Free council energy saving equipment

Honky_Tonk_808

Sorry if wrong part of the forum, please move if so

My council has a helpline for people wanting to receive free energy saving equipment if they meet the criteria after having a survey.

They have offered me the equipment below, I'm just wondering if there is a catch to it? My boiler is only a few years old and I recently used my savings to pay for a new roof so not sure if I want solar panels on it

Please see below explanation of work that has been recommended for you property. ALL works are fully funded and there are no contributions required.

Loft

We can top up your loft install from 100mm that is in to 300mm as per regulations - this is straight forward and we can access via the existing hatch

Solar PV

Solar Panels for use domestically in the house. We do not install batteries with the funding. You can request an export meter be fitted via your utility, usually hand in hand with a smart meter. The solar panels are subject to a technical survey via our subcontractor who install them. They check elevation / location, duration of sun exposure, size, panel count, roof integrity etc. If on install any damages are incurred it will be repaired, installers take pictures before they commence works so we know the condition of all the surface beforehand

ASHP

An air source heat pump, sometimes referred to as an air-to-water source heat pump, transfers heat from the outside air to water, which heats your rooms via radiators. It can also heat water stored in a hot water cylinder for your hot taps, showers and baths. This is subject to a technical survey where existing radiators are measured for possible replacements & new to be fitted

As mentioned the above loft install is a fabric measure so we need to upgrade the ventilation in the bathroom, kitchen & WC by installing mechanical ventilation (extract fans) & small trickle vents to the windows this is all included in the funding also

ariarnia

if you have the guarentee there is no cost from you and its from the council not a third party then i think your okay. I'd definitely get the solar panels but i'm not sure about the air source heat pump. i know they are supposed to be great but i think they're not as simple to run as a boiler and can work out more expensive if they're set up wrong. if you are willing to spend some time on here learning about your new system then I'd get it all if it was offered.

the only risk i think would be if they start the work and you agree to anything extra (like they say a battery for the solar) then you need to check (and get in writing) what any extra costs would be rather than just agreeing and getting a bill later for something you thought was included. 

i would also check with them what happens if there's a problem after installation (is there any guarentee) and if there's any cost for maintenance or anything like that (i doubt it if its the council but it could be a third party the council are contracted with). 

if/when you get a solar panel survey i would also post in the sub forum at the top about alternative energy. theres a lot of solar panel people there and they know things. like getting the solar panels bird proofed so you don't end up with pigeons nesting on your roof (i think the netting is effective you just need to make sure they include it in the install)

matelodave

If you've got already got gas heating and hot water then a heatpump will cost you more to heat your house than gas does at the moment, however if you've got storage heaters then a heatpump is well worth considering as it should be cheaper to run.

Efficiency does not equate to cost effective whilst electricity is nearly four times the price of gas.

The best and quickest benefit would be from installing insulation. Solar panels are worth having especially if you can sell any surplus back to the energy company

davemorton

Can I ask what council is offering free solar panels please? 

Spoonie_Turtle

Free solar panels?  Cor!  I'm rather very envious.  No payback period and free energy … I can understand why you're cautious about there being a catch.

We got a heat pump foisted on us by the Housing Association which turns out to consume 1-2kWh per day for "heating" even when the heating is off (I'm still cheesed off, a month or so after finding that out - 50kWh ours used in August!!!  And to top it off, we weren't even there for two of the weeks!) so while a survivably warm house is appreciated, it's an expensive bit of kit just for hot water in the warmer months.  Not all models have the high vampire load though, so if you are in a position to consider the heat pump (i.e. already all-electric) that's something to investigate.  Some people get round the massive vampire load by turning the whole thing off in summer though, just turning it on to heat water every couple of days.  Inconvenient, but at energy prices now, probably worth the hassle for most people in that situation.

But if you use currently use gas for hot water and heating (or even oil, at current prices), that's all irrelevant.  Heat pumps are a great idea for decarbonising but far too expensive to replace gas yet.

Numb_fingers

davemorton said:

Can I ask what council is offering free solar panels please? 

Finally got back on the forum. This account was disabled because I already had this old/lost account.

Liverpool is offering this scheme. I have been offered solar panels and an air source heat pump. I'm not fussed about the heat pump as my boiler is not old but I'm thinking about having the solar panels. You own the solar panels and get 2 years warranty on them (I think), you don't get a battery so it'll be a case of using the electricty when it is being generated


https://www.liverpool.gov.uk/housing/fuel-bills-and-energy-efficiency/apply-for-a-sustainable-warmth-fund-grant/

Bradden

What a great idea... I wish other councils did the same... offering to improve the housing for EF&G rated properties is something I wish we had done before.

brewerdave

Bradden said:

What a great idea... I wish other councils did the same... offering to improve the housing for EF&G rated properties is something I wish we had done before.

Agreed - but looking at the Liverpool scheme ,pretty restricted and only available to 700 homes ,first come, first served. Having lived and worked in Toxteth a few years ago, it won't even touch the sides.

FreeBear

Bradden said: What a great idea... I wish other councils did the same... offering to improve the housing for EF&G rated properties is something I wish we had done before.

Also agree that it is a worthwhile project, but.... I would be mighty peeved if someone drilled holes in my nice new window frames to install trickle vents. Having spent £5K getting rid of draughts, it would annoy me intensely to have a source of draughts deliberately installed. That and having internal wall insulation wrapped around the window reveals, there is precious little frame to fit a trickle vent to.

A MHRC or PIV system would be better, but more costly to install. Trickle vents are a cheap & nasty "quick fix".

Numb_fingers

FreeBear said:

Bradden said: What a great idea... I wish other councils did the same... offering to improve the housing for EF&G rated properties is something I wish we had done before.

Also agree that it is a worthwhile project, but.... I would be mighty peeved if someone drilled holes in my nice new window frames to install trickle vents. Having spent £5K getting rid of draughts, it would annoy me intensely to have a source of draughts deliberately installed. That and having internal wall insulation wrapped around the window reveals, there is precious little frame to fit a trickle vent to.

A MHRC or PIV system would be better, but more costly to install. Trickle vents are a cheap & nasty "quick fix".

I forgot to say I had the loft insulation fitted yesterday. They did say I had to extraction fans fitted but I didn't want to have these so they installed a PIV system instead

gt94sss2

Bradden said:

What a great idea... I wish other councils did the same... offering to improve the housing for EF&G rated properties is something I wish we had done before.

This scheme is available through lots of councils in England as its funded by the UK government. 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sustainable-warmth-competition-successful-local-authorities

https://surveys.est.org.uk/s/sustainablewarmth