Energy efficiency at home
In an un-insulated property, up to a third of the heat produced by the heating system can be lost through the walls and around a quarter through the roof.
At a time of high fuel prices, energy efficiency in our homes is becoming increasingly important. By being more energy efficient, not only can you save money on your gas and electricity bills, you can also prevent wasting valuable fuel resources and protect our climate and environment.
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Making your home more energy efficient
What you can do
There are many ways you can help make your home more energy efficient. Not only will it help you reduce your fuel bills and keep your home warmer, but you will also be doing your bit for the environment too.
- Fit draught excluders - draughts in the home can be a drain on your heating bills. Fitting draught excluders to your doors and windows as well as the letter box and keyholes will make a difference. You can also close gaps between floorboards and under skirting boards. Make sure that you don't block ventilation that's needed for boilers and fires as this could be dangerous. Good draught proofing could save you £25 per year.
- Update your boiler - the older your boiler, the more inefficient it will be, costing you more to keep your home warm. A-rated condensing boilers are the most energy efficient.
- Look after your gas heating - gas central heating and gas fires need to be regularly serviced to keep them safe and to keep them running efficiently. Remember to only use a Gas Safe [https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/] contractor to carry out the work. If you've got central heating it is also worth getting the radiators bled to remove any air that could stop it working efficiently.
- Wrap up your hot water cylinder - jackets for hot water cylinders cost about £15, yet can save you around £30 a year on heating bills.
- Insulate your roof - on average a quarter of heat is lost through the roof if it's not insulated. Investing in 270mm thick loft insulation can save up to £135 a year in a semi detached house. If you've already got some insulation, it's worth thinking about whether it needs 'topping-up'.
- Insulate your cavity walls - on average a third of heat is lost through the outside walls of your house if its not insulated. You could save up to £150 a year by having cavity wall insulation fitted in a semi detached house.
- Use energy efficient light bulbs - these are a quick and easy way to start reducing your electricity bills. The bulbs last ten times longer and use around 80% less energy. You can buy them in your local supermarket or DIY store.
Don't forget you may be able to get help towards the cost of some of these measures, so make sure you see what's available through our Energy Efficiency Grant web pages [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/home-energy-warmth/getting-support-energy-bills/5].
Getting it done
While some simple energy efficiency improvements can be done by householders themselves, other jobs will need professional help. We are not able to recommend contractors or tradespeople but would urge people to consider the following:
- Use local companies which employ local people and get materials locally and so help the local economy.
- Get more than one quote for the work and get this in writing. Make sure you have all labour and material costs, the time it will take and when they can start.
- Ask how long the quote is valid for and look out for anything left off or hidden extras such as planning and building inspection costs
- Identify insurance responsibilities and health and safety issues (for example if they are fitting a new heating system, will they be removing asbestos?)
- Security- for example will they be working on your house when you are not there? Will scaffolding be secured at night?
- Make sure you know of any disruption to your home such as expected mess, where materials will be left and who is responsible for clearing up afterwards
- Always ask for references. There may be online reviews of the company you have chosen. Check other websites as well as their own.
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Energy efficiency measures and technology
Does my home have solid or cavity walls?
Solid walls are often found in homes built before the 1920's and typically cavity walls are found in homes built after the 1920's. The brick work on your property can give you an idea of the type of walls you have; if the bricks are all facing sideways, it is likely you have cavity walls. If you are not sure, a surveyor will be able to advise you.
You may be able to tell if your home has had cavity wall insulation by looking for small holes that have been filled in where the insulation was injected through - these will often be just under the windows.
Solid wall insulation
Solid walls have no cavity, therefore, more heat is able to escape. Solid walls can be insulated both internally and externally to slow down the rate of heat loss. It should be noted that these measures can be costly and may cause disruption. This said, insulating solid walls can create big savings on your energy bills and keep your home much warmer.
External insulation involves fixing a layer of insulating material to the outside walls. For this reason, you may need to get planning permission to install the insulation. Depending on the size of your home, external wall insulation can cost between £8,000-£22,000, but could save you around £255 a year on your heating bills for a typical semi-detached house.
Internal insulation involves fixing insulation boards to the interior of the property, again, helping to reduce the amount of heat lost through your walls and therefore, reducing your bills. Internal wall insulation can be cheaper than external wall insulation; however, a lot of disruption may be experienced during the installation process. Typically, internally insulating your home will cost between £4,000 and £13,000, depending on the size of your home, but an average semi-detached house could save around £255 per year on heating costs.
Read more about solid wall insulation on the Energy Saving Trust's website [https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/solid-wall-insulation/].
