Is my home suitable for energy improvements?

If you’re wondering whether your home could be warmer and cheaper to heat, the answer is almost always yes. We can help you discover which improvements are right for you and your home.

There are so many benefits of making your home energy efficient:

• Lower energy bills – keep more money in your pocket.
• A warmer, more comfortable home – no more draughts or cold corners.
• Future-proofing – protect yourself against rising energy costs.
• Lower carbon footprint – do your bit to protect the environment.

1. What’s the age and type of my home?

• Older homes may need different upgrades than newer ones:
• Solid wall properties, usually built before 1920, might benefit from internal or external insulation.
• Homes with suspended timber floors could be improved with underfloor insulation.
• Flats and newer builds may already be well insulated but could be improved with better heating controls or ventilation upgrades.

2. What are my current issues or goals?

Think about what you want to improve:

• Are there cold spots or draughts?
• Are your energy bills higher than expected?
• Do you want to prepare for future energy costs or reduce your carbon footprint?

3. Are there any restrictions or special considerations?

• If your home is in a conservation area or is listed you might have some restrictions on the types of changes you can make. If so, a specialist installer will need to advise you on the options that protect your home’s character
• If you rent your home, you’ll need to also speak with your landlord about what’s possible.

4. What’s my budget and can I get financial support?

• Some improvements are low-cost and but can still make a difference, like draught proofing or LED lighting.
• Others, like insulation or heat pumps, may be more expensive but grants or funding schemes may be available to you.

What you really need is an expert to assess your home and help you decide which, if any, improvements will be effective.

The best starting point is to use our free online home checker. It doesn’t take long and involves just answering a few questions about you and your home.

Once we have all the details we need, we will then be able to tell whether your home will benefit from energy efficiency improvements.

Home Energy West Yorkshire offers comprehensive home surveys delivered by our trusted partner Furbnow. 

This survey is paid for and provides you with a detailed property assessment which will help you plan next steps.

There are two different options to suit your needs starting at £300.

They will assess:

• Construction and condition of your home
• Heating and hot water systems
• Thermal performance and any current insulation
• Ventilation
• Heritage significance if you live in an older property
• Any structural issues or things that need attention

Everything will be carefully considered and after two to three weeks, you’ll receive a personalised home energy plan.

Your plan will contain:

• Current energy performance with EPC rating
• Improvements recommended for your home
• Timing plan to schedule any work over time
• Energy savings and bill reduction you can expect after upgrades

You may already have an Energy Performance Certificate, also known as an EPC. An A rating is the most efficient and a G the least. EPCs are valid for 10 years, however, the energy efficiency of your home may change over time due to any improvements you might have made to your home or if the performance of your central heating drops. That’s why it’s good to have an up to date one. An EPC isn’t a legal requirement but if you are renting out or want to sell your home, you do need a valid one by law. So, do keep it somewhere safe.

As well as giving your home a rating, it also tells you your home’s carbon emissions, an estimate of how much it costs to heat and light your home and also some cost-effective ways to improve the energy efficiency of your home.