By visiting people’s homes, our advisors were able to more fully assess their situations, through looking for issues such as damp and mould or draughts, and ensuring their heating was being used effectively. This gave our advisors important information to provide the best possible advice. Plus, while there, our advisors could demonstrate how to use things like heating controls and to install energy efficiency measures.

Advisors were also able to speak with people face-to-face, eliminating some common barriers to accessing support services. Home visits are particularly valuable for people with medical issues who might find it difficult to leave home, people who struggle to speak or hear over the phone and people who don’t speak English as their first language. Read more about the project here.

Samantha, Grace and Stepan* are just some of 721 people supported through Home Visit Advanced. Read their experiences below.

Samantha’s story

Samantha* was visited by two of our energy advisors to help her program her heating controls, install small measures and provide energy advice. She has several long-term health conditions that make it hard for her to access advice and support in her Bristol community. She prefers to speak to people over the phone, or ideally face-to-face, as she’s dyslexic and struggles with reading and writing. A home visit made delivering energy advice much simpler, meeting Samantha where she is and communicating in a way that she felt comfortable.

During their visit, the advisors were able to install secondary glazing film on Samantha’s windows, which were single-glazed and so allowed a lot of heat to escape her home. They gave Samantha advice on how to manage condensation, ventilate her home and prevent damp and mould from forming. They gave her a monitor so she could continue to check the temperature and humidity herself. Our advisors were also able to organise a chimney balloon to be sent to Samantha following the visit, so she could stop draughts coming through the chimney.

Samantha later shared that she had made several changes to her energy usage thanks to the advice given. Our advisors had explained that plug-in electric heaters can cost a lot of money to run, so Samantha stopped using these and now uses her gas central heating. She also checks her home’s humidity often and will ventilate her flat when readings become high. Samantha also shared that her flat felt warmer thanks to the secondary glazing installed. She said that CSE’s advisors “were very, very helpful. They were a delight.”

Grace’s story

After installing an air source heat pump, Grace* wanted reassurance that it was operating efficiently. English isn’t Grace’s first language, which makes understanding technical information and communicating with energy suppliers more challenging. A home visit gave our advisors an opportunity to check on the heat pump and ensure that Grace understood the advice offered.

After assessing the heat pump, our advisors recommended asking the installers to return in colder months to recalibrate the heat pump and install a controller that’s compatible with time-of-use tariffs, which is what Grace was on. This would help Grace to save energy and money as she’d be paying less for energy used at specific times. An unused gas meter was also still present in the property, which could be removed by Grace’s energy supplier. Our advisors also found that Grace’s fireplace was draughty and installed a chimney balloon. They also installed reflective radiator panels. These measures would ensure that heat stayed where it was meant to – in Grace’s home.

Our advisors also noticed condensation on Grace’s bay window sill. They explained that trickle vents, heavy curtains and insulating wallpaper could help with ventilation and eliminating cold spots. Better ventilation for Grace’s kitchen and bathroom was also advised, which could be achieved by installing a mechanical ventilation system.

Following the visit, Grace installed an extractor fan in the kitchen and also purchased a digital thermometer with humidity sensors. She was happy to report that humidity levels had dropped by 20%, which also helped with her asthma symptoms. She was very happy with the help she received, saying the advisors were “really good at explaining things and very patient.”

Stepan’s story

Stepan* was referred to CSE by a health professional due to a chronic health condition that is impacted by the cold. At the time of referral, Stepan didn’t have access to heating and had significant damp and mould in his house, making it difficult to keep his home warm.

CSE provided immediate support through portable heaters and an electric throw while planning for long-term solutions. Stepan received funding for loft insulation and new night storage heaters as well as solar PV. This massively improved Stepan’s living situation and gave him the warmth and comfort he so desperately needed.

Following the installations, our advisors visited Stepan to explain how to use his new systems effectively. It can be really intimidating to have new installations done, and a home visit allowed Stepan to ask questions and learn how to make the most of his new technology. Not only did our advisors demonstrate the different controls, but they also gathered the information needed to set Stepan up with the Smart Export Guarantee, so Stepan will benefit financially from any unused electricity generated by his new solar panels. They also checked that Stepan’s current tariff was suitable for his new installations and showed him how he can make the most of his Economy 7 rates.

Our advisors also offered reassurance and emotional support – Stepan lives alone as his wife had recently passed away. Seeing friendly faces and people who listened and offered meaningful advice was hugely beneficial. Stepan was over the moon with the support he received and is now better able to keep his home warm and live safely and independently.

*Names changed for privacy.