There will be a boom in the number of homes in the Highlands to be offered free or discounted loft and cavity wall insulation as the Home Insulation Scheme is now made available to people living in the Raigmore and Hilton areas of Inverness and Fort William.
The Home Insulation Scheme is Scottish Government funded, endorsed by Highland Council, and delivered by the Energy Saving Trust. It offers householders a free home energy audit, advice on making their homes more energy efficient, and loft and cavity wall insulation at specially negotiated rates or even free of charge to certain eligible households.
The first phase of the scheme offered thousands of householders across Thurso and Fort William the chance to stop wasting energy in their homes, reduce their fuel bills and save money.
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Now the scheme has been expanded, and 5,763 more homes in the Raigmore and Hilton areas of Inverness and Fort William will receive a visit from a Home Energy Assessor.
This will mean a total of 14,738 homes in the Highlands will be visited by energy assessors during the first year of the Scottish Government’s ground-breaking Home Insulation Scheme.
The insulation measures offered will cut energy bills by £61 a year and by £2,445 over the 40 year lifetime of the insulation.
Research shows that a third of all the heat lost in an uninsulated home is through the walls. Typically, a quarter of the heat in an uninsulated home is lost through the roof. Top-ups will be offered free to everyone who already has loft insulation that is not up to the recognised standard.
Mike Thornton, Director, Scotland, for the Energy Saving Trust, said: “The first phase of the Home Insulation Scheme helped 1,034 people in the Highlands enjoy a warmer home during an extremely harsh winter.
“Now we are in the second quarter of the year, many householders are receiving their first fuel bills of the year and are seeing the impact that insulation installed through the scheme has had on their energy bills.
“A home energy audit by one of our Home Energy Assessors takes around 20 minutes. I would urge everyone in Raigmore, Hilton and Fort William who receives a visit to take advantage of it. It is time well spent.”
Householders in the Highlands can take action in advance of the Home Energy Assessor calling at their door, by telephoning 0800 512 012 to make an appointment for an energy assessor to visit their home or to undertake an assessment over the phone.
(GK)
