Eco & Green Home Tips For Gloucestershire

Go Green & Save Money

Ways To Go Green and Save Money.

When assessing the green credentials of your house in the Vale of Berkeley, South Gloucestershire, or investigating where green improvements could be introduced, there are a number of areas to explore. Many green solutions are relatively straightforward, while some will involve major upheaval and may be more suited to a new-build project than a retrospective fit. Use the information given here as a link to more detailed analysis later in the book. You will see that there are greener options for nearly all aspects of DIY.

Green Research

There are advantages and disadvantages with any building technique or material, and Eco-friendly options are no different. If possible, it is always important to substantiate a manufacturer’s claims with hard evidence. As in any aspect of life, manufacturers are concerned primarily with selling goods, so it is necessary to compare products, research different ideas, and make sure they meet your own needs. The areas covered here deal with most aspects of what is currently available in terms of making your home a greener place to live. Using the relevant page references, you can refer to various parts of the book for more in-depth information — and to learn how to carry out green projects yourself.

If all houses featured many of these ideas, the energy usage of the population as a whole would be significantly reduced. However, the initial financial outlay must always be considered. With low-energy light-bulbs, for example, the initial cost is low, so the pay-off is fast—in terms of saving both energy and money. But with larger, more expensive projects, such as installing solar panels, the energy-saving pay-off may be quick, but it will take far longer to recoup the initial costs. The best advice is to address the key options first (insulate well, use low-energy electrical goods, and recycle), leaving the more complex projects to form part of the decision-making process of any future home improvements.

Gloucestershire Green Eco Home Saving

1. Compost: Making compost is the ultimate expression of green living — turn your food scraps and yard debris into fertilizer.
2. Recycled Roof Tiles: Consider using reclaimed clay or stone tiles, or slates.
3. Low-Energy Lighting: A small investment can have a large impact on saving electricity.
4. Rafter Attic Insulation: In a lived-in roof space, ensure the ceiling is insulated sufficiently.
5. Mortar: For brick or stone homes, lime mortars are far greener than those that are cement-based.
6. Appliances: Be sure to choose energy-efficient models.
7. Natural Flooring: Choose flooring from sustainable sources or materials such as bamboo and cork.
8. Double Glazing: Double or even triple glazed windows will always make your home more energy efficient.
9. Wooden Patio Doors: Double-glazed windows need not be UPVC or aluminum. Wood is a greener option and will last just as long if well it is well-maintained.
10. Recycling System: A good system of sorting materials for recycling is essential for every home.
11. Gray Water: As well as using collected rainwater in the home, you can also recycle water from sinks, baths, and showers.
12. Insulated Walls: Well-insulated exterior walls can help to further reduce your energy requirements.
13. Sustainable Wood: Make sure that any wood you use in your home comes from a sustainable source.
14. Reclaimed Slabs: It is not always necessary to buy new — consider using reclaimed bricks and patio pavers.

A large portion of your energy costs will be devoted to heating your home. For this reason, it’s important to make sure your heating system runs as efficiently as possible.

Here are some good tips for saving energy and avoiding high heating bills:

1) Before purchasing a furnace for your home, check its A.F.U.E. rating, which stands for the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. Each furnace has this rating on it from the factory. The standard is about 80 percent, which measures how much heat goes into the home as opposed to going up the flue pipe. So if you have 80-percent efficient furnace, 80 percent of the heat generated in the heat exchanger is going into your home and 20 percent is going up the flue pipe and is not being used at all.
2) If you purchase a heat pump, you’ll want to check its H.S.P.F. rating, which stands for Heating Seasonal Performance Factor. This rating works basically the same as the AFUE rating for gas furnaces. Based on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being the best), a minimum efficiency heat pump will rate approximately 6.6, while high efficiency units will have a rating of 8.0 or higher.
3) Change air filters for your heat pump or furnace on a regular basis. A dirty filter increases the air pressure drop in the system, which ultimately uses more energy or decreases the air flow to a point where the system isn’t working properly.
4) Have your builder or a heating specialist check the heat ducts for leakage. An HVAC professional can repair any leaks or gaps that are found.
5) Weatherize your home by weather stripping or caulking around doors and windows. This will help keep heat from your system inside the home.
6) Add programmable thermostats to your central heating system. This will help save energy by not heating your home when you’re away.
7) Keep obstructions away from heating vents. This will help promote better heat flow throughout the house.

