Hard to treat homes are defined as properties that have:
- Solid, studded or timber framed walls
- No loft space
- No connection to low cost fuel
Because of high heating bills associated with these types of homes, families who would otherwise cope relatively well in a more energy efficient home could find themselves in fuel poverty.
What are the consequences?
- Damp conditions, made worse by inadequate heating, result in mould growth on cold surfaces and increased the risk of dry rot and attack from wood boring insects. This leads to high long-term maintenance costs.
- Furnishings and possessions can suffer damage from mould or insect attack, requiring more frequent replacement and increasing financial pressures for those in fuel poverty.
- Cold, damp living conditions have an adverse effect on health, including chest, joint, and mental health problems (anxiety and depression) and eczema.
What are the options:
- External wall insulation
- Loft insulation
It is expected that there will be more government funding available for the insulation of these hard to treat properties and Sanctuary Housing Association will be looking at the options on an individual property basis.
Sanctuary Housing Group projects:
In conjunction with Millfold Group we are running a pilot project and applying a product called Wall-Reform to a property in Mansfield that has studded walls and could not be cavity wall insulated.
Wall-Reform is a complete external wall insulation system comprising of insulated render and all other additional items.
The work has been completed and the property is now fully externally insulated. The tenant is kindly doing comparisons with his heating costs for before and after. Watch this space for the results during next cold spell.
Pictured below are before and after photographs of the property:
Before
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After
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Renewable Energy links: