LFO/ldo/05.11.08                                                                                      RAISES 1/2

Energy Saving Features

EFFECTIVE USE OF HEATING IS KEY TO SAVING ENERGY

Having a modern and efficient heating system, with individual radiator controls, is a key to minimising your use of expensive energy. The comparison between a fully efficient modern system in well insulated surroundings, and an old system in an unimproved building, can be fuel bills twice as high.

Saving energy starts with your central heating boiler and equipment, which needs to be working to maximum efficiency in order to avoid fuel wastage and unnecessarily high fuel bills. If you need a modern new system or an upgrade, consult the experts.

Householders should really be aiming to obtain a boiler to the Sedbuck A rated standard. These are condensing boilers available in many types, such as combination boilers, standard wall mounted boilers and free standing boilers. The latter should be run in conjunction with a fully pumped system. They should have foam lagged cylinders incorporated to ensure that the minimum of heat is lost from the cylinder. All radiators need thermostatic valves, except in the main living room. Here a room thermostat should monitor the required temperature, and thus control the boiler.

The Grant Aided Heating Installers Network (GAIN) comprises heating installers who have attained high technical and professional standards. They need to be technically competent in order to undertake government and other grant work, which they do. Under Gain criteria, they are also committed to attaining a quality award. Whether you are eligible for a grant or not, heating installations are highly skilled work and should be the responsibility of experts.

Warm Front is the government grant, which provides a package of energy efficiency and heating measures up to the value of £2,700 (except where oil central heating is installed or repaired, where a maximum grant of £4,000 is available) for homeowners or those who privately rent their home, providing they meet the Warm Front eligibility criteria.

Energy suppliers provide grants under the Government’s Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) scheme. Suppliers must encourage and assist their customers to make energy savings, through installing measures such as cavity wall and loft insulation and energy efficient boilers, appliances and light bulbs. As well as cutting greenhouse gas emission, CERT is also designed to cut fuel poverty: at least 40 per cent of the energy savings must be focussed on low-income households. Offers can be taken up from any of the energy companies, regardless of who supplies the gas and electricity.

Depending on the individual local authority, grants and offers for homeowners or private tenants to install heating improvements according to their income, are available. Some GAIN members also install solar panels and wind turbines, which are subject to grants from the government DTI Low Carbon Building Programme to help provide hot water and electricity.

The Grant Aided Heating Installers Network currently has contractor members throughout England and Wales, with grant scheme managers also covering the rest of the UK. Contact Gain for your nearest installer at P O Box 12, Haslemere, Surrey GU27 3AH; tel: 01428 654011; fax: 01428 651401; e-mail: gainassociation@aol.com; web: www.gainassociation.org.uk.

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For further information contact Gillian or Leonie on 01428 654011.