Plumber’s Emergency Kit

1) Use a five gallon bucket as a tool holder. And if a leak springs mid-project, it’ll catch the water. A tool caddy can also be attached to the bucket providing a place for everything.
2) Keep a forced cup and a regular plunger handy. Each plunger has its own specific use and provides extra unclogging power.
3) Wrenches are essential in plumbing. A pair of medium sized slip joint pliers and an adjustable wrench should cover most jobs, along with various sized wrenches.
4) A multi-bit screwdriver can reduce the number of tools that need to be carried around on the job.
5) An assortment of Allen keys is very handy and has many uses.
6) Duct tape and leak sealing tape can help out in a plumbing emergency until a permanent fix can be made. Teflon tape will seal up leaks from around threaded connections.
7) A variety of blind caps can help you see your way through repairing a broken valve.
8) Heavy duty paper towels or rags will help clean up water from small leaks.

Emergency Tips

1) Always know where the main water shut-off valve is located in case of a leak.
2) Know how to turn off the water heater. If it’s a gas water heater, turn the switch to the “pilot” position.
3) Isolation valves located at each fixture will stop the flow of water to that location. This allows water to continue to service the remainder of the house while the leak is being repaired. It’s a good idea to turn on and off each isolation valve in the house at least once a year to keep them in good working condition.
4) Using two wrenches at once turning in opposite directions is called “backing off” and allows the wrench to absorb the stress and not the plumbing.
5) Slip joint pliers can be used to loosen the collar nuts on a drain line.
6) If a supply tube break off is causing a leak, screw in a blind cap to seal off the leak until it can be fixed.
7) Occasionally, the ferrules in a supply tube can get scratched or dented causing water to leak. Use Teflon tape around the ferrule until a permanent repair can be made.
8) Use duct tape or pipe sealing tape to pull together a crack in a pipe, reducing the leak as a temporary solution.
9) A cup plunger can be used for small drains like bath tubs, showers and lavatory sinks. Forced cup plungers have a funnel that can apply extra force down the drain, which is good for sinks or toilets.
10) When unclogging a kitchen sink, use a second plunger to cover the other drain to get the most force to remove the clog.
11) To unclog a toilet, use a forced cup plunger.
12) For bathtub clogs, unscrew the chrome cap — this exposes the entire drain. Once the mechanism is removed, you’ll be able to see the clog. Put the plunger on the drain, and then use the second plunger to plug up the tub’s overflow. Plunge the drain to remove the clog.
13) Allen wrenches are useful for working on a faucet and garbage disposals.

Solar Panels

In simple terms Solar Panels can be divided into two types:

1) Photovoltaic Solar Panels

2) Solar Thermal Collectors

Photovoltaic Solar Panels convert Photon particles from the sun into electricity, while Solar Thermal Collectors use heat from the sun to warm water or liquid contained within a network of pipes.Both technologies can be considered eco friendly as neither generates carbon as a by product, and both can be used by households to reduce their heating and electricity bills.

Solar panels:
1) Photovoltaic
2) Thermal
3) Solar Tiles

Home / Community Wind Turbines

The UK has one of the largest potential wind energy resource in Europe and wind power is currently one of the most developed and cost effective renewable energy technologies.

The modern wind turbine is quiet and is available in different sizes, depending on the required output. A small unit can attach directly to the roof and larger units require their own support post.

When the wind blows the blades of a wind turbine, the blades rotate a shaft. A generator converts the energy from the rotating shaft into electrical energy which can be used in a household to power electrical appliances, reducing electricty bills and reliance on fossil fuel energy generation.

Domestic wind turbines can either be integrated into the local electricity grid or operate as off-grid devices, charging batteries when excess electricity is generated. Depending on their site, a small scale domestic wind turbine can be an effective renewable energy option in terms of energy output. The best sites are those with an average annual wind speed of at least 5 metres per second and with an unobstructed flow of wind.

Technologies

Horizontal or vertical axis turbines, mostly on freestanding poles but can be mounted on buildings.

Installed cost

Small 1kW building mounted wind turbines cost around £2,000. A typical 6kW pole mounted turbine costs around £22,500.

Grants available

Call the Energy Saving Trust on 0800 512 012 for details of any local support available.

