ACES Home Energy Advice Service

Transition Bro Gwaun has set up the ACES Home Energy Advice Service to help local people take control of their home energy use. The service is free to all, independent, and does not sell or promote anything other than a more comfortable, affordable and sustainable future.

The advice focuses on reducing energy use and generating low-carbon electricity. This can help reduce energy bills, reduce carbon emissions and help make local homes healthier and more affordable.

We are here to advise on subjects such as:

If you want to do your own research first, the information and links below are helpful starters. At the same time, every home is unique, even if it is part of an estate: a different position, different alterations and importantly, different people living in it.

For more tailored and impartial advice, contact us.

Reducing Your Energy Use

Before you pay for any changes to your home, you can reduce both your bills and your carbon emissions by just changing the way you use energy at home. Reducing your use is the easiest and most cost-efficient thing to do – and it doesn’t have to mean being cold or sitting in the dark. Have a look at these links for some quick hints and tips.

Quick Tips to Save Energy – Energy Saving Trust

Energy Saving Tips – Money Saving Expert

Home Appliances

It’s often tempting to buy the cheapest fridge or washing machine, but sometimes the cheaper appliances are more expensive in the long run, as they use more electricity. You can calculate the running cost from the Energy Efficiency label, by multiplying the kWh used (in a year or over a certain number of cycles) by your unit cost of electricity. This will give you a better idea of the true cost of an appliance. Get more information at the links below.

Home Appliances and Energy Efficiency Ratings

What Appliances Use the Most Electricity?

Also have a look at these Seven Common Mistakes that Waste Energy

For more advice on saving energy at home and calculating costs, contact the TBG ACES Home Energy Advice service.

Cold, Mould and Damp

Many properties in the area suffer from cold, mould or damp, often all three. This is partly due to our weather, but is often made worse by the modifications we have made to older houses. Until the 1970’s, most houses – many built in the Victorian era – had open fires and draughty windows. Nowadays with central heating and double glazed windows, these houses are often warmer but also less well ventilated and perhaps more prone to mould.

Cold, damp, poor ventilation and mould are all linked. Cold is, obviously, due to a lack of adequate heating. However in a poorly insulated house the house can be cold even if the heating is on. This can lead some people into a conundrum: keep the heating on and run up large bills, or keep the heating off to avoid the cost and risk cold, damp, mould and ill health.

There are four main ways damp can get into a building:

Penetrating Damp: Rain, often driven by wind, finds its way into cracks or gaps in the walls or roof, into the body of the building. Poorly maintained guttering and drainage can also contribute to the problem. As properties get older, if they are not well maintained the risk of penetrating damp increases. Usually evident as damp patches on exterior walls which get worse in bad weather.

Rising Damp: Moisture is absorbed from the ground and creeps up into the walls, to a height of around 1 metre, often causing mould and rot in skirting boards and floor boards. There can be a variety of causes, some easier to fix than others, but usually requiring the attention of an experienced professional.

Plumbing Faults: Leaks from tanks, pipework, heating systems can all introduce moisture to a building. These can be either sudden in the case of a burst or slow in the cases of a dripping leak. This damp can show anywhere in a building.

Condensation: This form of damp is relatively modern, and has grown with the modifications we have made to our homes. Showers, baths, cooking, boiling kettles, drying clothes indoors, bottle gas heaters, even people and pets all generate water vapour. If the building is not well ventilated, this vapour lingers in the house until it finds a cold surface where it condenses to form moisture. This is often the windows, but can also be cold corners or ceilings, around windows and even on items stored in cold rooms. This is where mould can form.

Insulation and heating can help to reduce cold surfaces, and the amount of moisture produced can be reduced by putting lids on pans, drying clothes outdoors and avoiding bottle gas heaters, for example.

Dealing with Damp at Home – Energy Saving Trust

Ventilation

Good home ventilation has been somewhat overlooked since the 1970’s, but is crucial for both building health and people’s health. Controlled ventilation is vital, to expel moist and polluted air and to introduce fresh air into the home. However there is a balance to be struck. Uncontrolled ventilation, such as draughts under doors and around windows, up unused chimneys and so on will remove stale or moist air but will also remove heat, making the house colder and therefore more prone to damp. Eliminating uncontrolled ventilation is a first step to managing airflow through the house, and holding heat in.

