Let’s face it, energy costs a fortune and even if the credit crunch brings a respite to the oil and gas prices, once things recover economically, then they will go up again.

So, whatever steps you can do around your property, then it will undoubtedly save you money, not just for this winter, but for many winters ahead. What you need to do is a personal property energy audit. Take a couple of hours to have a look at your flat, or your house, and make a list of things that need attention.

And bear in mind that the Government is encouraging you to save energy. There are many organisations out there that will help you if you need advice on the grants and financial support packages. If you don’t ask, you don’t get, so make sure you claim for all that you are entitled to.

And here are ten things to have a look out for when you’re doing your own audit.

If you have one, start with your loft. A loft which is not insulated is literally throwing money away; over £200 for an average sized house. And even if you have insulation, check that it is in good shape and that it is the improved thickness of 270mm. It may well be that you had yours done some years ago and it needs sprucing up. And have a look at the vast range of products that are currently available on the market; get the best you can afford, it will pay back the investment in the first year.

Take a look at your hot water tank. Make sure it is well insulated. If it’s jacket is hanging off, then get it a new one.

Next have a look at your water tank and pipes, especially those exposed in the attic, or outside; make sure they are all lagged and not suffering from corrosion.

Once you have the insulated the loft, how well is the rest of the house insulated? Have you considered cavity wall insulation for example? Again, as with the loft, heat pours out of a house through a wall which does not have the benefit of being insulated.

Another great bonus is double glazing. This can be a pricey option, but well worth it if you need your windows replacing either as one job, or section by section. If you don’t want to spend a fortune on double glazing, then consider a DIY window insulation kit through the winter as this could have the same effect.

Have a think about draughts. Look around the window frames, around the door frames and any holes (not ones that are there to allow the house to breathe) that allow cold air in. It’s amazing what gaps you might find that is letting your precious heat out. Gaps under doors are big culprits, so think about using curtains, door insulators, or bolsters to keep out the icy cold air.

So once you think you’ve covered the insulation and draught issues, turn your attention to your boiler. Is it serviced once a year? If not, it really must be looked at as soon as possible. Four out of ten people don’t give their boiler an annual service. So four out of ten people are risking theirs’ and their families’ lives to the dire effects of carbon monoxide poisoning. Over 30 people a year die of this and it’s all down to faulty boilers. And even this horrendous risk to one side, an unserviced boiler is an inefficient boiler. It won’t work as well and will cost more to operate. Get it looked at.

Staying with the boiler, is it of the latest design and type. The law says now that when replacing a boiler, you should buy, if appropriate, a High Efficiency (HE) boiler. These are called condensing boilers and are over 90% efficient. They achieve this by capturing the heat not only from the fuel combustion process, but also from the exhaust gases. And because this dual process requires an outside wall situated flue and drain pipework, they are not appropriate for every property (and so the law in that case will let you off). But if you have an old boiler it might only be just over 50% efficient, so try to replace it with a new one and it will be twice as efficient, making your fuel go further.

Right, boiler issues over, think about your central heating system. First, have you bled your radiators recently? If they feel cold halfway up, then find the plug key and bleed them. This removes the air locked in the radiator and allows the hot water to flow freely. If you don’t do this regularly, effectively all radiators could be working at half capacity.

Also, you could consider flushing out your heating system if it hasn’t been done for a few years. Water within the system can turn into a horrible black sludge, especially if it hasn’t been operating at its optimum level for some time. And this black sludge slows the system right down, meaning that it quickly becomes far less efficient. So, a power flush is often a sound idea as it will literally blast your system free of most of the dirty sludge and residues. It’s not cheap and should be done by someone who knows what they’re doing, but well worth it.

Finally, make sure you properly understand your thermostats and boiler controls. Thermostats allow you to judge the temperature in your rooms. But make sure they are sited properly – not in a cold room which gives the impression the whole house is cold, or not near a fire, which makes it think the whole house is warm. And check that the boiler settings are correct (they usually have few controls, but do check it’s on the right season – winter, summer – for example) and that the system is timed to come on and off at the right time.

So there you have it; a bit of attention to your property could save you a lot of money.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

See Also: My Winter Energy Saving Plan

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1. My Winter Energy Saving Plan
2. Cash in the Attic – Should You Insulate Your Loft?
3. Cavity Wall Insulation – the Pros and Cons
4. Saving Energy with the Energy Saving Recommended Logo