Other financial

Eligible for Feed-in Tariffs payments – see Government Incentives support section. For more information visit energysavingtrust.org.uk

Running costs

None.

Savings

A 6kW turbine could generate income and savings of around £3,200. Includes FITs payment.

Maintenance

A regular annual maintenance check is usually required.

Space issues

The greater the distance between a wind turbine and any obstructions such as trees or buildings the better the wind resource and energy output will be.

Energy availability

Dependent upon wind speeds which fluctuate throughout the day and are often lower in spring/summer than autumn/winter. Also very dependent on site.

Planning issues

Needs planning permission from your local authority. It’s also advisable to discuss the installation with neighbors.

Installer issues

Choose an installer certified under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme – see microgenerationcertification.org. Check the installer is a member of the REAL Assurance Scheme visit realassurance.org.uk for more information. CO2 emissions Savings will depend on local wind speeds. A well sited 6kW installation could save over 5 tonnes of CO2 per year.

Other issues

The output of a wind turbine is determined by the wind speed at the site of the turbine, which depends on the location, height, and nearby obstructions. Wind turbines should only be considered if the average wind speed is at least 5 metres per second. You can get an initial indication of this by using our domestic wind speed prediction tool energysavingtrust.org.uk/windspeedtool

WINDOWS

The average house looses a good amount of heat through it’s windows. This heat loss can be reduced through simple measures such as fitting double or triple glazing, or even simply by hanging heavy insulating curtains.

Installing double glazing can cut heat loss through windows by half. If you can’t afford to replace all the windows, why not choose the rooms that cost you the most to heat.

Ideally double glazing should have wide cavities between the two glass panes. 16mm is the optimum distance. If the cavity being filled with an inert gas, usually argon, the window will be even more efficient.

Low-impassivity coatings being added to the glass can also stop heat escaping.

Designing out cold bridges, such as aluminum spacers, surrounding the glazed units also increase the efficiency of the window.

Large efficient windows can be angled to avoid summer heat and to maximize the small amount of winter energy from the sun – a principle is known as passive solar heating. See Angled Windows House for an example of this.

Triple glazing
Solar windows

PLUMBING:

Water is a precious resource even in a relatively wet part of the world such as the UK, as a large amount of energy is required to collect, purify and deliver water to households up and down the country.

This energy requirement makes us further dependent on fossil fuels. The main cause of water waste in the home is old and wasteful sanitary-ware such as toilets, baths and taps. There are a number of solutions available to help households save water and deal with waste water in an environmentally friendly way.

Plumbing:
Composting toilet
Rainwater collection
Water saving toilets
Water storage
BioRock Sewage Treatment Tanks

Red Squirrels Berkeley Gloucestershire

Attract Animals To Your Garden

Create a Gloucestershire garden for animals, birds and insects..

Colorful butterflies, song birds, RED Squirrels, Hedgehogs and busy insects – wildlife in your Berkeley Berkeley, Gloucestershire GardensVale, Gloucestershire garden will give the whole family something to watch, listen to and learn about. And not only that, you’ll also be helping the environment by encouraging some of the rarer creatures to take up residence or feed in your outdoor room.

It doesn’t matter what size your outside space is, or whether you’re out in the countryside or the middle of the urban jungle – everyone can do a few small and pocket-friendly things to invite insects, birds or animals into their garden. Here are our top tips for getting furry, flying or feathered guests to visit your home.

Pick the right plants

Attract bees and butterflies with scented plants that will fill the air with colour and perfume. We recommend herbs, pollinating plants and wildflowers. Buddleja (or buddleia) is a particular favourite with butterflies, so much so that it’s also commonly known as the Butterfly Bush, while lavender, rosemary and thyme are loved by butterflies and bees alike. Both look for open flowers with large heads making sunflowers a top choice as well. Many wildflowers, like marigolds, harebell and cowslips, work well in borders, or create your own meadow (or mini-meadow if space is tight) with our mixed seeds and wildflower turf.

Try to ensure that there’s at least one plant flowering in your garden at any time of the year. This is great for bees, as rather than hibernating, Berkeley, Gloucestershirerdensthey simply become less active in colder weather. So encourage them back into your garden on warm, sunny winter days with the promise of food with winter-flowering plants like crocus.

Fast-growing annual and biennial plants like sweet peas and foxgloves not only look amazing, but will also encourage pollinating insects – though you will have to replace them each year. Or why not try our Butterflies and Bees Seed Mix, which has been specially designed to attract insects that need nectar?

