Keep cosy, save money
The sun is still shining and solar panels are still generating electricity, but the days are getting shorter and cooler. Before you switch on the heating this year, it’s a good idea to check to make sure your boiler is working efficiently and you are not wasting money. The Energy Saving Trust and Citizens Advice Bureau provide advice on insulation, and you can get advice from them on installing heat pumps as well as from Green Heat Co-Op (greenheatcoop.co.uk) locally. If adding insulation to your home, do consider more environmentally friendly options like hemp, jute, wool, grass and wood fibre. These are effective, safer to handle than many mineral- or oil-based insulation types, and provide better home air quality due to the absence of harmful toxins.
Royston Environmental Group has a thermal imaging camera, which can help identify areas around your home where heat is escaping or cold drafts are entering. Our volunteers can do a short survey for you, or the camera is available for members to borrow. Cambridge Carbon Footprint also has similar cameras in our area.
Once you have identified an issue, what can you do about it? Royston Museum, in conjunction with Green Heat and Royston Environmental Group, is hosting some free draughtproofing workshops this month run by a visiting expert.
Now is also a great time to invest in a warm jumper from a local charity shop; another way to keep the heating bills down! If you can, choose natural fibres to avoid releasing microplastics into the environment. Be warm and ecofriendly.
