Home energy use back on the agenda

The Energy Saving Trust wants to make it much easier for housebuyers to identify homes that are expensive to heat by making details of home energy consumption easier to understand. With gas, oil and electricity costs spiralling ever upwards, it makes economic sense to insulate your home and reduce energy use - quite apart from the fact it reduces your home's carbon footprint - and 27% of  the UK's carbon dioxide emissions come from domestic homes. Here are some of the energy saving suggestions from the Trust along with the average cost, the annual saving and the approximate time it takes for the investment to be recouped:Cavity Wall Insulation             £        250                 2 years (£110 per year saved) External wall Insulation         £10,500                  25 years (about £385 per year)Loft Insulation                            £      150                   1 year (£150 per year)Draught proofing                       £      100                   4 years (£25 per year)Condensing boiler                     £2-3,000                10 years (about £225 per year)Double glazing                            £2-6,000                 20 years + (£130 per year)And don't forget that curtains can greatly reduce heat loss through windows and even through doors when closed properly. They might well be there already - so those are free!For more on cavity wall insulation see http://www.suskes.org.uk/16.html Source:  Energy Saving Trust