More people than ever are interested in insulating their homes in the UK to cut down on heating bills and to reduce our carbon footprint. Insulating your home is a choice that will positively affect you year-on-year.
Air tightness is an important element of building regulations in the UK. Testing air tightness in new properties, as per Part L of UK Building Regulations can make a big difference to the energy efficiency of properties as well as how comfortable and well-heated they are for occupants. Better standards of air tightness will mean that there is less air leakage occurring, which in turn will make for a more robust building envelope and better heat retention and energy efficiency.
Back in September 2020, the government launched the Green Homes Grant. The idea was to encourage homeowners to make their properties more energy-efficient through the provision of financial support. This ties in with the UK’s 2050 net-zero emissions target, which is aimed at making UK homes more energy efficient and ultimately, carbon neutral.
But what was the grant, and now that it has been cut, can we expect to see it again? Let’s demystify the Green Homes Grant.
Air source heat pumps can be a good way to heat your home or property and your water. They absorb heat from the outside air and transfer into your home. Air source heat pumps are able to extract heat from air temperatures as low as minus 50 degrees Celsius.
The government has announced a new heat pump grant worth £5,000. From April 2022, homeowners in England and Wales will be supported in replacing their old gas boilers with low-carbon heat pumps. Heat pumps are not cheap, ranging from between £6,000 and £18,000, and therefore the grant is seen as a sweetener for an otherwise unattainable solution for many households in the UK.