Blocking trickle vents or airbricks is sometimes done accidentally or to eliminate draughts, but can cause or exaggerate ventilation problems.

Controlled ventilation, with the use of extractor fans, cooker hoods, open windows and powered ventilation systems all help. The ideal is Heat Exchange ventilation, a powered ventilation system which extracts heat from the air that is being expelled and uses it to heat the fresh air being drawn in. However this may not be suitable to every building or budget.

Whatever the circumstances, active control of the air flow through a building is essential.

If you have issues with cold, damp or mould in your home, we can help you find some solutions.

Ventilation Guide for Improving Home Air Quality – BEAMA Trade Association

Home Insulation

Heating typically accounts for around 65% of our total home energy bills and poorly insulated homes lose a lot of heat, meaning we have to use the heating more to make up  for lost heat. Insulation is just like a duvet on a bed. It keeps the warmth in, making the bed – or home – warmer. The thicker the duvet, the warmer the bed will be. Insulation reduces bills and carbon emissions, making homes warmer, healthier and less prone to damp and mould.

At the same time, insulation has to be well thought out and properly installed, and thought must be given at the same time to ventilation (See below). Pembrokeshire weather, particularly at the coast can lead to problems with insulation that is not well planned and installed. Our older housing stock in particular can develop problems with poorly installed insulation.

Draughtproofing

Up to 30% of all heat loss at home is caused by draughts and uncontrolled ventilation. Gaps under doors and around windows, unused chimneys and flues, even cat flaps and letter boxes allow winds to push into the home and heat to escape. Draughtproofing is one of the easiest and most cost-effective measures for retaining heat in the home, and often is suitable for DIY.

Draught-proofing – Energy Saving Trust

Roof Insulation

Loft Insulation is the easiest home insulation to install and the least problematic. If you are good at DIY, you can even do it yourself. Depending on your home and how much insulation you already have, it can pay for itself in as little as 2 years through savings made on your bills.

As mentioned above, it is important to consider ventilation, and there are several different forms that roof insulation can take including standard loft insulation, pitched roof insulation, ‘room-in-roof’ insulation and more. Have a look at the link below.

Roof and Loft Insulation – Energy Saving Trust

Wall Insulation

35% of all heat lost from a home goes through the walls, so it makes sense to insulate those walls. However we face particular issues here in Pembrokeshire; the whole county is designated Zone 4 – the highest – for wind-driven rain. This can cause a problem for any exposed building. Moisture carried by high winds can be forced into vents, cracks or gaps in exposed walls, causing damp and long-term damage. It is therefore essential that walls of any construction are regularly maintained to eliminate these gaps.

Solid walls – Stone, Brick

Solid walls can be insulated internally or externally.

Internal insulation is cheaper and less disruptive, but it does mean the insulated areas – the inside face of external walls – will need skirting and fittings stripped and possible electrical modifications, then must be redecorated. Also, it will make the room smaller. The most important point is that it must be professionally undertaken by an experienced and qualified installer. Poor installation can cause problems with damp accumulation within the wall.

External insulation is more effective but is also considerably more expensive and will change the look of your home from the outside. In some cases it has also been found to cause damp problems. This has been primarily down to the use of inappropriate materials, or poor or faulty installation. Gaps or cracks can allow moisture into the fabric of the building, leading to damp and long-term damage. With external insulation it is vital to ensure that the insulation is fully protected by a suitable weatherproof render or cladding, and that the installer fully understands best practice for correct detailing.

External Wall Insulation – Welsh Government

Internal vs External Wall Insulation – National Energy Foundation

Cavity Walls

Many buildings constructed since the 1920s have cavity walls, meaning the building effectively has two external walls with a gap or cavity between them. This gap can be filled with an insulating material and in certain cases it works very well.

However, in recent years it has become evident that cavity wall insulation can cause or magnify damp problems. This has been particularly noted in Zone 4 areas, such as Pembrokeshire. Several sources suggest it should never be done. In many cases, householders are having to remove cavity wall insulation and make repairs; where insulation has been fitted under a grant scheme, there is an ongoing process for repair.