Cavity wall insulation
If your house has a cavity, your external walls will be made of two layers with a gap in between them. Cavity wall insulation fills this gap, reducing the amount of heat lost through the walls. Newer homes will have cavity wall insulation installed as part of the building process. The insulation can be made of various materials and is injected into the cavity through holes drilled into the outer walls, which are then filled in. Cavity wall insulation can typically cost around £500 but can save you around £100 on your energy bills annually, making the pay back time for this technology sometimes less than 5 years.
Read more about cavity wall insulation on the Energy Saving Trust's website [https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/cavity-wall-insulation/].
Roof and loft insulation
Loft insulation is one the most simple yet effective ways to reduce heat loss in the home. In an uninsulated home, a quarter of your heat can be lost through the roof. Depending on if you do the work yourself or get professional installers to do the work for you, loft insulation can cost between £300-£400 but can save you around £100-£200 a year on your heating bills. Furthermore, loft insulation can last around 40 years so will pay for itself several times over.
It is always worth asking your supplier if they are able to subsidise any of these insulation measures. Some energy companies are obligated to fund insulation and heating measures to help vulnerable and low income households.
Read more about roof and loft insulation on the Energy Saving Trust's website [https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/roof-and-loft-insulation/].
Solar panels (electricity from sunlight)
Also known as photovoltaic (PV) panels, solar panels capture direct sunlight to generate electricity.
You may need to alter how you use your electricity to make the most of your solar panels. Any energy your solar panels generate can either be used to run your appliances for free or, if it is not used, exported back to the grid. If you use more electricity than your solar panels are generating, you will need to buy energy from the grid. Therefore it is worth turning on high powered appliances in the middle of the day when there is most sunlight. For this reason it is also worth staggering the use of high powered appliances. To find out if your home and heating system are suitable for this technology read about solar panels on the Energy Saving Trust's website [http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/renewable-energy/electricity/solar-panels]. You may need to get planning permission to fit these panels.
Solar water heating (solar thermal)
This technology uses heat from the sun to warm hot water. Used alongside conventional boilers or immersion heaters, the water will be pre-warmed by the sun, so less energy is required to bring the water up to a suitable temperature. Solar hot water is a green, renewable heating system which could reduce the cost of heating water in your home. Read about solar water heating on the Energy Saving Trust's website [http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/renewable-energy/heat/solar-water-heating] to find out if your home and heating system are suitable for this technology. You may also need to check if planning permission is required for these panels.
Air or ground source heat pump
These absorb heat from either the outside air or the ground to heat radiators, underfloor heating, warm air heating systems and to provide hot water in the home. They use some electricity to run so you will still have to pay fuel bills. Heat pumps are effective and can help lower your bills, particularly if you are using them to replace an electric heating system and your home is well insulated. You may need planning permission for this technology. For more information on using and installing heat pumps visit The Energy Saving Trust's heat pump webpages [http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/renewable-energy/heat].
Boiler Upgrade Scheme
Through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, you could get a grant to cover part of the cost of replacing fossil fuel heating systems with a heat pump or biomass boiler.
Fossil fuel heating systems include oil, gas or electric.
You can get one grant per property. Current grants are available for:
- £7,500 towards an air source heat pump
- £7,500 towards a ground source heat pump (including water source heat pumps and those on shared ground loops)
- £5,000 towards a biomass boiler
For information on eligibility criteria and how to apply, visit the Government's Boiler Upgrade Grant Scheme webpages [https://www.gov.uk/apply-boiler-upgrade-scheme].
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Safety
Carbon Monoxide
Carbon Monoxide (CO) is an odourless, colourless, poisonous gas. It occurs when equipment that burns fuels, like gas, coal or wood, are not working properly or if the flue is blocked or if there is poor ventilation.
To help prevent CO poisoning in your home:
- make sure chimneys and flues are swept regularly and kept clear
- make sure there is good ventilation
- have appliances checked by a Gas Safe Registered contractor [https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/]once a year
- make sure that the flame on gas appliances is burning blue not yellow/orange
- never cook on a barbecue indoors
- install carbon monoxide detectors in the home.
Householders are urged to check their homes for the potential risks of CO.
In gas appliances look out for:
- stains or deposits of soot
- yellow/orange flames.
In solid fuel appliances look out for:
- the smell of fumes
- a fire that is slow to burn and goes out easily
- a fire that is difficult to light
- a blocked chimney flue.
Symptoms of CO poisoning may include drowsiness, dizziness, chest pains, nausea, stomach pains, tiredness and diarrhoea. Pets may show symptoms earlier than people.
If you think you are suffering from CO poisoning, open the windows and then get out into the fresh air immediately. If the symptoms are serious, you should go straight to your doctor or to a hospital. In an emergency, call the Gas Emergency Helpline on 0800 111 999. It is also important to get a Gas Safe registered engineer to check your gas appliances and flues for any faults.
