Here are five tips from Calderdale Council for a warmer house and a more comfortable winter – it’s good to see some useful contact details for implementing any changes you might like to make:
Tip 1 – Fit loft or attic room insulation to keep the heat in
If your home has a standard loft with less than 100mm (4 inches) of loft insulation. This can be topped up to the recommended 270mm (11 inches). The work can be fully grant funded for residents (owner occupiers and private rented tenants – subject to landlord permission) in any of the following groups:
- lower income households (total income less than £21,000 per year) and savings of less than £16,000;
- residents over 60 years old;
- households in receipt of qualifying benefits.
If your home has an attic bedroom, this can also be insulated through the Council’s preferred energy efficiency scheme, Better Homes Yorkshire.
Grants to cover the cost of the work are available for the above qualifying households.
For more details and to arrange a no-obligation survey for loft or attic room insulation, visit: Better Homes Yorkshire .
Or contact Better Homes on telephone:
0800 597 1500 (free from a UK Landline) or
0113 897 0977 (local or mobile call charges may apply).
Tip 2 – Install cavity wall insulation – available for brick and stone homes
Does your home have cavity walls made from brick and or stone?
Different types of cavity wall insulation are available that could significantly reduce heat loss from your home.
Cavities can be insulated with fibre or polybead insulation. The work can be fully grant funded, up to a maximum of £1,000. This applies if you are in any of the following groups:
- lower income households (total income less than £21,000 per year) and savings of less than £16,000;
- residents over 60 years old;
- households in receipt of qualifying benefits.
Narrow stone cavity walls (less than 40mm wide) can be suitable for a closed-cell polyurethane (PUR) foam cavity wall insulation.
Certain PUR foam products can be used for homes in flood risk areas as they have waterproof qualities.
Grants are available for the above qualifying households to cover up to the first £2,500 of the cost.Home owners have to pay the balance if the cost of the work exceeds the grant. Affordable interest free loans are available to help spread the cost of the work.
Different guarantees are available for the work depending on the type of insulation used. See:Ofgem – Energy Company Obligation (ECO) .
For more details and to arrange a no-obligation survey and quote for cavity wall insulation, visit:Better Homes Yorkshire .
Or contact Better Homes on telephone:
0800 597 1500 (free from a UK Landline) or
0113 897 0977 (local or mobile call charges may apply).
Tip 3 – Check Your Boiler
Boilers should be serviced once a year in summer to make sure they are working safely and efficiently for the next winter.
Small servicing and repair grants are available for owner occupiers in any of the following groups:
- lower income households (total income less than £21,000 per year) and savings of less than £16,000
- residents over 60 years old;
- households in receipt of qualifying benefits.
If your boiler is found to be dangerous, or in an unsafe condition, it may be condemned by the gas fitter to protect all of the residents living in the property. So, if you do this work during summer, your boiler can be repaired or replaced in time for winter through one of the Council’s other schemes (please see details below).
We’re not an emergency service, but if your boiler does break down, we can arrange for it to be checked over and assessed to see if it is viable to repair. Small grants are available for owner occupiers in any one of the above groups for servicing and basic repairs. We can also provide temporary electric heaters for very vulnerable residents. If we can’t repair your boiler, you can request a no obligation quote for a replacement through the Better Homes Yorkshire scheme – see tip 4 below for details.
To request a boiler service, or apply for a small repair grant, just print & complete the 
Enquiry Form [PDF 199KB] and email it back to us via the email address below, or get in touch by phone.
If you privately rent your own home, your landlord is responsible for carrying out annual gas safety checks on all gas appliances in your home, as well as carrying out repairs within a reasonable timeframe. If your landlord does not carry out servicing for your gas appliances, or does not carry out any heating repairs you have requested, contact the Council’s Environmental Health service for advice and support
- Username Environmental Health Team
- Email environmental.health@calderdale.gov.uk
- Telephone 01422 288001
Tip 4 – Upgrade your boiler and or heating system
Is your gas heating boiler old and inefficient?
A modern energy efficient version could save you up to £350 per year on your heating costs. We have £500 boiler scrappage grants available to replace old, inefficient boilers that are E, F or G rated.
Do you currently heat your home with electric or solid fuel heating?
We can help arrange for a gas connection. We offer a grant of up to £1,000 for a new gas central heating system if you receive qualifying benefits or are on a low household income of less than £21,000 per year and have savings less than £16,000, plus an affordable interest free loan for the difference.
For more details and to arrange a no-obligation survey, visit: Better Homes Yorkshire .
Or contact Better Homes on telephone:
0800 597 1500 (free from a UK Landline) or
0113 897 0977 (local or mobile call charges may apply).