Other sources say that the issues are down to incorrectly specified materials, poor installation and poor building maintenance. If it is done, correct installation and material is vital, and it should be done by an installer that understands the particular local weather issues. Regular maintenance of the outer walls and fabric of the building is vital, and it is often prudent to clad the outside of the building with a suitable weather-proof material.

In all cases, the individual building should be assessed for suitability by considering location, exposure, wall condition and several other factors.

Cavity Wall Insulation – Energy Saving Trust

Consumer Guide to Issues with Cavity Wall Insulation – Welsh Government

Floor insulation

Many properties in the area have cold stone or concrete floors. Up to 20% of all heat loss in a building can be through a solid floor. Insulating is obviously a good idea and significantly adds to the comfort of a home, but it can be difficult.

Fully insulating a solid floor (including if you are installing underfloor heating) will mean digging up the original floor, digging down deep enough to install a suitable thickness of insulation, then relaying a floor surface. This is generally both expensive and disruptive and not the best value compared to other forms of home insulation. However if you are renovating a property, it can be part of a refit.

The alternative is to investigate thermal underlays or insulated floating floors. This can mean some adjustment to steps and doors.

Suspended timber floors at both ground level and above can be insulated to good effect. It is important that timbers remain well ventilated to ensure damp does not form on the wood.

Floor Insulation – Energy Saving Trust

Installing Renewable Technologies in Your Home

For guidance on what renewable energy measures – solar panels, heat pumps and so on – might be suitable for your home, you can get a basic customised assessment at:

Assess Your Home for Renewables

Saving Energy Through More Efficient Heating

Heating the home accounts for around 65% of all energy used at home. Heating more efficiently can lead to significant savings, increased comfort and a healthier home.

Old, inefficient boilers of all varieties can be replaced with newer more efficient models, or in some circumstances they can be replaced with new more efficient forms of heating.

Heat Pumps

Heat pumps are relatively new to the UK, although the technology has been used for heating since the 1930’s. However, a lack of expertise and a rush to introduce heat pumps in the UK has led to a rash of inappropriate installations and poor performance which in turn has made many people wary of them.

Heat Pumps are based on refrigeration technology, your domestic fridge does almost the same job.  Heat pumps, which run on electricity, are well established in Norway, Sweden and Finland. If properly set up, a heat pump can draw heat from ice-cold water!

Heat pumps can be up to 400% efficient, delivery 4 units of heat for every unit of electricity; this is because they are not actually generating heat, but moving it from one place to another. Heat Pumps do not work in the same way as traditional boilers, which give bursts of high heat to provide hot radiators. They provide a lower, more constant level of heat, hence the need for keeping heat in. However, both technology and installer experience are improving rapidly, and high temperature and hybrid heat pumps are now more widely available.

Heat pumps work very well in well-insulated buildings, and can be used with underfloor heating and with radiators.

It is important that the heat pump and system is sized correctly for the building, and the better a building is insulated, the smaller the heat pump – and therefore its power and running costs – can be. If a heat pump is undersized, and/or used to heat a poorly-insulated building, it will run excessively, potentially running up high bills.

Air-Source Heat Pumps are the most common. They draw heat from the surrounding air, and look something like an air-conditioning unit. They are now very quieter, being typically quieter than a domestic fridge.

Ground-Source Heat Pumps draw heat from the ground by means of large fluid-filled loops buried in the ground. They can produce more heat than Air-source, but require a fairly large area of land for the loops, and are much more expensive to install.

It is crucial to find an experienced installer who understands heat pumps well and can specify, install and correctly set up a heat pump suitable for your home.

In Depth Guide to Heat Pumps – Energy Saving Trust

Heat Pump Myths – Rightmove

Solar Thermal Hot Water

Solar Water heating, or Solar Thermal, is one of the most basic and cost-effective methods for heating hot water. It is basically water heated directly by the sun. Even in the UK a solar thermal system can provide up to 50% of our hot water requirement through the year.