Add some climbers to your walls and trellis to encourage insects and birds to live or roost inside them – if it’s a climber that grows flowers, like a clematis, it will attract bees too.

Encourage birds to visit

Birds are an incredibly useful visitor to your garden that will eat up slugs, snails, aphids and caterpillars (so be wary if you want butterflies). They flock to plants and trees that produce berries and seeds for them to eat, like holly, spindle, firethorn and crab apple. And supplement their diet further with a bird feeder, making sure to regularly fill it with bird seed throughout the year.

Provide water for drinking, bathing and splashing around in with a bird bath – essential at both the height of summer and during cold spells in winter. Look for ones with a shallow dish, sloping sides and a rough surface to help grip, and set a few stones in the middle so that they can bathe easily. Situate close enough to bushes and trees so that birds can escape into them if they get alarmed, but do check that cats can’t use them as cover to attack.

Lastly, offer birds a safe spot to nest. Bird boxes should be up by mid-autumn as many birds will be looking to visit in the colder months. Place them between two to four metres (m) up a tree or wall, and, if possible, face them in a north-east direction as this is most likely to be away from strong sunlight and wet winds. Alternatively, shrubs and trees give birds nesting spots. Pyracantha, holly and berberis are all good choices and their berries will also provide bird food. Take care not to disturb nesting birds, do so by avoiding trimming shrubs and hedges between January and August.

Add a pond

As well as blocking out the noise of your neighbors or road traffic, a pond is a great way to introduce wildlife into your garden. Water is important to frogs, newts and many beneficial insects, and even the smallest of ponds can help to support a rich mixture of wildlife.Builders Of Ponds in Berkeley, Gloucestershire

Your pond’s position is critical to its success. It needs enough sunshine to keep the water warm as well as sufficient shade to discourage algae from growing. Don’t plant underneath trees as leaf fall will lead to a thick layer of decomposing vegetation at the bottom of the pool, which emits methane gas – harmful to fish. This is especially true of yew, holly, willow and laburnum trees, as their leaves are poisonous to water plants and animals.

Design your pond so that it has ‘a beach’ – a pebble-covered slope leading into the water that will help any animals that accidentally fall in to climb out easily. It will also make the water easier to reach for smaller birds.

Regardless of the location of your garden, wildlife will appear within weeks of a pond being put in place. Frogs and toads have a marvelous ability to locate water and will soon make themselves at home. They can live quite happily alongside any fish you want to add to your pond, but do bear in mind that larger fish may eat any tadpoles that appear. If you do want to add fish, we recommend doing so in the spring.

Cats and herons are notorious for feasting on the inhabitants of a fish pond. To protect your fish from both, add a wire mesh net over the surface of the pond. And remember to supervise all small children who might be playing in the nearby area at all times.

How to feed the birds in winter

  1. This squirrel-proof fat ball feeder is handy for keeping the squirrels out of your bird feeders. Grey squirrels aren’t native and have out competed our native red squirrels in most of the UK. They also bully birds at bird feeders meaning our native birds can’t get to the feeders. This does the job of allowing the birds access to the feeder but blocking access to the squirrels. Fat balls often come in little net bags – it’s not ideal to hang the balls out in the net bags as birds can get their feet stuck in them. Offering them in a feeder is a safer alternative.
  2. If you don’t have squirrels in your garden then this stylish seed feeder* (£8.99) is a nice change from all of the standard bird feeders around.
  3. This fat ball kit is an easy and economical way to make your own fat balls using kitchen scraps.
  4. This peanut feeder is not only an ideal way to feed peanuts to the birds, it’s also made from 100% recycled plastics. Peanuts are a great high energy source of food at this time of year – but always make sure they’re always offered in a feeder or crushed into small pieces and placed on your bird table. They can pose a choking hazard otherwise.
  5. This squirrel proof bird feeder again helps keep squirrels from feasting on your bird seed.
  6. This autumn bird food collection from Birdco is a great and affordable way to get started feeding the birds and encouraging wild birds to your garden, providing you with everything you need to feed the birds over autumn.

