As the nights draw in and the evenings get colder, many householders will be looking to turn on our heating – if they haven’t already. Those with ageing boilers dread the day when it eventually breaks down, leaving thousands of pounds to find in order to get a new one. Help is at hand though for those most vulnerable this winter.
CosyDevon, which is backed by Exeter City Council and funded by energy supplier E.ON, has 500 ‘A’-rated replacement gas boilers to give away before the end of the year. Eligible homeowners will be given a free home energy survey which will check the insulation as well as the heating of their home and will outline the measures they qualify for under the scheme.
Cllr Hannaford, Exeter City Council’s Lead Councillor for Housing and Customer Access, said: “We know that there are many people in Exeter who struggle to pay their fuel bills and there may be some whose boilers are or their last legs. Cosy Devon is a good opportunity to cut energy energy bills, stay warm this winter and even qualify for a new boiler.”
David Stevenson, one of CosyDevon’s team of energy assessors out and about across the county, said: “Everyone deserves a warm cosy home. We all know someone who might struggle to heat their home this winter. Please spread the word, tell them about CosyDevon and help us reach the people who might need help the most. Not only will they have a warm home but they could cut their energy bills by as much as £254 per year with a replacement A rated gas boiler.”
Stevenson also offered 10 winter warming tips for homeowners across Devon:
1. Turn your thermostat down by just one degree and you could cut around £75 off your gas bill
2. Bleed your radiators once or twice during the winter to release trapped air as it makes them more efficient.
3. Fit thermostatic valves to your radiators so you can turn the heat up and down in each room as you need to.
4. Give your boiler a yearly check-up. That way you’ll know it’s working safely and efficiently.
5. Have a shower rather than a bath. You will use half the hot water and could save up to £20 a year
6. Turn it off. A typical household could save between £45 and £80 a year just by remembering to turn off appliances left on standby.
7. Don’t forget to turn the lights off when you leave the room. Switching off just eight 50W halogen lights for one hour each day could save you up to £20 a year
8. To make sure your hot water doesn’t overheat and waste energy, fit a cylinder thermostat and set it between 60ºC and 65ºC.
9. Going away and worried about your pipes freezing? Leave your heating on very low by turning the thermostat right down, rather than turning everything off. It’s a good way to keep your home safe and sound without using more energy than you need to.
10. If you’re on Economy 7 it’s best to run dishwashers, washing machines and tumble dryers at night when your electricity is cheaper.
CosyDevon is hoping to help thousands of homes have a warm cosy home this winter. The scheme also has special offers on insulation as after all what’s the point of having an efficient heating system if all the heat will be going out of the walls and roof!
All homeowners, landlords and private tenants regardless of their income can apply for free cavity wall insulation, loft insulation and free or subsidised loft top ups*.
