Home Energy Clinic – Sligo Central Library – Tuesday 4th March

The aim of this clinic is to provide information about the most effective way to reduce your energy needs in the home while maintaining your comfort. Many people question the cost of their energy choices whether, electricity, gas, fire fuel, or oil. But fewer question how effective their use is, of the various energy types, they use. A simple way of establishing how you are using your energy and how much is wasted is to borrow a Home Energy Saving Kit from the library and measure.

The focus is you and your family and maximising the bang you are getting from the money you spend on energy. Simple things like not leaving the TV or other appliances on ‘Standby’. Turning things OFF stops your use of energy. A Streamer or set top box permanently on uses far more energy than your television on standby.

Real savings can be made by washing all your clothes at lower temperatures and having an alternative to a tumble dryer. Creating a drying space for a clothes horse in your garden shed/ garage may be a partial solution to clothes drying.

Choosing cooking methods that have lower energy costs can be a daily saving. One pot meals, cooking for two days at once and freezing may be easy wins. The main thing is to change your mindset, if I am going to cook a dinner how can I get the taste and flavour I want using the least amount of energy.

You may know, you need to upgrade your windows, doors and attic insulation but how do you access grants and possibly low interest loans to finance this. Peadar Geelan will take you through the steps involved and show you how you can start on an energy saving journey and get those bills shaved back.

Investing in a complete home upgrade is a major decision and for many beyond their reach. But prioritising the low hanging solutions such as attic insulation and targeting particular windows and doors for an upgrade may be all you can manage right now, but each step brings you closer to a more efficient home. If you only heat one room, that room at least should have double glazing and a door into it that seals well. If that room is being heated by an open fire or stove then a Smoke Alarm and a Carbon Monoxide monitor are necessities.

Planning to be more efficient in your energy choices is the first step. Identifying where your major energy costs are, the second. Deciding how and when you are going to cut those the third.

Peadar will be here to help you plan your journey to more efficient energy use.