20+ Ways to Help the Environment With a More Eco-Friendly, Efficient Home

Sustainability consultants can help you make a plan, or you can use free services.

• The Energy Savings Trust's Home Energy Check is a free service that only takes 10 minutes, and will help you assess your home's energy performance, with suggestions for improvements.
• Check out the government's energy grants to see if you're eligible for help with your energy bills or making your home more energy efficient.
• You can talk to a Green Deal assessor or provide to help you identify what energy-saving improvements you could make to your home. There's also the Energy Savings Advice Service in England or Wales, or the Home Energy Scotland in Scotland.
• Compare tariffs with your energy supplier to check you're on the most economical for you, or look into changing suppliers for a better deal.

If you're looking to save heat and energy, then insulation could be the route for you.

• Given that heat rises, insulating your loft is the first step. It can pay for itself within just a couple of years, thanks to the energy you'll save.
• Another smart move is to fill cavity walls with insulation, as homes without it are losing almost as much heat as those without insulated lofts.

• Yes they can be ugly, but replacing filament bulbs with energy-saving versions will make a difference to the efficiency of your lighting. There are more attractive options, and as they last 10 times as long you'll save money.
• In the spirit of "Big Brother is watching you", installing an energy monitor can make you think twice about your electricity consumption. Monitoring your usage will probably help you be less wasteful.
• Smart meters will ensure you only pay for what you use and make it easy to set your energy sources to timers so you only use what you need.
• When you replace your white goods and major tech products, like fridges, washing machines, dishwashers and TVs, opt for energy-efficient ones with A, A+ or A++ energy ratings.

• It's important to keep up with annual services on your boiler. It's worth paying for an insurance package that includes this, in case anything goes wrong.
• If your boiler is more than 10 years old, invest in an upgrade.

What you clean your home with has an impact on the environment, too.

• Buy eco-friendly cleaning products where possible, to limit the harmful chemicals that get washed into the water supply, which then needs purifying.
• You can also make your own natural DIY solutions for many cleaning tasks with combinations of vinegar, lemon juice, and bicarbonate of soda.

There are so many ways you can be more energy-efficient and eco-friendly with your water.

• Switch your showerhead to a low-flow one and add aerators to your taps.
• Keep an eye on the temperature of your water too. If the water coming out of your tap is too hot, you should lower the thermostat. Just one degree Celsius can make big savings.
• As for what you put your water in, invest in eco-friendly products like an eco-kettle, which are more energy-efficient so they'll save your electric bill too.

• If you can feel a draught from your windows, chimney, and doors, then you can bet energy is seeping out of them. A cheap solution is to use draught excluders. You could also hang thick, substantial curtains rather blinds.
• A more expensive but longer-term fix to save energy is to replace single-glazed windows with double-glazed windows. If you find UPVC windows ugly, then pay the extra for wood-framed windows. It's not just an aesthetic factor, as they provide more insulation, cause less pollution, and are easier to repair.

Renewable energy sources play a major part in our impact on the environment.

• Those of us with south-facing roofs have the option to install solar panels. Although the initial outlay can be expensive, and it could take you 20 years to recoup your investment, you'll be making a big difference. If you generate enough energy you can even sell it on with a "feed-in tariff", but do your homework first, as the government scheme is due to close in April 2019.
• If you have a garden then you might want to look into installing a ground source heat pump, which could lower your fuel bills and carbon emissions, and provide income through the government's Renewable Heat Incentive.
• As for efficient energy sources, underfloor heating can be a better option that energy-inefficient wall radiators. You can have it installed all over your house, but if your budget is limited then focus on the bathroom.