Ms Y
“I have peace of mind that I can babysit my grandkids and it won’t be too cold.”
Ms Y lives alone in a three-bedroom mid-terrace house in the Meadows, she has previously struggled with heating her home and rising energy bills.
“I feel more prepared for this winter. The weather has shifted already so these changes have already greatly helped.”
After sharing her concerns with her son, he signed her up for a free Future-fit Survey to try and mitigate her energy costs.
Ms Y had noticed that a lot of the warmth was escaping from her roof and that specific rooms in her home struggled to retain heat. She was feeling increasingly stressed about her rising energy bills, she told us “Last winter, my energy bills went through the roof. I just had to keep working to make ends meet.”
Worth £600, Future Fit Home plans are developed from a home assessment and tailored to the home. Importantly, the plans prioritise insulation, ventilation and heat retention as the logical first steps to home energy efficiency, and take into consideration the costs and savings made.
For example, Ms Y’s Future Fit survey revealed specific areas of improvement for her home. It highlighted the need for installing a new dining room radiator and adding a draught-proofed attic stairs’ door. Additionally, she would benefit from having control over the central heating and individual room temperatures to effectively heat her home. It was not surprising that her home was losing heat considering the initial struggle to warm it up in the first place.
With funding from the Cadent Foundation, Green Meadows were able to action some of the first improvements listed on the plan, which included:
A new double convector radiator to heat the dining room adequately and quickly
New thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs), a heating programmer and a thermostat to offer more control over heating & energy bills
Draught-proofed door on the stairs that lead to the attic to prevent heat loss
Ms Y was really pleased to receive funding for the changes, she told us that she now feels more comfortable and reassured that her house will no longer be too cold when she has family visit.
The addition of new radiators and TRVS means that Ms Y can increase the temperature in rooms that need it more. She told us she had been struggling to stay warm and comfortable in the downstairs of her home and had been having to leave the house to seek warmth. Since the install, she has been controlling the valves, setting the thermostat temperature and feels more comfortable using her heating.
The Future-fit plan and changes funded by the Cadent Foundation have had a great impact on her wellbeing, she recounted that “When my house was cold, I struggled with feeling depressed, I was so col. With the improvements, I’ve already noticed a difference.” It is reassuring that Ms Y can now feel comfortable enough to rely on her heating at home.
If you are interested in receiving a free Future Fit Home plan, sign up here or call us on 0115 718 2028.