Others

  1. This bird house from Sparrow & Finch is one of the most stylish bird houses out there (edit: no longer available).
  2. These roosting pockets make good places for small birds to hide from predators or bad weather.
  3. A bird table is a great way to feed the birds, and this one would look lovely in any garden.
  4. A bird bath gives birds a place to have a little wash and have a drink. Just make sure it’s not too deep.
  5. Hanging a wool pot in your garden is a great way to help birds feather their nest with cosy wool.

Attracting UK Native RED Squirrels To Your Gloucestershire Garden

Despite their rapid decline since the introduction of the Grey Squirrel to the British Wildlife in 1876, the red squirrel can still be found neRed Squirrels Berkeley Gloucestershirear coniferous and deciduous woodland in certain parts of the UK.

If are near an area which you know is the home of Red Squirrels, you attract them with feeders, it is important to make sure that the feeders are cleaned frequently to avoid disease and are placed in a location that gives the squirrel cover from predators and does not force the squirrel to cross roads or open ground to reach the feeder.

If you are seeking to attract Squirrels, it is important to offer a varied diet of nuts and seeds in your feeders, some options include:

  1. Hazelnuts
  2. Beech
  3. Chestnuts

Because Red Squirrels are so vulnerable to catching disease from Grey Squirrels, it is important not to attract squirrels if there are both Red and Grey Squirrels in your area. However even though they are call the Grey Squirrel and Red Squirrel, this is not an accurate method of identification as both Grey and Red Squirrels can wear a variety of coat shades from reds and browns to greys and blacks.

Due to the threat disease to the Red Squirrel it is vital to have the knowledge to distinguish whether you are attracting any Grey Squirrels. Distinguished features of the Red Squirrel include:

  1. Ear Tufts
  2. Long Bushy Tail
  3. White Underparts

Nesting / Breeding:

Red Squirrels are known for their high reproductive rate. They usually produce 2 litters of 2-4 young each year. In the U.S., the first litter is born in January or February while the second arrives in mid-summer.

Their nests are usually located in trees. However, they may also accept man-made nesting boxes, such as the Barred Owl Nesting Box, Boreal Owl Nesting Box , Buffle-head Duck Nest Box , Common Golden-Eye Ducks, Common Merganser Nesting Boxes, Kestrel Nesting Boxes, Pileated Woodecker Nest Boxes, Wood Duck Nesting Box.

Attracting Hedgehogs To Your Gloucestershire Garden

The hedgehog is one of our most familiar garden mammals. Seldom seen during the day, their nocturnal wanderings take them through several gardens in the evening, where they feed on aTh variety of invertebrates such as snails and slugs, beetles, caterpillars and worms.

They are very good at running, climbing and swimming. In cold winter weather they will go into hibernation, only emerging when conditions are warmer.

Their nests may be quite large, usually made of mosses, grass, leaves and other garden debris. They can be found at the base of thick hedges, under thick bramble bushes, garden sheds or piles of rubbish.
Encouraging hedgehogs

You can encourage hedgehogs by providing them with suitable habitats. They like thick dense undergrowth and a variety of lengths of grass.

You may also be able to provide hedgehogs with supplementary food. This is particularly useful during periods of drought when natural insect foods may be harder to come by. Their varied diet allows them to eat many kinds of foods we have around the home.

With the exception of milk and bread, which should be avoided, you can put out almost anything. A particular favorite is dog or cat food, but you can also try small amounts of cake, biscuits and pastry as well as fresh and dried fruits and cooked vegetables.

Building a hedgehog box: Another way to encourage hedgehogs to spend more time in your garden is to provide them with a home.

A basic wooden box design can be constructed from 12mm (0.5ins) plywood. It should aim to be around 600mm x 400mm x 300mm deep (2ft x 1.5ft x 1ft). There should be an entrance chamber of 220mm x 400mm (9ins x 1.5ft) with entrance holes of 120mm x 120mm (5ins x 5ins) into the chamber and from the chamber into the main nestbox. The lid should be removable and overlap the sides of the box by 120mm (5ins). You can purchase a ready-made box from our online shop by clicking on the link below.

The box should be sited out of direct sunlight with the entrance facing away from prevailing winds, in or under thick vegetation or behind or under a shed. It may help with locating the box if you know where a hedgehog has built a nest in the past. Resist the temptation to keep removing the lid to see if the box is being used.

It may take a year or more for the intended occupant to take up residence, or it may not happen at all. This could indicate that local conditions are ideal and animals are finding adequate natural sites in which to nest.