Victorian terraces have plenty of scope for retrofitting. Image@unsplash
The retrofit challenge
Claire and Chris Wise moved into a Victorian terraced property in 2020, as they wanted to downsize, have a smaller ecological footprint and be within a bus or cycle ride of their children. Over the next ten years many homes in the UK will undergo an energy-renovation to achieve 2035 climate goals, so we asked Claire what they did and how they did it.
Carbon Savvy: How did you approach insulating your house?
Claire Wise: We followed the rule of ‘fabric first’ – always insulate before installing new heaters. The house already had some loft and cavity wall insulation, so we insulated under the floors downstairs, topped up the insulation in the small loft, and double-glazed the windows and door at the back. We covered the 9-inch back walls in Corksol (sprayed cork), then a coat of breathable insulating render followed by lime plaster. Conservation status doesn’t allow double glazing on the sash windows at the front so we fitted thermal blinds, thermal curtains and draught excluders.
The results were fantastic. In the first year we used about 10,867 kWh of gas and electricity combined, but from October 2021 till September 2022 we used only 5,994 kWh – just over half the energy used in the previous year!
CS: What kind of heating do you have?
C.W: In autumn 2022 we suffered a gas leak and a broken boiler. Reparations were going to be a lot of work, including replacing many radiators, so it was time to look at eco-friendly heating alternatives. I researched many heating systems and infra-red heating seemed promising. You don’t hear about it often so it took me some time to persuade my husband to agree to it. We installed it in December 2022. Result? I love it.
CS: How did this change your home’s carbon footprint?
CW: We are not extravagant in our energy use but we wanted similar temperatures to those we had with the gas boiler, so it’s a good comparison. From Oct ’22 till Sept ’23 we used approximately 3000 kWh with heating for the whole year, which is half the energy we had used with gas heating! Money-wise we spend about the same as we would with gas (as electricity is more expensive) but we use half the energy. We have a 100% renewable electricity provider so the carbon footprint is much lower than with gas. We also generate electricity via six solar panels, and we have solar hot water panels, which are fab.
C.S: Tell us more about the infra-red heaters
C.W: I’d really recommend them. Installation cost just over £6,000, including all heaters, sensors and the heating app. It was liberating to remove the old radiators and pipes and the interiors are transformed as the walls are left free, while the new heaters have the appearance of ceiling lights. They are activated by sensors in each room, programmed by you (or have them on without sensors). If I’m out I can set the heat in a given room to come on via the App, so it’s snug and warm when I get back. The house is not overly hot but we are comfortable. Heat pumps don’t always work for old or listed houses and can be epic to install – give me infra-red heaters with sensors any day. They heat you rather than the air so you are less aware of draughts, and having one on above you is like sitting in the sun.*
CS: Any projects in the pipe-line?
C.W: We are now looking into secondary glazing for our two front elevation sash windows but we don’t want anything too bulky. One of the companies we are interested in is Mitchell & Dickinson, as their secondary glazing is virtually invisible. It may be easier than appealing the planning laws to try and get permission for double glazing!
*Carbon Savvy disclaimer
Insulating your home is guaranteed to reduce energy use, but the cost effectiveness of particular heating systems is harder to determine. Heat pumps are highly efficient because they transfer heat instead of creating it. Infra-red heaters work by heating your body, not the air in the room, which is effective in a well-insulated house, especially if you keep rooms moderately cool. This case study is based on the hard evidence of reduced fuel bills. However Carbon Savvy does not have enough user-cases to conclude that infra-red heaters are more efficient for all home applications. If you know of more examples please let us know.
Big thanks to Claire for telling us about her experience of insulating a Victorian terraced home. To find out more about the companies and products Claire used, follow these links:
Corksol natural wall insulation and breathable render: https://corksoluk.com/
Jigsaw infrared heating to lower use of fossil fuels. https://www.ecowizard.co.uk/jigsaw/
Mitchell & Dickinson secondary glazing and insulation solutions for period homes: https://mitchellanddickinson.co.uk/partnerships/carbon-savvy/
Thumbnail image from: www.freepik.com
Here’s to a future of cosy, low-carbon homes
