Why listen to Eco Energy Experts FAQ’s?
First of all I want to highlight why these FAQ’s matter to you and why you should take any notice of them, my name’s Darren and I’m the founder of Eco Energy Experts, I’ve got over 20 years experience of being an energy engineer and founded Eco Energy Experts to provide access to ECO measures for customers in a transparent way, basically I’ve created the type of company I wanted to work for and work with.
Eco Energy Experts has completed hundreds of successful Eco Energy Projects, we have hundreds of testimonials with over 80 on leading review site TrustPilot, meaning we have extensive experience of ECO projects, but most importantly getting them right and giving our customers a great experience!
What is ECO 4?
This is part of a government scheme called ECO, this stands for Energy Company Obligation, it has been running since 2013 and previously there was a similar scheme in place called warm front which ran from 2002. There has also been ECO3 and the natural progression of that is ECO4 which a scheme created by the UK government designed to support households on low incomes who have homes that are not energy efficient.
Okay, so what is it?
This an obligation the utility companies have to meet through carbon savings (carbon saved by energy saving measures being installed in houses), they are set yearly.
Previously we were in ECO3 which was designed to to run till 2022. ECO4 is the next stage of the scheme and is set to run until 2026.
Why is it free for the general public?
This was brought about because of fuel poverty and in some instances where people could not afford to put in wall and roof insulation, meaning that when they put their heating on it’s in-efficient, and they are losing heating and therefore money – think of it like wearing a warm coat, an insulated coat is trying to stop the heat that your body generates from escaping by insulating your body, it’s exactly the same for you house. There is also a drive to towards renewable and efficient energy measures such as heat-pumps and solar panels, oftentimes they are very expensive to buy – meaning the people who need them most are unable to buy them – to add to this, as we all know there have been instances of illness due to the cold weather so the scheme was brought in to prevent this.
Under the ECO scheme, major energy suppliers are obligated to help eligible homeowners and tenants improve the energy efficiency of their homes by providing a free whole house energy project comprising of all elements such as insulation, heating and solar panels, this helps people to lower their energy bills and make their home more comfortable along with the potential to generate their own power with the use of solar panels.
When does it end?
The utilities companies have an obligation to meet which is called Energy Company Obligation the scheme is to run till 2026. However, due to the nature of the scheme, and the fact that energy companies are trying to meet their obligations, it stands to reason that if they meet their quota half way through a year, they are unlikely to keep providing free solar panels, free heat-pumps and insulation for everybody. So don’t waste time, find out if you are eligible today! Contact us.
How does the ECO4 scheme work?
According to OFGEM: “ECO4 will be a four-year scheme and is intended to run from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2026. The main objective of ECO4 is to improve the least energy efficient housing stock occupied by low income and vulnerable households. One route that can be used to identify these households is ‘ECO4 Flexibility’ (ECO4 Flex)”
– I’ll discuss How ECO4 works so this consists of several routes that allow our customers to qualify, quite recently this has been broadened quite significantly meaning a lot more people can benefit from the energy saving measures.
ECO 4 consists of several routes, the ones we focus on are:
Route 1:
Earnings of under £31k before tax:
Proof needed:
- 3 months wage slips, or self assessment
- 3 months bank statements
Route 3:
Long-term health issues regardless of income:
- – cardiovascular
- – respiratory
- – limited mobility
- – immunosuppression
This will be proven via a doctors referral letter.
Benefits Route:
- – Child tax credit
- – Child benefits
- – Housing benefits
- – Income support
- – Income related employment support allowance
- – Income based job seekers allowance
- – Pension credit guarantee credit
- – Working tax credit
- – Pension credit savings credit
- – Universal credit
- – Working Tax Credit
One of the key differences between ECO3 and ECO4 is that ECO4 only consists of full projects, so this means if you qualify you could get Solar Panels, Loft Insulation, Wall Insulation, New Radiators and to top it off an Air Source Heat Pump to work alongside the Solar Panels and the Radiators to generate heat. This is all 100% free to the customer, let me be clear it will not be added to your bill in any way, it’s not interest free credit or anything like that, for the end customer it is 100% Free!
Who is eligible?
Eligibility is down to either being on an eligible benefit (please see our below) or living in an area that has available Funding
OK, how do I find out if I’m eligible?
We always suggest just reaching out to us and asking, we are happy to help, as a rough guide please see details below that will help you check if you’re eligible or not:
Essentially there are 3 questions that will let you know if you qualify:
1. Benefits or Earnings:
Benefits – are you claiming any? (inclusive of Pension Credits, Tax Credits or Child Benefits)
Or you are not claiming any benefits but you are earning less than £31k.
2. Location:
Are you are living in:
- Anglesey
- Ceredigion
- Conwy
- Denbighshire
- Gwynedd
- Pembrokeshire
- Powys
3. How do you currently heat your home? – Are you are using electric, oil, solid fuel or LPG to heat your house
If you answer yes to the above – we can potentially install a full heating project that will consist of:
Full Heating System – including:
- Air Source Heat Pump with Radiators & Smart Controls – (we can take out old heating systems and replace with our new systems)
- Wall Insulation – If you have solid walls or granite stone we can install new eco-friendly wall insulation and will ensure this is fully plastered (worth a mention, this is fully covered by Trustmark meaning it is endorsed for quality!)
