Meet a homeowner whose 1960s home has gone from damp to comfy in a retrofit that has instantly begun to pay for itself
Energia’s Cosy Homes is a One Stop Shop for deep retrofits that offers all the practical support and advice you need to retrofit your home and to bring it to the highest level of energy efficiency.
Homeowner Keith Kenny brings us through some recently completed works, done through the Energia Cosy Homes scheme.
Why did you approach Energia about a deep retrofit?
We realised that the house was quite cold, quite damp and with a lot of condensation on the inside. When we had our heating on, it would be on full tilt. However, when we turned it off, the house got very cold in about 15 to 20 minutes. The heating was on constantly just to keep the dampness out. It was important for us to look into options as to how we could improve it.
I understood that some providers could do what we wanted to do, but I also understood that some couldn't, and we ended up with Energia and House2Home, who were very professional, very easy to deal with. They really understood what we were looking for.
What type of upgrades were carried out?
Once we got the house rated for BER, we learned that our rating was an F, so we understood at that point in time that we had to do a lot of work. The upgrades that we had done to the house included all new windows and doors, external wrap, underfloor insulation and underfloor heating. We also added a new air source heat pump and we had our attic fully insulated, so we had to work from top to bottom, inside and out.
Was there a lot of paperwork/grant application forms to complete to avail of the funding for these upgrades?
I filled out one form initially for House2Home in terms of what I wanted and what I was looking for. House2Home came out, visited us twice, talked to myself about the retrofit and the work that would have to be done and how it would work, so we got a good, clear understanding of it.
How did you find the end-to-end process — any disruption to your home life?
I would advise if you are going to do it, go through the route that I went with Energia and House2Home, it works really well. Plus, we got a guarantee on the works that were done. I rang one number, and the guys came in a couple of days. It was absolutely fantastic.
So, for us doing the work as a family, we were reassured that the quality and standard of work being done was top notch. And it absolutely was. You know, we'd come home in the evening, we'd have a look around and we were able to see what was being done. And you just go, that's over and above what I thought they would even do. The materials that they used were top quality all the way through. So, I know that this house, as nice as it is, will be like this for the next 20, 30 years.
Does your house feel more like a home?
The improvements and benefits that we've realised after going through this process are amazing. We had a cold and damp 1960s house and we now have a modern 2023 house. We don't have the heating on, the house is warm all the time and hot water on tap. The days of condensation and mould on the inside of the house are gone. It's just a pleasure, it's a fantastic house to walk into. It's warm, cosy and comfortable. It's a million miles from what we had.
So following the works, we went from a BER rating of an F to an A2 and it took us from a house to a home. We're absolutely delighted.
What have your energy savings been?
Before the work started, we had a gas bill of about €400–€500 every two months. Since the work has been completed, we have noticed a 70% reduction in our energy bills and along with that, we have a lovely, warm, comfortable house. The heating wouldn’t be on, but we’ve still got hot water all the time. It’s really nice. Now, our electricity bill for a two-month period is somewhere between €50 and €75. It’s an absolutely huge saving on the energy. The house is super warm, and we’ve got hot water all the time.
What would you say to someone considering an upgrade?
It was a big investment in terms of our own family time, personal time and money, of course. And would I do it again, absolutely I would. It's an investment into the future. I'm absolutely delighted that we went ahead and did it. If you're a homeowner and you're considering doing this, I would say stop considering. Pick up the phone, make a call, go and do it.
Energia’s expert team can help you apply for the widest available range of SEAI home energy upgrade grants, including up to €35,000 per home for deep retrofits.
To find out more, visit energia.ie/cosy-homes or call Energia on 0818 111 117.
