Faced with rising energy and heating prices, it is now more important than ever to adopt eco-responsible actions to ensure more sustainable energy consumption. But how can you concretely reduce your energy bill and improve the thermal comfort of your home without investing in expensive materials? In this article, discover our tips for bleeding your radiators, installing LED bulbs and reducing your energy consumption and water, while making great savings!
1. Understand home energy use
When talking about energy consumption at home, it is important to understand what the main sources are and how they are used. The majority of French residences mainly benefit from electricity and gas for their energy needs. The use of these sources can be influenced by various factors such as the type and quality of heating, the number of household appliances, the number of rooms or the desired temperature.
In France, more than 50% of domestic energy comes from fossil fuels (natural gas, coal); while the solar photovoltaic represents only 0.5%. Other renewable energy sources such as wind power and hydroelectricity contribute 8% to this total.
2. Small simple actions to reduce energy consumption
There are many easy and practical ways to reduce your energy consumption at home. Here are some tips to start a change towards a more sustainable life:
Improve thermal insulation
A thermal insulation heating is essential to keep your interior at the right level of heat during the colder months without wasting energy unnecessarily. You can improve thermal insulation by installing insulating curtains on windows, replacing defective seals around doors and windows and ensuring that the roof is properly insulated.
Use appliances efficiently
Household appliances are responsible for a significant share of household energy expenditure. To save money on your hot water and electricity bills, try to operate your appliances according to the specifications given by the manufacturer. Use a smart scheduler to schedule your washing machines and dryers to run during off-peak hours where possible. Also reduce the time spent in the shower by limiting the maximum time to 5 minutes.
Adapt heating to real needs
The heating is one of the main sources of energy consumption. If you want to save, try to keep the indoor temperature around 18°C and adjust the heat level according to occupied or unoccupied rooms. Set the thermostat to lower the temperature while you’re away and close the doors to rooms that aren’t in use to prevent unnecessary hot air circulation. You can also bleed your radiators for better performance.
3. A sustainable solution: energy efficiency
Energy efficiency consists in producing more energy while minimizing its consumption. This may include, for example, using LED bulbs instead of conventional bulbs, installing a condensing boiler to replace your current heating system and/or investing in a photovoltaic system to provide your own energy source. renewable electricity.
The advantages linked to energy efficiency are numerous: less dependence on fossil fuels, significant reduction in annual billing costs and of course preservation of the environment thanks to the reduction in polluting emissions.
4. Financial aid for improving energy efficiency
There are various financial help available to encourage individuals and businesses to adopt a more efficient approach to their home and industrial systems. In France, these programs offer a financial boost to owners who wish to increase their energy efficiency.
To obtain this aid, it is generally necessary to fulfill certain conditions relating to the specific use of the dwelling or building (located in a rural area, old property, etc.), but also to satisfy certain technical criteria (type of equipment installed, expected thermal performance, etc.) . When these conditions are met, the persons concerned can receive up to 30% of the total amount of the work carried out.