Jan 17
Figures released by the government show that the new Green Deal, which is due to start in October, will cause a big drop in the number of homes having loft insulation.
It is estimated that the number of lofts being insulated will fall to only 70,000 a year, whereas the climate change targets are 2 million. Cavity wall installations are likely to drop from 510,00 per year to only 170,000 whereas the target is 1.4million.
At the moment there are government schemes which subsidise the costs of insulation, but under the Green Deal these subsidies for most people will go, and a loan will replace them which will enable the homeowner to pay for the up-front costs using the savings made on their heating bills.
It is unclear how the apparent gap in take up will be solved and in December the government’s official independent advisors warned that the scheme was looking like only reaching 2-3 million households instead of the targeted 14 million.
You can find more information about the Green Deal in our Green Deal Initiative project page in our new Green Living area.
Jan 02
With the colder weather upon us, and some parts of the country suffering more than others, householders should make sure that their pipes are insulated sufficiently. If they are not you could suffer the nightmare of a burst pipe.
This happens when water in your pipes freezes, as the frozen water then expands with nowhere to expand to, your pipe splits. Then as the ice thaws, you end up with a leak.
We have a project on this very subject which talks you through what to do to fix your pipe if you do find yourself with a burst pipe, or indeed if you have accidently put a nail through a pipe, as the same process applies to either, so take a look at our Repairing a Burst Pipe project.
Dec 30
Winter maintenance for your home is vital. We have a project identifying several jobs to be done at this time of year. These include:
- clearing you gutters - we know, no-one likes doing this, but it is worth it if it avoids blockages which could cause water to freeze and cause damage to pipes and buildings
adding drain tidys to keep leaves etc from blocking your drains- cleaning paths and patios to avoid them getting slippery and dangerous
- ensuring you have adequate outside lighting, ideally fitting PIR’s which will turn themselves on when they detect movement
- check your roof for missing tiles or damage
- go round the house filling any gaps you find round doors and windows as well as between floorboards
If you need to get a professional tradesperson in to do any home improvement jobs, you can get free quotes via our Find a Tradesman service, which finds appropriate, insured tradespeople in your local area .
Dec 20
DIY Doctor would like to welcome Gapseal to the website as they introduce a new project on how to seal and draughtproof the sash windows in your home.
Gapseal is designed to seal gaps from 2mm to 9mm thick and is very easy to fit. Draughtproofing your windows is a great way to prevent heat loss in your home and therefore of course helps reduce your energy bills – so it’s win-win!
To find out more and to get step by step instruction on fitting Gapseal go to our project page.
Nov 11
The proposed government policy called ‘Green Deal’, designed to improve the energy efficiency of homes, will be consulted on by ministers later this month.
Under the scheme, apparently families will be offered ‘cashback’ of up to £150 as an incentive to get involved. Householders can then have their homes made more energy efficient by having loft and wall insulation fitted as well as double glazing, and pay for this in installments. This cost would of course be offset by lower energy bills.
The idea of ’cashback’ is under discussion as a form of incentive, although Labour’s climate change spokesperson Luciana Berger said that “it would be wrong to classify it as a true incentive given it would have to be paid back over time by consumers who took up the deal.”
So, watch this space……….
