Heatseeker focuses on cutting your bills

A HEAT-SEEKING van is to tour Oldham to undertake revolutionary new surveys of every home to show how they can benefit from improved insulation measures.

Richard Hooton looks at how the scheme can help residents save money and the environment.

WHILE residents are relaxing around the TV or sleeping snugly, a thermal imaging vehicle will be driving around the borough at night to survey their properties with the intention of making them even warmer.

Oldham Council has given the go-ahead for the heat-seeking van to detect how much heat is escaping from houses.

It can survey 1,000 homes an hour — taking a thermal image of the property and pinpointing heat that’s leaking through roofs and walls.

It’s believed the move will help householders save significant amounts on fuel bills, help the vulnerable and elderly keep warmer and cut the borough’s carbon emissions.

In an age of environmental fears, rising energy costs and households struggling to make ends meet in the aftermath of a recession, these will be warmly welcomed.

But how exactly will it save residents money and what help is there for those struggling to pay to improve their homes?

The specially-adapted vehicle is manned by two trained thermographers who use a highly sophisticated heat-seeking camera.

There is no cost to the local authority with the Heatseekers programme paying for the surveying, publicity and project management.

Once the van has carried out the surveys, a dedicated team of energy advisers will then visit residents to talk about how they can improve insulation and take action to reduce both their energy bills and the environmental impact.

Where heat is being lost through walls and roof tops, occupants will be advised on how to insulate effectively enough so that they can benefit from fuel cost savings.

People aged 70 or in receipt of benefits, credit or allowance may be eligible for free insulation.

There are also schemes across the country that are heavily subsidised through Carbon Emissions Reduction Targets funding — so all other householders will receive a substantial discount on the normal retail price.

The cost of cavity wall insulation will be typically around £129 but it’s claimed fuel savings can generally be seen within 18 months. So, the idea is to spend money now to save it in the long run.

The Heatseekers scheme is carried out by the Energy Saving Partnership, which has teamed up with Mark Group, the UK’s largest insulation and energy efficiency installation company, to carry out the insulation work.

The partnership has already undertaken surveys across the country, including in neighbouring boroughs Tameside and Rochdale, and says they have been a success.

A spokesman said: “The data and results produced from the HeatSeekers scheme has proven extremely valuable in reducing the amount of C02 being emitted into the atmosphere through poorly insulated properties and it has also helped save the householders some money on their fuel bills.”

He gave the example of the scheme being carried out in Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales, to raise awareness of the importance of adequate loft and cavity wall insulation.

Interest and awareness generated through publicity before the scheme was even fully launched saw 525 insulation measures sold and fitted in two months.

It’s estimated this will amount to £73,000 worth of savings on the energy bills of the properties and 389 tonnes of CO2 avoided every year from now onwards.

And it came at no cost to Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, which worked in partnership with the scheme.

A Merthyr Tydfil Council spokesman said: “In two months we achieved two-and-a-half times more fitted measures than we had in the previous year. This means hundreds of local families will save thousands of pounds on their energy bills while helping to reduce their carbon footprint at the same time.”

Energy Saving Partnership director Keith Hewitson said: “Our energy advisers are keen to spread the word about the grants which are easily available to all homeowners, which significantly reduce the cost of insulation improvements.

“The Heatseekers vehicle is one of the key front-line weapons in the battle against climate change and is already playing an integral role in the plans to make UK homes more energy efficient.”

The thermal image taken is just of the front of the property so there is no invasion of privacy.

Half of Oldham borough, from the Saddleworth North ward through to Chadderton North, will benefit initially from the scheme with the rest targeted from November.

Councillor John McCann, Oldham Council cabinet member for community services and housing said: “With such a cold winter, we are keen for householders to take advantage of the low-cost insulation measures on offer.”

Any homeowner wanting a free insulation survey on their property can call Heatseekers on 0845-390 9390.