The I.P.C.C. report on climate change emissions was a wake up call and real eye opener for many. This in turn prompted some real scare headlines in the newspapers that like to form opinion and splatter us with a great deal of mis-information which in turn leads to consumer confusion. Not only on the effects of climate change, but also on the capital costs for some of the work required to de carbonise the energy we use.
Heating our houses and hot water using gas, oil and electricity all increase our levels of CO2. And until we have decarbonised the grid, all electricity we purchase will have an element of dirty fossil fuels, no matter how ‘green’ your tariff!
Using renewable energy sources such as solar panels that can divert excess solar electricity into your hot water cylinder and also provide electricity for heating systems to a certain degree and will reduce your CO2 footprint by around 2 tonnes a yr!
But for those who currently rely on gas or oil to heat their homes, the scare stories on the cost for Air Source Heat Pumps has caused a great of angst. I’ve seen headlines saying you’ll need £30,00 for the average 4 bed detached home when our own company’s average order value for heat pumps on houses of that size is less than half the quoted cost!
As costly as Heat Pumps are, they get rid of your oil or gas use forever. Gone. And if purchased via an accredited M.C.S. installer, heat pump owners are renumerated via the Renewable Heat Incentive. That pays between £600 and £1300 a yr for most people, for 7 years, tax free to help offset the installation costs.
Heat Pumps are also cheaper to run than oil and can by cheaper than gas when sized correctly and fitted to a well-insulated home.
Older houses and poorly insulated houses require a little more than just a replacement boiler with a heat pump. Point of use heating for single rooms is often a greater comfort for less expense. Electric radiators, made locally in Thetford by Intelliheat ltd are fitted by many local electricians and Ifra Red wall mounted heaters have come on leaps and bounds in recent years.
The way we do things is changing. To many this is unsettling and causes angst, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
Talk to your friends, family and neighbours who have started out on their renewable journeys. Ask them how it works for them. Ask them about the economics of what they have done and ask them that if they were do it again, what have they learnt that they would do different?
Inform yourselves, do the research but at the end of the day, as the evenings draw in, nothing beats snuggling up with a pair of thick socks, an extra jumper and a blanket box in the corner for when it gets really cold!
Winter is coming…………………