was built after the Twenties – start at just £99. Call 0800 521379 or see www.
lioninsulation.co.uk
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The INDEX magazine January 2012
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