The ECO4 Scheme
The ECO4 scheme has helped countless homeowners across the country be more resilient against the cold and rising energy prices by helping them warm their home for less. The Energy Company obligation (ECO) launched in 2013 to help make UK homes more energy efficient. Now in it’s fourth phase, the government has increased its funding for the scheme, with around £1 billion invested annually to help achieve various environmental goals and deadlines. It is important to take part in this initiative both for your wellbeing and the environment. Energy grant companies make sure that your home is left in the best state possible, helping create an environment that is safe and warm, an important requirement especially if you have elders or children in the house that require the heat to be always on and the air quality to be optimum.
If you are a homeowner who claims benefits and want to check your eligibility, you can fill out this form and one of our team members will come back to you. We have helped thousands of homeowners across the country upgrade their heating systems for free by helping them install insulations and other upgrades they required, like free boilers and radiators.
Home Insulation: A Requirement for Every Home
Home insulation is a crucial part of a home heating efficiency rating, and that is because without proper insulation, a home loses around 20% of it’s heat, which can add up to more than £500 a year. UK homes are amongst the least efficient in Europe, mainly due to this problem, and this is why tackling it, starting with your own home, is a priority.
There are many kinds of insulation, and being able to assess which one is suitable and needed for your home can help you effectively tackle your heat loss problem. If you are eligible for an ECO4 upgrade, then a surveyor can carry out the assessment and help recommend what is best for you. Loft, wall and underfloor insulations are important because if one of them is not in place or not doing its job properly, then it doesn’t allow what is in place to work properly. If you have internal wall insulations, for example, and lack loft, then as much as 33% of heat generated in your home can be lost because heat travels upwards and therefore it will find an escape. This is why it is important to have a professional do it for you.
Upgrading and Maintaining Your Heating System: Make use of free upgrades!
Making sure your heating system is working at its optimum is key to feeling warm and comfortable during the harsh winter months. While this is no secret, we will explore the best practices that have worked best for homeowners in the past, why they work, and how you can make use of schemes designed to help you withstand the cold while spending less.
The first step we would recommend is pipe insulation. Pipe insulation ensures that you will not need a plumber when the weather is too cold; many homes suffer as their pipes freeze, which can even occur with new boilers like a condensing boiler. If you are installing a new boiler, or you’re eligible for a new one with the ECO4 or LA flex schemes, you can ask the installer to insulate the pipes. Check your eligibility for a free boiler here.
You can also make sure that there is no ice buildup and other debris that can cause problems to your system. Have a technician check your heating system to make sure there are no issues or that they are addressed.
THERMOSTATS are another great and cheap way to prepare yourself for the winter. By having more control over the temperature of your home, you pay less, as it is never too high and doesn’t drop so low that you have to use more energy to warm your home again. You can have your home warmed at preset times, so you no longer have to wake up in the middle of the night feeling cold and prepare your house beforehand, as new thermostats can be adjusted through mobile phones, allowing you to set the temperature of your home before you come back from work.
WINDOWS! Make sure your windows are well insulated. Double glazed windows can save up to £200 on your energy bill. Well insulated windows are important in all seasons, whether you are trying to keep your house warm or cool. Read our article on insulating your windows and how to make sure they are not leaking heat here.
Home Energy Guide
The Home Energy Guide team is dedicated to helping you create the best living atmosphere that is comfortable in both winter and summer. As energy prices continue to rise, we have made it our mission to help you stay warm at the lowest expense possible. Our team has helped connect thousands of homeowners to reputable energy grant companies in order to make sure they can get what is suitable for them. Contact us to learn about how you can get free upgrades for your home and the best way to move forward to create a healthy life for you and the environment.