Typically a solar thermal system needs a hot water tank. Solar thermal is not available for combi boilers. If you have a hot water tank, it would be replaced by a larger cylinder with an extra heating coil for the system. The solar collector is positioned on the roof, ideally facing due South at an angle of around 35 degrees to horizontal. It will preheat the water in your tank, meaning your boiler or immersion heater doesn’t have to work so much to give you w full tank of hot water. On good days, it will provide 100% of your hot water needs.

This is an established technology which works well. As with all heating systems, it should be serviced regularly to ensure it is working well.

Solar Thermal systems can also be used to contribute heat to a heating system, usually by means of a thermal store. These are large, well-insulated water tanks that can also receive heat from other heating systems, and feed into underfloor heating, for example.

Solar Hot Water Heating – Energy Saving Trust

Thermal Stores – Energy Saving Trust

Generating Electricity at Home

There are three main ‘renewable’ technologies for generating your own electricity: Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Panels, Small-scale Wind Turbines and Micro-Hydro (Water-powered) Turbines.  All these technologies generate ‘free’ electricity which can be used at home, stored in batteries for use later or exported to the grid for income. At the same time they all involve significant up-front costs and it is always worthwhile doing the sums to understand how much you would need to spend against how much you will save, and how long the system will take to pay for itself, known as the ‘payback period’.

We can help with these calculations.

Solar Electric (Photovoltaic or ‘PV’)

In the UK, solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on building rooftops are an increasingly familiar site, and the most popular renewable home technology. And yes – they do work in Wales!

A roof-top or ground-mounted array of PV panels uses sunlight to generate electricity which is fed into the building’s electrical system by means of an inverter. This makes the electricity available for use at home or for export to the national grid.

Grid-connected PV systems can generally export surplus electricity to the grid, making renewable electricity available to other users. This earns income for the householders by exporting their spare electricity and by reducing the amount they duse from their regular supplier. It also reduces demand on the fossil-fuel power stations that feed into the grid.

Also see ‘Smart Export Guarantee (SEG)’ below.

Batteries can be a worthwhile addition to a PV system, enabling the householder to store electricity generated during the day, for use later in the evening at home.

Electric vehicles work most economically as part of a PV system, enabling users to recharge at significantly lower rates than either straight charging from the grid, or from public charging points which are typically very expensive. See ‘Vehicle to Grid (V2G)’ below.

Get more information through the link below.

Solar PV Advice – National Energy Action

You can get some idea of the kind of PV system you could install at your home (or business, or farm) here:

Solar System Calculator – Energy Saving Trust or here Solar Wizard

For a more accurate and realistic assessment of your building’s potential for a PV system, you can get a free and impartial assessment from us or contact a local installer (see below).

Even though they are now an established technology in the UK, there are still a lot of questions and misunderstandings about solar panels. Some of the more common questions are addressed here:

Myths About Solar – Energy Saving Trust

Solar Panels – Are They Worth It?

Installing a PV System

Nowadays PV systems are robust and reliable, designed to last for 25 years or longer, and generally require little or no maintenance beyond cleaning when needed. TBG recommends only using installers with the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS).  Local registered installers can be found here on the MCS website:

Find an MCS Installer

Wind Turbines

The UK has some of the best wind energy potential in the world. However domestic wind turbines are not very popular for a variety of reasons, mostly to do with the space and siting needed for a wind turbine. There are small turbines that can be attached to buildings but generally they do not perform well and in some cases can cause damage to the building fabric. However for properties with suitable ground space and exposure to a steady wind-stream, they can be very productive, especially as their highest output tends to be in winter, when we need the most power. The performance of wind turbines is very site-specific, depending on exposure, local landscape and features such as buildings and trees nearby.

Wind Turbines – Energy Saving Trust

Micro-hydroelectric Turbines

Micro-hydroelectric turbines generate electricity from flowing water; they are the modern equivalent of the old water mills. They can achieve significant outputs and can operate 24 hours a day all throughout the year, with their highest output in winter, when power is most needed. However they do require access to flowing water which generally means land with water access, and usually involve licences for water extraction.

