Calderdale Council and Better Homes Yorkshire have secured over £1 million investment to provide fully funded insulation for the attic bedrooms or lofts of 500 Calderdale homes.
The work, which is a simple process that can be completed in a week, is part of the Council’s affordable warmth programme and the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (the LEP) Tackling Fuel Poverty Local Growth Fund investment programme.
Significantly reducing heat loss from roofs, this insulation is now available for lower-income homeowners and private tenants mostly living in stone terraced homes. If a property has a standard loft, this can also be insulated with standard insulation up to 300mm deep where any existing insulation is less than 100mm deep.
When householders apply to the Better Homes scheme, which is being managed by Engie, a surveyor from local firm Eclipse Renewable Energy Ltd will visit to assess their eligibility and carry out a no obligation survey to check whether the attic room or loft is suitable for the work.
For attic room insulation, on the first day of the installation Eclipse prepares the home to minimise disruption for the resident while work is taking place. Carpets are covered to protect them from dust and footprints. Electrical and plumbed sections of rooms are prepared, by removing radiators and loosening sockets, and skirting boards are removed from the walls.
The team then begins fixing rigid insulated boards to the walls, which will help keep the room cool in summer and warmer in winter.
On the second day, the remaining insulated boards are fixed to the walls and ceiling of the attic room or loft, and then on day three the walls and ceilings are plastered creating a smooth finish which can then be painted over once dry.
The newly plastered walls and ceiling are left to dry for around five days, after which time Eclipse will return to complete the decoration of the room, including painting, as well as re-fixing the electrical sockets, radiators and skirting boards.
Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning, Housing and Environment, Cllr Daniel Sutherland, said:
“Although the recent warm weather has probably pushed thoughts of insulation to the back of people’s minds, a properly insulated attic can also make properties cooler in hot weather as well as warmer during winter.
“There are hundreds of properties in Calderdale that could benefit from this fully funded scheme which will make their homes healthier, warmer and cheaper to heat, as well as better for the environment.”
Cllr Peter Box, Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Investment Committee, said:
“Investing in schemes such as this, which will provide 500 families with a warmer home, is another positive example of how councils and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority are its district partners are delivering inclusive growth to local communities.
“I would urge householders and tenants in who think they are eligible to visit the Better Homes Yorkshire website or to call them and request an assessment.”
One Calderdale resident to benefit from the scheme is Rosemary Ratcliffe of Saxon Street, Halifax. Mrs Ratcliffe said:
“I’m really happy. The attic room is a lot cooler in this hot weather and it’ll be much warmer when it’s cold in winter. The installers from Eclipse did a brilliant job, they were really good lads and did the work quickly and very cleanly. I can definitely recommend them.”
Calderdale resident Sarah Younis of Thomas Street South has also recently had her attic room insulated through the scheme by Eclipse Energy. Sarah said:
“I absolutely love the look of my new room, it’s a million times better than it was before.
“Since the work has been done, I’ve turned my radiators off in the attic room as it’s staying much warmer and, during the recent warm days, the room has been a lot cooler. From start through to completion there haven’t been any issues, and everyone involved was extremely friendly. I am totally satisfied with the work to my home. In fact, I have already recommended it to my family as the work is free and you end up with a newly decorated room.”
Stephen Batty, Head of Sustainability at Engie (formerly Keepmoat Regeneration), which is the managing contractor for the Better Homes Yorkshire scheme said:
“Through the Better Homes Yorkshire framework, we have been given the opportunity to carry out improvement work to the homes of those who need it most. We hope this will have a real positive impact on the lives of residents by helping them to heat their homes for less as well as reducing CO2 emissions.”
If you know someone who’s on a low household income, or receives means tested financial benefits, and has a cold, un-insulated attic bedroom, why not mention this to them to get a no obligation survey from Better Homes Yorkshire? To request a quote just visit the website www.betterhomesyorkshire.co.uk(external link) or telephone Better Homes Yorkshire on 0800 597 1500 or 0113 897 0977.
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