NIE Insulation Grants

Dunwunderin

Applied for a cost free insulation grant from NIE.
Surveyor called recently and gave us 4 free light bulbs.

Had a quick look at our house and said he was recommending both loft insulation top -up and CWI.

What about fitting increased loft insulation and cavity wall insulation?
Are not more likely to get condensation in loft and house?
What about more burst pipes in your loft with the increased coldness up there in frosty weather!

Does CWI not give you more damp patches on internal walls in our wind-driven rain climate? Is the cavity not put there for a reason in our climate?

What is next? Do NIE make a insulation/proposal/specification for your property for your agreement with list of approved contractors?

Would be interested to hear from anybody who has already travelled down this road!

sheerdelight

Get as much loft insulation as you can. At least 270mm. If pipes run across joists make sure they are well insulated and pull blanket insulation from below pipes then put it back overthe pipes over to ensure heat from below keeps pipes from freezing. Get the thickest pipe insulation you can and lag other pipes with it.Don't let installers put on the thinnest and cheapest as they will try to do. There needs to be some venilation in loft but if there is athe slghtest of gaps the wind will blow through it My hosuse has ventilation along soffit edge and Building Control look for it but the draught through it is unbelieveable and it is bound to reduce efficiency of insulationas wind blows acroos the edge and top of it. As long as there is no condensation you should be OK.

Go for cavity wall insulation. The bonded bead is supposed to repel water. Even though we live in a damp climate we don't get too much driving rain here.Bricks are more of aproblem compared to plaster finish as it might enter cavity but it would need to blow for long and hard for water to enter cavity. Make sure you get someone reputable. My house was supposedly done as new build with glass fibre 18 years ago but I am sure parts have been missed and it is of inferior type. Going to have to open up walls and get it out so that I can get decent bonded bead stuff in there. Should have known when I saw the youngster trying to do it. Useless crowd from Belfast with a like name.

We really need to get insulation in UK and Ireland sorted out big time. Why try and heat the planet. There is so much fuel poverty about. People should be fit to have their homes heated to a reasonable standard all day every day and it could be done if builders, engineers and relevant authorities put their mind to it and designed and built houses to a good enough standard.

Who wants to be sitting in front of a 1 bar electric fire with a blanket round them at the tail end (or any part) of their life!!
We live in a modern society and should be fit to do it. Employment opportunities for manufacturers, installers and loads of others.

Don't get me started

Torby

It will be interesting to hear how this goes....I have an elderly aunt who has been in touch with NIE as well and there is apparently a surveyor to call with her ....once I hear from her I'll post on here as well....be interesting if they suggest CWI for her....she lives in a timber frame construction and it's not recommended....from memory the house she lives in has been built over 25 years ago and (moving things in her roof space) there was only about 3 or 4 inches of fibreglass insulation ( or whatever they called it in those days) and it doesn't look as if its much use....possibly why her roof space was quite warm and she thankfully didn't have any burst pipes up there this winter.

Belfastbelle

http://www.nieenergy.co.uk/index.php/my-home/the-big-save/

jeffer

A relative of mine got loft insulation through NIE last summer. Your income has to be no more than £18K to get it free. Her house is timber framed so the surveyor said she wouldn't need CWI.

almillar

Thanks Belfastbelle, I just signed up, reward for not sorting out that Airticity switch maybe. I can access my account already, just waiting for the energy monitor now...
All you need is your NIE Customer number...

gerf

i applied for the insulation grant at the beginning of december. NIE surveyor came yesterday republic of ireland guy in dublin registered van - work that one out - he took quick look at bank statement and letter saying i owned property and that fulfilled the eligibility question. asked a few energy related questions had a quick look in the roof space and said i'd be eligible for a top up on roof space insulation. no mention of CWI. he passes on my report to office in belfast and i wait another 6-8 weeks for the contractor's surveyor to come out and survey for the job. 'he might have other recommendations' says NIE man. i await the next move. maybe i'm an old cynic but i somehow think i'll be told i need to take other measures and will still end up being asked to pay something to eaga who seem to be the NIE sub-contracted company who do the job for you. at least i got 4 free energy saving bulbs and nice high wattage ones at that.

Dunwunderin

Hi,
About 4 weeks since first surveyor called. No sign of any paperwork or recommendations etc. No contact from any contractors( are there more than one to keep it competitive?)

Very slow progress--winter will be over before the job is done!
Still, the free light bulbs work ok!

Sootzer

Had cwi done last year...process took over 4 months.

Dunwunderin

Thanks for the timescale. It looks as if I am going to have to be very patient!

How is your CWI? Who was the contractor? Was it the beaded type and have you seen any improvement during the recent very cold spell?

clueless1682

I'm also interested in knowing more. Just bought a house which needs CWI, absolutely none in there which is disappointing. Would like to get it done before next winter but not sure how the process works. Any more info from those who have been through it would be appreciated!