- Cavity Wall Insulation
- Attic room insulation – we can insulate the slopes and skim the gables and walls
- Loft Insulation
- Solar Panels (We will install 8 – 10 panels depending on the survey, and also include a hybrid invertor(Hybrid inverter’s help you store the power from the solar panels in a battery)
How long will the installer take to come?
After we confirm your eligibility:
- We will contact you via phone, text or email
- We will arrange a free energy survey which takes around 1 hour
- We will explain time-lines, and the process of the installation will be fully explained upon completion of successful survey
- We will then arrange an install date
- Generally the install is arranged between 1-2 weeks
Frequently Asked Questions
We’ve listed many of the most common questions that we get from people considering ECO 4 measures, please see if your question is listed below – if you have a question that is not answered, please feel free to reach out to me personally on the details below:
Solar Panels
Solar Panels are a natural choice as people around the globe focus on eco-friendly living, to lower their bills and seek ways to make their homes energy-efficient. In Wales solar panels are a becoming a very popular choice for decreasing carbon emissions and saving energy.
When the solar panels are fitted is it completely mine?
Yes, it’s yours and you will benefit from all the savings.
Do I get fits payments?
No these stopped in 2019, so no one after that time would be eligible, but you will benefit from cutting bills.
My house is not directly south can I still have?
Yes you can we can install to, South and if required we can do a south west and south east split array. It will be subject to survey.
My roofs really old, could I still get Solar Panels?
Yes mostly all the houses we install to are -1900 houses with slate roofs and have no issues installing.
Can I fit on my field or barn?
Potentially – yes, we can install a ground mounted system (subject to survey), if a barn is requested we will discuss this further on the survey.
Can I choose which panels I get?
This will be surveyed and assessed after house survey with the coordinator to how many panels we will fit but as rule it’s generally 8-10 panels.
Will the solar help with the air source heat pump?
Yes, also if you time your day for example running your washing and drying machine at a time when you are out – and not running the Air Source Heat Pump at the same time, this will also help to lower bills and use the energy more efficiently.
I’m a tenant can I still apply?
As long as not council or housing association, yes you can it will require the permission of your landlord though.
It can’t be free there must be a catch?
No there is no catch , the scheme is an obligation all the utilities must meet every year, eco 4 is running until 2026 the funding is from utilities.
Will we pay for it with our energy bills, isn’t that’s why it’s gone up?
Incorrect it is not connected in any way to how utilities bill customers for fuel usage.
Do I need to be on benefits to qualify?
No, we have none benefits areas where the requirement is to be earning as a house hold 31k or less year.
I get child benefits and my partner gets universal credit do I qualify?
Yes along with many other benefit types that qualify fully for the project work, please contact us to discuss in detail.
I’m a tenant can I still apply?
As long as not council or housing association, yes you can it will require the permission of your landlord though.
Is the BUS Scheme the same as Eco 4?
No they are different schemes, BUS is a £5000 grant towards just an Air source heat pump install, whereas Eco 4is a fully funded scheme for a whole house project, we only operate in eco.
Do I own the measures when installed?
Yes you own the whole eco project, when finished it is 100% yours.
Do I have to pay anything?
If eligible you will pay nothing from the survey to the install, even if we cannot do anything the survey will always be completely free.
How long does the project take?
We allow 1 month for the complete eco project to be finished that’s from wall & roof insulation, full heating system, air source heat pump and solar pv but can be sooner.
Is a survey carried out?
Yes always, we will arrange a survey to suit yourself and time, our surveyors will have an ID badge also. On the day a full survey will be carried out and discussed with the customer and if all is ok. Then a retro survey of their house , it will generally take 1 hour to complete.
Heat Pumps
Heat pumps are incredibly efficient, often providing up to four times more heat for every unit of electricity they consume. By installing a heat pump system, Welsh residents and business owners can enjoy significant savings on their energy bills. This is particularly important in rural areas, where homes may be off the gas grid and reliant on more expensive heating options such as oil or LPG. Additionally, by investing in renewable heat sources we can reduce reliance on fossil fuels and contribute to a more sustainable future.
They don’t work and don’t heat house up enough
Incorrect, if correctly surveyed by us which is a retro survey and coordination to see if the project is correct, insulated that’s the walls roof and then correct heat loss calclualations the air source heat pump is more than adequate to heat home via conventional pipework and radiators.
Are they noisy?
No they are very quiet the models we use are from 50.6 – 54.2 DB, they make very little noise.
They use too much electric
Yes they use electric but, when we are removing another fuel source say LPG or say electric panel heaters, we are taking away that bill then what happens is. The air source heat pump alone is highly efficient but added to this we fit in conjunction Solar PV which will essentially help to fuel the air source heat pump which overall brings the usages down, combined with insulation to walls and roof it’s even better.
What if my power goes, will I have no heating?
