This month we went to catch up with Margaret Rattray.

She contacted us a year or so ago 
because one of her storage heaters wasn’t working, and to cut a long story short she now has 2 new storage heaters, 3 new panel heaters and 6 solar panels, all paid for by the government…but more of the funding later.


Old storage heaters have a reputation for letting all their heat out in the morning, well before the heat is needed in the evening. Margaret is delighted that her new heaters are not only far easier to control but are also infinitely more efficient and therefore also cheaper to run. ‘They even look much nicer’, she says. How long did the work take? Heaters, wiring, solar panels – it was all over in about two weeks, and Margaret couldn’t speak more highly of all the workmen who came to install the different parts.


Having started the conversation with heaters, getting solar panels installed as well was a big and unexpected bonus. Margaret doesn’t have a battery, so she does her best to use her solar generated electricity in real time, ie using appliances when the sun is shining or at very least it’s a bright day. For example, it pays to look at the weather forecast and put the washing machine on when it is bright and / or sunny.


Asked if she had any surprises from our initial visit, Meg said that the best surprise was that all this work would be done for nothing. She isn’t on any benefits (just a state pension) and though there are some criteria (householder and the house itself), it is always worth asking the question, as you may too be pleasantly surprised!

If you would like help with the big steps or the little ones, Anna and Tom at Warm Connections would be delighted to chat. Remember, our advice is completely free and there is no catch.
07759 404980, advice@warmconnections.net

This month’s article comes out of paper written by Historic Scotland, which challenges the assumption that 20-21 degrees centigrade is the recommended temperature for a house. These numbers have snuck into our understanding of healthy living recently and can sound like a decree from on high……. But are they???

Many people live in houses which, even if they wanted to live at 20 degrees, could not possibly afford to. Many have also lived in a cooler house all their life and like it that way. Here are some thoughts about how to be comfortable in a house kept at a cooler 16 degrees centigrade. Firstly the lower temperature significantly reduces heat loss from the house, and so reduces costs. Secondly this may be a good temperature if you are active in the house. Lastly, having the house at this temperature may require some behaviour changes, for example:

• Wear an extra layer or two
• Use localised heaters – particularly if you are not moving much, using a heater to heat the area where you are. Directional heaters are designed for this as are radiant heaters which heat things rather than the air
• Be more active if you are able (even moving around a room to turn things on and off rather than always using remote controls)
• High back chairs, with ‘wings’ are designed to ‘wrap you up’ and shield you from draughts
• Pre-warm your bed with a hot water bottle or electric blanket
• Use a duvet with a high tog rating (12 or higher)

As well as these practical things that you can do to stay comfortable whilst your house is a bit cooler, don’t forget there are also things you can do so that your house loses less heat – many of these are very easy, inexpensive and make a significant difference – see our blog article on our website entitled ‘If my House was Human’. There are also things you can do to reduce the price you pay for fuel, which we will discuss this next month.
Remember, our advice is completely free and there is no catch.

Please get in touch with Anna and Tom: 07759 404980, advice@warmconnections.net