Top Ten words in energy jargon
EPC
Energy Performance Certificate
This is required by solicitors when you sell and managing agents of rental properties. Rating your home on a scale of A to G you will learn how good your energy efficiency is and also suggestions for improvements.
Cavity Wall is the gap found in most homes since 1920. The external wall has two layers and there should be a gap between. If it is breached, by debris falling into the gap, damp can cross over to the inside wall. Insulation can be put between these two layers in some houses, but not all are suitable.
Immersion Heater – this is the tank in the airing cupboard that contains water, heated ready for use. Two rods are inserted, one at the top and one at the bottom,. If you do not have the setting to heat water only at night on an Economy 7 tariff, you will find it behaves like a kettle, giving you instant hot water but at a cost. Some storage heaters also have this type of heater. Consider a combi boiler if you have gas to your premises.
kWh – this is the unit of power to determine how much you should pay for your gas or electricity. In addition, there is a daily standing charge that is fixed, and cannot be reduced by how much you use each day. Savings can be made by using a programmer which is the ability to pre plan when you will be turning your heating off or your hot water on and more or by turning down the thermostat on a radiator in a little used room.
Trickle ventilation is one good way to prevent moulds. By letting a very small amount of air into a room, perhaps at the top of a double glazed window, condensation is cut down and therefore mould is less likely to build up on cold, damp surfaces.
Microgeneration is a process of generating heat or power through renewable or low carbon methods.
Derating is the process by which the output of a wind turbine is limited, sometimes using software.
CHP. is a combined heat and power plant designed to produce both heat and electricity from a single source.
CNG is compressed natural gas (as opposed to CMG which is compressed methane gas)
Climate change levy is a tax on energy that business users in the UK have had to pay since 2001.