As with any electrically operated appliance a power cut would cause the appliance would not work along with fridges etc. but as expected these are rare, where we are working in areas and a customer has say a coal or wood burning fire the customer will request to keep this and that is absolutely fine also.
Do they have radiators or warm air?
The air source heat pump is a wet central heating system consisting of pipework, radiators, unvented cylinder and smart controls.
Can they heat the hot water?
Yes we will include a highly efficient insulated unvented cylinder which the air source heat pump will heat and allow the home owner to draw off as desired , remember this can all be timed too on your settings.
Does the pump run all the time
No, you can set all the times and days to come on for both heat and hot water through the smart controls to allow full functionality.
Are the heat pumps big and where are they fitted?
The heat pumps are always sited outside and a floor where we will prepare a base and it then sits on rubber feet, the units vary in size dependent on the size of the house but they go from6KW 580mm wide 675mm high, 10KW 850mm wide 882mm high, 13KW and 17KW 1000mm wide 1418mm high, depths from 327mm – 367mm. So as can see the units are relatively small with the added advantage to fitting outside.
Can they be fitted anywhere on my house?
Yes to a degree, except we would avoid north faces so the wind does not work against the unit , so south, south east or west , east or west. Another consideration in Wales is the unit MUST be more than 3 meters from a neighbours boundary.
Can the air pump freeze outside?
Absolutely not , they contain a refrigerant inside so there would never be a time when it would freeze at all.
Could I use an Airsource heat pump to do just my heating as I like my wood burning cooker to do hot water?
Yes this would be absolutely fine, we could install the Airsource heat pump to effectively run the heating and you could keep your other appliance to run the hot water.
Do the radiators have to be huge?
No not necessarily, because we will look to insulate the home effectively from walls to roof this will give a better U value then before allowing the radiators to be adequately sized.
Can you remove my main gas central heating and fit an air source heat pump?
We only replace rural type fuels including, electric heating , wood and coal , oil and lpg. We will not replace mains gas heating systems.
How do I know it’s the right size?
We carry out full heat loss calculations on your home to make sure we size the correct pump and radiators.
Wall Insulation – Stone Walls:
How do you insulate solid walls with no cavity?
We can insulate with a method called SWIP, which is guaranteed under trustmark. This method consists of a wooden pattern system, loft batts and membrane, we then board and fully skim which makes the completed job look brilliant.
Do I need to get plumbers and electricians in before the work?
No, we will have tradesman on site ready to to take care of all of this, from plumbing to the sockets!
Is it a messy job?
No we will advise on areas to clear on initial survey and the installers will cover areas they are working.
How are the areas next to the windows insulated?
We use a small reveal board and skim to.
What about doors etc. in hallways?
If the insulation would cover the door and frame we would chamfer down to the frame to make it look good.
Can I fix pictures etc. after works done?
Absolutely yes, you’ll need to use correct fixings but will be fine.
Will you ventilate the home? – (as it will be more airtight after)
Yes we will, we will introduce extractor fans to areas of high humidity such as kitchens and bathrooms.
Cavity Wall Insulation Bead:
Can it cause damp?
No and furthermore we have never had issues with bead as a product. The reason is it does not facilitate capillary reaction as some other products did (fiber), if there was ever an issues with water bridging the brickwork as there are lots of little gaps in beads it would work its way to the ground and not through. The cavity Sid still allowed to breathe also due to the gaps around all the little balls. It also has closed cell eps technology so will not absorb moisture.
Is it messy job?
No most of the time you cannot tell where our installers have installed as the drill holes externally are very discreet and patched to the current mortar.
Does the bead fall out if I take a door or window out?
No, we place a slight amount of glue to hold together so if you carry out any building work its absolutely fine and will hold in situ.
Does it actually make a difference?
Yes it really does, with a U value 0.033w/mk, which very good insulation level for a property.
How do you know the cavity is suitable?
We will carry out a full cavity survey on site including using horoscopes to check the elevations are clear to and good to insulate.
I have cavity wall insulation but its fibre and caused damp can I have it taken out and bead installed?
Unfortunately some installers used inferior products in high exposure areas causing issues , in some circumstances we are able to fully extract and dry out and then insulate with bead to make the job right.
How long does it take?
Dependent on house size, half a day to a day to fully insulate.
I have awkward access to one side of my house can I have done still?
It will be subject to survey but we have the ability to lance awkward to reach areas.
A Family Business With 20 Years Experience
Naturally people are a bit sceptical when they hear the word FREE, to be honest I think it’s a good thing, as I love nothing more than showing our clients the ECO Energy Experts difference, I have to say there are many copy cat businesses, and faceless organisations trying to make a “quick buck” in the eco market with faceless websites and a total lack of transparency, my aim is to change that and be totally open about the eco market, it’s proven to be a successful strategy as we’ve got many reviews from clients who are delighted with our service!
I think the key aspect is that from the very start I’ve been open to inviting my customers into my home as they are so open about me being in theirs, so you’ll see pictures of me and my family dotted around the site, we’re a true family business with everybody getting involved and spreading the word about ECO and helping our customers with ECO measures for their homes and families.
Please feel free to reach out to arrange your free ECO Energy Survey: