Ensuring your home is more energy efficient

It may seem a little early to be thinking about winter, but according to energy expert Grant Mackay, now is the time to get your property ready for winter.

As the advice centre manager for Home Energy Scotland in the Highlands and Islands, Mr Mackay is brimming with tips on how you can make your home more energy efficient before the cold weather kicks in.

Here, Mr MacKay shares his advice on how to save money on your energy bills and also help the environment at the same time.

The thought of colder winter months seems a long way off – thankfully but summer is actually the perfect time to get your home ready for winter.

Recent research by Home Energy Scotland revealed that 70% of people in Scotland feel concerned about energy bills rising, with almost two thirds using more energy than usual during the first 12 months of the pandemic.

The research also found that 59% of households have noticed a worrying rise in their energy bills already.

And this is why people living in the Highlands and Islands are being advised to act now and make their homes more energy efficient before the cold weather returns.

Insulation keeps the heat in your home, so by making sure your home is properly insulated, you can save energy, money and do your bit for the environment.

A home that isn’t well insulated can lose more than 50% of its heat through its roof and walls, so making improvements now can help your finances in the future.

These savings can all add up. For example, by installing cavity wall insulation, householders could save up to £155 and 660kg of CO2 a year, or if they were to replace their old D-rated boiler with an A-rated boiler and a full set of heating controls, this could give a saving of around £110 and 570kg of carbon dioxide a year.

Even by insulating an uninsulated hot water cylinder with an 80mm jacket, you could see savings of around £80 and 485kg of carbon dioxide a year.

People who are worrying about bills or heating should give Home Energy

Scotland a call now for valuable advice. More than 560 householders in the Highlands and Islands did just that and received support through Warmer Home Scotland in the year 2020/21.

The good news is that the Scottish Government has increased the level of support available through Home Energy Scotland.

Its Warmer Homes Scotland programme, managed by Warmworks, provides vital improvements like home insulation, secondary glazing or a new heating system for eligible households, worth around £5,000.

Additional funding has been made available to allow more people to get support as we all recover from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. And making improvements to your home now could not only save you money on your home energy bills, but also help to meet Scotland’s net zero targets and contribute to lowering our emissions as a nation.

Home Energy Scotland, the Scottish Government’s free energy efficiency advice service, helps people access Warmer Homes Scotland along with a range of other financial support and impartial advice.

If it looks like you might be eligible for help under Warmer Homes Scotland, you will be referred to Warmworks for an initial survey of your home to be carried out.

■ To find out exactly what you are eligible for – whatever your circumstances – call the Scottish Government’s Home Energy Scotland hotline on 0808 808 2282 or go to their website.