For more information about CO poisoning, check the Gas Safe Register website [https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/help-and-advice/carbon-monoxide-poisoning/].
Gas safety
Gas appliances should be checked every year for their safety by a Gas Safe registered engineer [http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/]. If you rent your property your landlord should do this and give you a copy of the test reports, known as a Landlord Gas Safety Record, before you move in or within 28 days of the inspection. Read the full details of landlords' responsibilities on the Health and Safety Executive's website [http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/landlords/].
Bottled gas
All permanent and portable gas appliances and flues in the property need an annual gas safety check by a Gas Safe registered engineer [http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/] as unsafe bottled gas heaters and cookers can cause carbon monoxide poisoning. For this reason, and the fact that they produce large amounts of water vapour, which can cause damp, ensure there is plenty of air circulation.
Cold calling
Utility companies may visit your home unannounced, to read your meter. Most of these companies operate a password scheme, which once registered, the caller from the company should be asked for the password before being allowed in. Call your energy supplier directly to ask if they provide this service.
If you have any concerns whatsoever about someone who calls at your home, please follow these steps:
- Ask for identification and write down their name and the phone number of their organisation
- Don't allow them into your home
- Do not give them any personal details
- Don't commit to anything and ask them to come back to give you time to check on them
Information on cold calling [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/30/trading_standards/1410/doorstep_sellerscallers].
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Landlord responsibilities
These are some of the legal requirements landlords need to follow in relation to the energy efficiency of their properties:
The Housing Health and Safety Rating System
The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) helps us identify and protect against potential risks to health and safety from any problems in homes. The HHSRS stresses the need for a warm and healthy home and reasonable standards of heating and insulation.
We have the power to take action where the condition of a property could pose a threat to the health and wellbeing of the person living there. Landlords can be required to improve standards by the Council and put in measures such as central heating or insulation to improve thermal comfort. For more information visit our landlord accreditation webpages [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/clas].
Energy Performance Certificates
Since 1 October 2008, all rental properties with a new tenancy in England and Wales are required to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).
An EPC provides a rating for the energy efficiency of a building. The ratings are set against standard levels so one building can be compared with another of a similar type. EPCs are similar to the certificates you get with domestic appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines. They give information on the energy efficiency and the environmental impact of the property, as well as advising of potential ways these can be improved. This information is rated on a scale of A to G, where A is the best and should have the lowest fuel bill. The average UK property is in bands D to E.
The energy efficiency rating is a measure of the overall efficiency of a home. The higher the rating the more energy efficient the home is and the lower the fuel bills will be.
The environmental impact rating is a measure of a home's impact on the environment in terms of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The higher the rating the less impact it has on the environment.
Each certificate also has a recommendation report, giving information about ways to improve the energy efficiency of the property. The rating that could be achieved if all the recommendations were to be put into action is also given. New homes will have a reduced recommendation report which will contain more advanced energy savings improvements such as solar panels. This is because it is expected that improvements to walls, floor and roof will be already included in the design.
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Condensation damp and mould
How condensation damp and mould occur
Condensation occurs in homes due to the steam and moisture produced through activities such as cooking, washing and drying clothes. If this damp air comes into contact with a cold surface such as your walls and windows this moisture turns back to water.
Lack of heating and ventilation can make the problem worse. Cool air can't hold much moisture so more condensation is left on your cold walls and windows, especially where air is unable to circulate easily such as behind furniture and in the corners of rooms. This is why damp and mould can be more of a problem over the winter months.
Damp conditions encourage mould growth on your walls which can ruin window frames, furniture, clothing and décor. Damp conditions are also bad for your health, particularly if you have any respiratory illnesses.
What can you do to help reduce condensation
Heating
Keeping the temperature above 15 degrees Celsius in your home will help to reduce the risk of condensation and mould growth. For this reason, try to avoid leaving unused rooms unheated. Keeping a constant temperature, rather than turning your heating on and off frequently will also help to reduce condensation as well as reducing your energy bills.
Insulation
Loft and wall Insulation will help to keep the walls of your home warmer, further reducing the risk of damp. Insulating your walls has the added benefit of keeping your whole home warmer by reducing heat loss so will greatly reduce your heating bills.
Ventilation
Make sure to use extractor fans where possible and keep all air vents clear. Also allow space for air to circulate around furniture especially, against outside walls. Opening your windows and trickle vents will also help reduce the risk of condensation damp occurring, this is particularly important when drying clothes, cooking or bathing.
Reduce moisture
The best way to avoid condensation damp and mould is to reduce the amount of moisture created. Covering pots and pans when cooking, drying clothing outdoors instead of on the radiator, and avoiding using portable gas heaters will all minimise how much moisture you produce.