Micro-Hydro Turbines

Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)

Battery technology has improved dramatically in recent years, making it possible to use battery storage in the home, charged by  solar panels, wind turbines, micro-hydro or even an overnight cheap tariff. Solar PV electricity is generated in the day; batteries allow this energy to be stored and used later in the day or at night. They can also help to optimise energy use and export, for maximum savings and gain. Electric vehicles can also be an integral part of a renewable generation and storage system (See links below).

Battery Storage Advice – Energy Saving Trust

Battery Storage – Benefits and Impacts – Centre for Alternative Technology

Solar panel battery Storage – Which?

Is Solar Battery Storage Worth It? – Money Saving Expert

The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG)

The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) is a UK government backed initiative that means homeowners generating renewable electricity at home can get paid for electricity they export to the grid.  Different electricity suppliers pay different rates for exports, but householders can choose which supplier to sell to, so it pays to shop around. All exports are measured by a meter.

It is most economic to use as much of your home-generated electricity as possible, but it does mean that any unused excess generation is not wasted. For larger generating systems, it may be necessary to get your connection to the grid upgraded.

It is worth noting that to benefit from a Smart Export Guarantee, you will need to supply your electricity provider with an MCS certificate and confirmation letter from the local grid operator (National Grid Electricity Distribution) that your installation grid connection has been approved. MCS registered installers will provide both these documents along with quality of workmanship guarantees. See ‘Find an MCS Installer’ link above.

Smart Export Guarantee – Energy Saving Trust

List of SEG Suppliers

Meters, Bills & Tariffs

Smart Meters

Smart electricity and gas meters are being increasingly installed across the UK. They do not offer direct savings in themselves, but can contribute to savings in several ways. The first is that they can give users real-time readouts of energy use, meaning you can be more aware of how you are using – and paying for – electricity and gas. Secondly, the data gathered from them by suppliers will enable them to manage supply more efficiently, and advise customers of best times to save or use energy, including best times to use home-generated energy. They also mean meter readings and billing is automatic, avoiding estimated bills and people coming to read the meter.

Smart Meters Explained – Energy Saving Trust

Smart Meter Guide for Households – UK Government

Smart Meter Display User Guides – Citizen’s Advice

Tariffs

Getting the best electricity and gas tariffs for your home can be confusing and time-consuming, but it is worthwhile regularly looking over your tariff to see if it is giving you the best deal, especially if you have made changes to your home such as insulating or installing solar panels.

Your bill or supplier should give you information to help you make comparisons. This includes the Tariff Information Label (TIL) which is specific to your property and gives information about unit rates, standing charges and discounts; the Cheapest tariff Message (CTM) which gives information on your supplier’s cheapest tariffs and how much you can expect to spend in the next year if you stay on the same tariff, and a QR code which provides information to make comparisons easier. There is also plenty of online advice and support to help you make choices and changes.

How to Read Your Electricity Bill – National Energy Action

Tariff Information Label (TIL) – The Switch

Comparing Energy Prices and Providers – Money Saving Expert

Energy Bills Explained – Money Saving Expert

Difficulty Paying Bills and Staying Warm

Many households in Pembrokeshire experience difficulties in paying for adequate heating at home, and have to make a choice between staying warm and having higher bills, or saving money and living in a cold house.

If a household has to spend more than 10% of its combined total income on heating, that household is considered to be fuel poor, or in ‘fuel poverty’. With some of the highest energy bills in the world, fuel poverty is more common than many of us would expect in the UK, and affects many who do not think of themselves as poor.

About Fuel Poverty – End Fuel Poverty

Get Help with Bills – Citizen’s Advice Haverfordwest

Grants, Loans and Free Advice

There are a variety of different grants and loans available to support home energy improvements. These go towards the installation of a variety of energy-saving and renewable measures for the home. Most of these grants are targeted at lower income households in homes that have a low Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating, usually D or lower.

There are many installers and marketing companies getting involved in the grant schemes. Many of them are leafleting local areas and the information can sometimes be misleading. Some are reputable and do a good job, some are not and do not. It is worthwhile taking your time to make a decision, speaking to a few installers and if possible speaking to people in the area who have used the same companies. Most installers tend to offer as many measures as they can to take full advantage of the grants. this can mean a significant upgrade in efficiency (and value) for your home, but can also be disruptive while works are going on.

