News today of homes and lives being destroyed by unsuitable insulation drives home the message that independence is critical for getting home retrofit right, according to Severn Wye Energy’s chief executive Sandy Ruthven.
“If we are to lower fuel bills for the poorest and reduce our carbon emissions then home retrofit has to be at the heart of our strategy. The stories in the news reflect what our teams frequently see during home visits. If home insulation is done badly, then damp and mould will grow making a home uninhabitable and cost tens of thousands of pounds to put right. No one should be put into this position. Especially those who have received government grants to retrofit their homes.”
In his view there is one simple answer to this problem: “Make sure the retrofit assessment is done by an independent organisation – Severn Wye Energy is one, and there are many more.”
A retrofit assessment is a detailed investigation of a property to recommend ways to make it more energy efficient. Government data shows there are 19 million homes in the UK that need better insulation*, which could make a significant difference to reducing carbon emissions.
And the cost savings are huge for households: the average energy bill of a home with a low EPC rating of F is £4,312 per year, compared with £1,681 for an EPC rating of C – a difference of £2,631**.
At the moment, most retrofit assessments are done by the installers and this is where the problem lies, as Sandy Ruthven explains:
“Let’s be clear, most of the installers are good companies. They are proud of their work and they take responsibility when things go wrong. Thankfully, the stories in the press are the minority and tens of thousands of home retrofits have seen homes become warmer and cheaper to heat.”
“On the flipside, it’s inevitable that installers will chose the products and services offered by that company based largely on profit margin rather than effectiveness. Then, when the install is done, they mark their own work and sign it off.”
“Insulation is often unseen, and it’s impossible for the householder to know if it’s a good or a bad job. And if the job is done badly, the results – damp and mould – may only appear several years later.”
So, how do we deal with the risk of substandard retrofit?
“Quite simply, the retrofit assessments and sign off at the end needs to be done by an independent body – like Severn Wye Energy. With independent assessment of the home, the recommended measures will be the right ones with no bias on technology or products. Then, at the end of the process an independent assessor will sign off the works ensuring they are properly installed and that the customer has the knowledge to use any new technologies.”
With an independent sign off working to PAS 2035 standards, the householder is insured against any future problems, meaning any remedial works will be paid for.
“It is vital that any new government schemes insist on independent retrofit assessments. When companies set their own homework then mark their own homework you are bound to end up with the problems we have seen.”
