Are you a local resident living in a poorly insulated home that leaks heat? Have you had enough of dealing with damp, mould, and ever-increasing home energy bills? Never fear… help is at hand!
York Energy Advice is the project of local social enterprise York Community Energy (YCE), which aims to make homes better for both people and the planet. This valuable energy advice service supports local residents who are struggling to keep their homes warm, fighting to keep up with rising bills, or considering saving extra pennies with an energy-saving home upgrade.
Well-installed measures such as insulation, draught-proofing and heat pumps can transform any cold, damp home into a warm, healthy space, but it’s also worth remembering that ill-suited measures, poor materials or relying on cowboy builders can create new problems of their own. Before making any changes, it’s always good to find out how well your home currently uses energy, and most importantly, how well it retains heat. Trained assessors from York Energy Advice (YEA) can help, using thermal imaging cameras and other equipment to clearly show where a building leaks heat, and discussing which measures you can take to ensure better retention.
A particularly useful tool is a window fan, which, when temporarily attached to a window, can help you to clearly see, feel, or even hear exactly where pesky cold air gets into the house. The fan can be used to show draughts at any time of year!
York Energy Advice also connects residents with those who have already upgraded their homes, making them more comfortable and cheaper to run; there are various ways to achieve this, but learning firsthand what has and hasn’t worked well for others can be very useful when shopping around. Some local homes have more than halved their energy usage, including old Victorian terraces, which are often considered hard to treat. Events like the annual York Open Eco Homes and Draught-proofing Workshops can help to provide inspiration and connection.
Thanks to funding from the City of York Council, anyone on a low income, aged 65+, or experiencing a long-term health condition can contact the team for free support. YEA advisers can give advice via phone, email, or home visits; they may even be able to install some small energy-saving measures, like LED bulbs and draught excluders, for free! The positive impact of these services can go well beyond energy or monetary savings – one client has described the support they’ve received as “life-saving at times; I am loads less anxious now!”. So, whatever your energy-related home issue, York Energy Advice is there to help…
Visit yorkenergyadvice.org.uk or call 01904 922249 for further information about the range of services on offer at York Energy Advice.
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