We are gathering information on installers; if you would like impartial advice, we can help.

Also it is worth noting that all installed measures will raise the EPC rating of your home, to the point where you may become ineligible for other grants. It is always worth investigating which grant measures should be done first, and which might be the most beneficial.

NEST

NEST is a Welsh government scheme to provide free energy advice and home improvements. Grants are available to cover installation of Heat Pumps, Insulation, Solar Panels and in certain circumstances Boiler repair or replacement. This scheme is led by the household applying and installers are automatically selected by the scheme operator. You may be eligible for a grant if you are in receipt of a means-tested benefit, on a low income or have a health condition.

NEST Advice & Grants Scheme

ECO4 and ECOFlex

ECO4 and ECOFlex are UK-wide schemes providing a very similar service to the NEST scheme above. Grants are available to lower income households with low EPC rating for a variety of installation measures including Heat Pumps, Insulation, Solar Panels and more. Eligibility is similar to the NEST scheme, although the criteria are slightly different. It is worth looking at both schemes to see which suits you best. This scheme is installer-led. If you wish to apply for a grant, you must contact an installer and they will make the application on your behalf.

The ECOflex scheme is slightly different in that it offers other routes to grants. Again it is installer-led, with Pembrokeshire County Council – PCC – (or your Local Authority) playing a role in confirming eligibility. PCC does not endorse particular installers, but does provide a list of known installers – see link below.

You may be eligible for a grant if you are in receipt of a means-tested benefit, on a low income or have a health condition.

ECOFlex – Pembrokeshire County Council

Great British Insulation Scheme

The Great British Insulation Scheme complements the ECO4 scheme above, and provides insulation measures only. There are a variety of options for eligibility, either through means-tested benefits, or a low total household income, or by your house being in a EPC band D to G AND Council Tax band A to E. In some circumstances, householders may have to pay a contribution to installation.

Great British Insulation Scheme – Ofgem

Boiler Upgrade Scheme

This is one of the few schemes that is not means tested – it is open to everyone; the only criteria are that you should own the property, and be replacing a fossil fuel system – oil, gas, coal, LPG and including electric. Grants are available for £7,500 towards an Air- or Ground-Source Heat Pump, or £5,000 towards a biomass boiler.

Boiler Upgrade Scheme – UK Government

Green Homes Wales

The Green Homes scheme is a Welsh Government initiative to support eligible homeowners to make energy efficiency improvements to their homes. It can provide fully funded access to a Retrofit Coordinator to create a detailed home assessment providing energy-efficiency and decarbonisation recommendations tailored to your individual circumstances. It can also provide Interest free loans ranging from £1,000 to £25,000 with repayment terms up to 10 years, a 6-month upfront repayment holiday while your new energy efficiency measures begin delivering results, and grant funding alongside loans for a wide range of energy efficiency measures.

Green Homes Wales – Development Bank of Wales

Other Helpful Local Organisations

Pembrokeshire Smarter Energy Support Service – P-SESS.

P-SESS provides a wealth of free energy advice and experience, and can install free radiator reflectors in your home to help keep the heat in. They can also offer Airtightness and Thermal Imaging Surveys of your home to help you identify how heat is being lost.

Pembrokeshire Smarter Energy Support Service – Cwm Arian

Cartrefi Clyd

Cartefi Clyd gives advice and support to those wishing to retrofit their homes to be more energy-efficient. They offer a subsidised service to provide a bespoke retrofit report on your property, prepared by a fully qualified retrofit assessor, enabling you to make the best decisions about how to improve your home. They can also give advice on routes to funding for these improvements.

Cartrefi Clyd – Cwm Arian

Warmer Wales 2

Warmer Wales 2 provides one-to-one energy advice appointments to people who are struggling to pay their bills in Wales. Energy advice includes advice on fuel options, tariffs and energy grants, as well energy efficiency advice, with the aim of reducing your bills. Advice is also given on dealing with fuel debts and maximising income.

Warmer Wales 2 – Citizen’s Advice Haverfordwest