Energy efficiency - your questions answered

So you want to find out more about energy efficiency then just read the questions and answers below.

Q. I want a more efficient boiler, what funding is available for boiler replacements?
A. The Government, local authorities and even energy suppliers all provide grants specifically designed to help you introduce energy saving measures into your home. How much you are entitled to will depend on where you live and whether you fulfil the eligibility criteria.

The main sources of funding for fitting a new energy efficient boiler include:

Warm Front (In England)
Warm Deal and the Central heating programme (In Scotland)
Warm Homes grant (In Ireland)
HEES (In Wales)

To find out more, visit our grants page, contact your local authority or visit the Energy Saving Trust's Grant information database by clicking here.

Q. Can I fit my own boiler?
A. No. It is illegal for anyone other than a registered installer to fit your boiler. Not only could you be faced with a substantial fine but you could also be putting yours and your family's lives at risk. Installers must be registered by the appropriate approved body (such as Gas Safe Register) so if using an independent installer be sure to ask for proof of their credentials.

Q. Do Solar panels only work in sunny weather?
A. Solar panels will generate energy as long as there is daylight. This light does not have to be direct sunlight and therefore the panels will work even when the weather is overcast. Though, ideally, they should be south facing to obtain optimum benefit. It is worth noting however, that panels that are situated in direct sunlight are likely to heat water to a significantly higher temperature.

Q. Can I fit a ground source heat pump into an old property?
A. Ideally ground source heat pumps should be fitted into well insulated new build properties with underfloor heaitng to gain maximum efficiency. Get in touch with an istaller who can advise on the suitability of your property.

Q. Are there any grants available if I want to install low carbon technologies such as biomass, solar panels or ground source heat pumps in my home?
A. Yes, in addition to those grants offered by the Government and local authorities, The Low Carbon Buildings Programme provides grants for the following technologies:

Solar Water Heating
Ground and air source heat pumps
Biomass (including biomass boilers)
Micro combined heat and power (micro-CHP boilers)

For more information you can visit the Low Carbon Buildings Programme website by clicking here.

Q. How much energy and money could I save by improving the heating in my home?
A. By replacing old boilers and heating systems you could be saving a substantial amount of energy and money each year. Exactly how much you save will depend on a number of factors including the type of system you are replacing and what you are replacing it with.

The Facts:

The older your boiler is the more inefficient it is likely to be. If your boiler is older than 10 years you should definitely think about replacing it - you could be saving approximately one third on your heating bills. If everyone in the UK with gas central heating installed a condensing boiler, we would cut our C0₂ emissions by 13 million tonnes a year - enough to heat 3.7 million homes. In terms of savings on our energy bills, that translates to a staggering £1.8 billion every year!
By upgrading your heating controls and fitting a condensing boiler in your home you will improve the efficiency of your central heating system which means you could cut your energy consumption and costs by up to an impressive 40%. In fact, if everyone in the UK installed a condensing boiler in their home, the energy saved would be more than enough to heat EVERY home in Scotland and Wales for a year. That's quite a saving!
Fitting an insulating jacket to your hot water cylinder means your water will stay hot for longer and you'll be wasting less energy heating it. Good insulation on a hot water tank could cut your wastage by three quarters - a cash saving of around £20 a year. CO₂ emissions would be cut by around 700,000 tonnes if everyone in the UK put a jacket on their hot water tank. That's enough to fill 4 million double decker buses!

You can find out more about what you could be saving by visiting the EnergyHub product pages.

Q. What else can I do to save energy in my home?
A. The average UK home can save £300 every year just by being more energy efficient. To find out how you can save money, be cosier in the winter and cooler in the summer, visit our energy saving tips page.