SEAI encourages homeowners to get winter ready this bank holiday weekend

With the clocks going back this weekend, signalling darker and colder days, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) is urging homeowners to get their homes winter ready.

About two-thirds of household energy bills is spent on heating, with most of that during the winter months. The SEAI has some advice to help homeowners make their homes more comfortable this winter and at the same time reduce their heating bills and lower their carbon footprint:

1. 20 degrees Celsius is an ideal temperature for the living areas in a home. Lowering your thermostat by just 1 degree could knock up to 10% off your heating bill, saving around €150 in a typical family home.

2. Get your boiler serviced annually to ensure safe and efficient operation. It could save you a further €150, which should cover the costs.

3. Use the 30-minute rule in cold weather:
– In the morning, set your heating to come on 30 minutes before you get up and go off 30 minutes before you leave for work.
– In the evening set it to come on for 30 minutes before you are due home and off 30 minutes before you go to bed.

4. Don’t overheat unused rooms. If they are going to be unoccupied for long periods, turn down the thermostat or valve on the radiators but keep a small trickle of heating going. This will help to reduce the risk of condensation.

5. Much of the heat loss from a house goes through the windows, particularly if they are single-glazed. Keep curtains closed at night and ensure they hang behind radiators.

6. While open fires can look lovely, they are really wasteful of energy with more than 75% of the heat going straight up the chimney. They are also damaging to air quality, so choose a more energy-efficient option like a closed stove.

7. Insulating your attic and walls could save you 30-40% on your home heating bill. Grants for wall and roof insulation, as well as home heating upgrades, are available from SEAI with quick online approval available. Visit www.seai.ie/homeenergygrants

For homeowners considering investing in home energy upgrades this winter, the third episode of SEAI’s new podcast, 180 Degrees, provides all the tips and advice you need to know. Featuring quantity surveyor Lisa O’Brien, SEAI architect Jenny Power and energy retrofit specialist Brian McIntyre the latest episode discusses the costs of energy upgrades, as well as information on grants and emerging technologies.

180 Degrees is available on iTunes or wherever you download your podcasts. Episode 3, ‘How much is it to upgrade my home?’ is available from today, Thursday, 24 October.

For more energy-saving tips and advice, visit www.seai.ie