Up to 100% grants for loft & cavity wall insulation

[Tom B]

Up to 100% grants available for loft and cavity wall insulation, saving up to 35% on your heating bill.....see here for details! http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/pro ... ferssearch

Anybody got any experience of getting this done recently? - and what did you think?

[ClaireW]

We had the cavity wall insulation put in a couple of years ago, we live in an ex council house which is just over 50 years old and it has made a difference. The house stays warmer its difficult to say how much we have saved as the price of gas and electric has gone up. It also pays to put extra thick insulation in the roof and board it over if possible, we also put old carpet down over the boards and when you open up the loft enterence you can feel the heat/cold in the space so it is definately working as the upsairs rooms are kept warm with minimum heating on during the winter.

[Tom B]

Glad you got benefit from it Claire.

Apparently there're still millions of houses in the UK built since about the 30's with unfilled cavities, and getting them filled is one of the easiest ways to save on the fuel bill/cut down on carbon emissions - everyone who is 70 or over, can get this done completely free. I think a lot of (ex) council houses and housing association properties have now been done, hence the governments targeting of some of this new money to other homeowners.

[jdcarra]

Apparently there're still millions of houses in the UK built since about the 30's with unfilled cavities, and getting them filled is one of the easiest ways to save on the fuel bill/cut down on carbon emissions - everyone who is 70 or over, can get this done completely free. I think a lot of (ex) council houses and housing association properties have now been done, hence the governments targeting of some of this new money to other homeowners.

Not much good if you have a wooden house Tom (ex forestry, Swedish style). When it is very windy they can be pretty draughty.

[Ticketty Boo!]

Is there no plenty hot air inside the swedish type hoose when the master is at hame?

[general jack o'niell]

just the one house? or all houses of this construction? seeing as i live in one of them too! when i bought the house in 1989 i drilled holes in the wall of the back bedroom (west facing) and filled the cavity between the wood layers with foam, as JD says they can be gie draughty, certain wind directions lift my neighbours livingroom carpet, tho i sealed every gap when replacing skirtings.

would this scheme include such houses and if so, where do we sign up?

[Tom B]

All the energy companies will come out and survey your house for free, and let you know suitably of installing cavity or loft insulation.

The main numbers are : -

ScottishPower 0845 601 7836
Scottish HydroElectric 08457 776633
Scottish Gas 0845 971 7731
other energy companies are available!

I just called those three, and all said they have someone in the Campbeltown area (or a local contractor) who does this work for them. No cost to householder for survey, and depending on circumstances (over 70, certain benefits etc) the work is done for free too. more details here http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/pro ... ferssearch

jd & general, it might be worth getting somone out to have a look, I'm sure they would advsie on draft proofing too

[general jack o'niell]

already had the loft done a couple of years ago under either the same or a different scheme but will look into the cavity thing. don't think theres much draught advice i could get seeing as most of it comes via the ventilation bricks, and grills on the outside walls.

thank you

[spangles]

A colleague of mine is very environmentally minded and has his house well insulated but when he tried to put in replace sash and case windows with look alike high performance ones he was refused on the grounds of listing.

Most of his efforts to reduce his carbon footprint are disappearing out the windows along with his hopes of more manageable fuel costs.

Crazy!!!!! He says until they address planning issues like this they are only playing at it and stuffing your walls as he has done is only part of the answer.

Definitely a step taken in the right drection though.

S

[Jock Strap]

A colleague of mine is very environmentally minded and has his house well insulated but when he tried to put in replace sash and case windows with look alike high performance ones he was refused on the grounds of listing.

Most of his efforts to reduce his carbon footprint are disappearing out the windows along with his hopes of more manageable fuel costs.

Crazy!!!!! He says until they address planning issues like this they are only playing at it and stuffing your walls as he has done is only part of the answer.

Definitely a step taken in the right drection though.

S

What listing is it?

Interesting topic btw - will phone tomorrow!

[spangles]

C as far as I know

S

[jdcarra]

just the one house? or all houses of this construction? seeing as i live in one of them too! when i bought the house in 1989 i drilled holes in the wall of the back bedroom (west facing) and filled the cavity between the wood layers with foam, as JD says they can be gie draughty, certain wind directions lift my neighbours livingroom carpet, tho i sealed every gap when replacing skirtings.

would this scheme include such houses and if so, where do we sign up?

All of Toshs Park (Forestry Houses as once called) bar one which was rebuilt after gutted by fire.

All the energy companies will come out and survey your house for free, and let you know suitably of installing cavity or loft insulation.

The main numbers are : -

ScottishPower 0845 601 7836
Scottish HydroElectric 08457 776633
Scottish Gas 0845 971 7731
other energy companies are available!

jd & general, it might be worth getting somone out to have a look, I'm sure they would advsie on draft proofing too

Tom, thanks for info

Called Scottish Hydro Electric and I have been put on the list for a survey visit within the next two weeks. I have been given a free phone telephone number to call for any questions on this. Will post back here shortly with further info and if 100% grant given. Might need to be on some kind of benefit to recieve that.

[general jack o'niell]

i was too lazy to phone and couldn't find the info i needed online, scottish gas are my supplier, all the houses here are all electric bar a couple with oil central heating. their site wouldn't even recognise my customer number so i emailed them, asked the relevent question and told them that if they weren't able to help i might consider changing my supplier, yes you guessed, i haven't had a reply despite giving all my contact details, but what do you expect from a supplier that aren't even in the phone book. i twice recently had to phone scottish hydro to get a number, i know, i should have written the number down the first time, hindsight is a great thing, but i'm not blessed with it. i'll phone tomorrow.

thanks for info

[jdcarra]

i was too lazy to phone and couldn't find the info i needed online, scottish gas are my supplier, all the houses here are all electric bar a couple with oil central heating. their site wouldn't even recognise my customer number so i emailed them, asked the relevent question and told them that if they weren't able to help i might consider changing my supplier, yes you guessed, i haven't had a reply despite giving all my contact details, but what do you expect from a supplier that aren't even in the phone book. i twice recently had to phone scottish hydro to get a number, i know, i should have written the number down the first time, hindsight is a great thing, but i'm not blessed with it. i'll phone tomorrow.

thanks for info

As being Scottish Hydro customer, I was given contact number 0800 072 7201. Will call today and ask a few questions, get back on this.

[Tom B]

I've just chased up my original call from 6 May, when I was told that someone would come out within 6 weeks to have a look at our house to see if it was suitable for loft/cavity wall insulation. I was passed on to the subcontractor, a company called Miller Pattison, who appear to be one on the main insulation companies in the country, who are going to get back to me with a date for the survey.....

Anybody else have any luck with this?!