Melting snow shows heat loss homes, but help is at
hand
The recent snowfall in the county could give
householders a big clue to how well their insulation is working –
or not working – according to the Warmer Worcestershire
energy-saving team.
If the snow melted more quickly on your roof
than the snow on surrounding roofs, it's a sure sign that heat has
been escaping from the house.
Local people whose snow disappeared in a hurry
are being encouraged to check out the Warmer Worcestershire
website, where a special thermal map displays the levels of heat
loss from the roofs of individual homes.
The project is run by the Worcestershire
Partnership, which brings together the organisations responsible
for local services, such as the County Council, district councils
and many more partners, including energy efficiency charity Act on
Energy. Visitors to http://www.warmerworcestershire.com/
can find details about retaining their heat and might even be
eligible for free or discounted loft and cavity wall
insulation.
Paul Baxter, who lives in a listed house in
Cropthorne, used the website to check his level of heat
loss and secured a grant to install new, deeper loft insulation.
Mr Baxter said: "Our electricity bill is down by
30 per cent and we've used substantially less LPG for central
heating. It's good to be saving money on our fuel bills too."
After visiting the website, Sue Young
of Kidderminster discovered that she was eligible for free
loft insulation because she was over 60. She
said: "After phoning to arrange an appointment, a young
lad arrived to do the job. He was at my house for about two and a
half hours, did an excellent job and was very polite. I would
recommend it to anyone."
Professor Michael Clarke, Chair of the
Worcestershire Partnership, said: "The colder weather is a
good reminder to us all that, rather than turning up the
thermostat, there are things we could be doing to make our homes
warmer and more energy efficient.
The Warmer Worcestershire website can help by
giving you an idea of how much heat you are losing through the
roof. It also provides advice from, and contact details for,
the people who can help you to save heat and money on bills."
An example of the advice on the website is
that draughts and wasted heat can be tackled by installing a cheap,
easy-to-fix brush or PVC seal on exterior doors, and by fitting
covers for letterboxes and keyholes.
Residents can visit http://www.warmerworcestershire.com/
or ring Act on Energy on 0800 988 2881for free, impartial
advice. Warmer Worcestershire has not authorised any
contractor to undertake cold calling, either by telephone or in
person, as part of this project.