When: Saturday January 24th, 2026

Time: 10.00am-1.00pm 

Location: Aberfeldy Parish Church

Come & Meet:

• Homeowners with a Story
• Installers with Knowledge
• Advisors with Passion
• Funders with Money!

Tea & Coffee will be available

Here is a happy story – like lots of people, my energy company has changed, though it seemed to take months before I had an email from my new company, welcoming me and telling me what my bill was likely to be – huge, it turns out (sound familiar?)…. 4 figures in debt – I could not believe it, especially as I had cleared my balance this time last year, and was still paying a direct debit every month. A friend told me about Warm Connections; they are based from Aberfeldy and offer home energy advice, including helping to find support with unmanageable bills. Most important – they are free. I got in touch, spoke to Anna and arranged a time for them to visit. Anna and her husband Tom work together, and when they arrived we chatted through electricity usage and habits in the home; they made some easy-win suggestions for saving electricity, checked my radiators were set right, and added some insulation to pipes. Then we got down to the nitty-gritty of the offending bill.

Long story short, using the information I gave them Anna and Tom submitted an application for a crisis support payment, and within less than two days they had heard that the application had been successful and to my amazement a four figure payment would be made direct to my energy company….imagine my relief!! This piece of news meant that the majority of my outstanding balance would very soon be paid off.

So, why was my electricity bill so high? In part it was old, inefficient heaters which my housing association have now upgraded. I am also at home a lot and so the heating is on more than average. My direct debit will still need to go up, but at least I now have a chance to make it work. Warm Connections were just what I needed. There was no sense of rush – Anna and Tom spent the time and worked through the challenges, understanding my specific needs and suggesting solutions. You know the best bit of all – I think they were just as pleased as me when the money came through. Thanks to you both.

From Warm Connections: we are very aware that helping someone out of a crisis is essential, but at Warm Connections we are also committed to helping make the changes to our houses and the way we live to break the cycle of winter fuel debt. We can all make small changes to lessen our energy bills, and there are grants and loans to help with the all-important extra insulation, draught-proofing etc which are necessary to keep the heat in our homes rather than it escaping into the outside world.

In March 2021 Jill was desperate; she was £1200 in energy debt.
She was very careful and aware of her energy use, but things had got out of control. Here is her story:

“I had a sick friend staying, so the heating was on more than usual. My landlady had just upgraded our electric heating system – the new system is very easy to use, but electricity is expensive, and we are off the gas grid.

Warm Connections were able to apply for support and all of my debt was paid off. I felt lighter, a huge weight lifted; it was a physical feeling and every part of me felt better.

Last winter was tough; we did some preparation – stopping draughts, our landlady changed the oldest, coldest window and the house is now double glazed throughout. We changed the way we used the house in the cold, and we changed the way we did things when we used the kettle – only ever putting the exact amount of water we needed in. We used the fire more. We survived, and met our bills every month.

And THEN came the energy price rises in April – it made me mad. We’ll be fine through the summer but I don’t know how we will manage next winter. I have been in touch with our energy company and have sorted a new tariff. We have done all the easy stuff and our landlady has been great. If we are going to manage next winter, we will need to do the faffy things – lining the curtains, door draught excluders, low water use shower head, and I have read that the microwave uses less energy too. We already grow loads of our own food, and cook from scratch. I am worried for us, but am also really worried for my friends. Warm Connections have helped loads – partly motivation, partly information, and partly providing actual energy saving measures.”

A vital part of keeping your home warm

Where


Insulation can be fitted above, below and around your house.
The easiest is the attic. Below the floor is a simple win if you have access, and on the inside or outside of your walls is the other place. Sadly when it comes to real homes it’s often not quite as easy as it sounds; there are, however, more creative solutions and more products that work in sympathy with the original building. It is clear that better insulation can increase comfort and reduce bills.

What


The two big questions are – is the insulation breathable or not (both have a place) and what is the environmental impact of the material itself – to produce, to dispose of and against its lifespan. (sustainable, natural products are becoming more common and performance data is available)

Who


This is very challenging at present, especially when linked to the question of funding ….. but if the government is to meet its carbon reduction targets, changes will have to occur. There are larger corporate companies available, often with specialised products and skilled local tradespeople. Funders set criteria for installers but the lack of approved installers in this area means there needs to be an easier pathway to use our local installers, and still access funding.

How

The questions above often lead to several options, so the final part of the equation relates to cost and funding. There is considerable funding available, some means tested, some non means tested, some related to the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of the building, and some has constraints on who can be used to install (see above).

Summary


More insulation is nearly always a good answer
Solutions need to be designed specifically for your property
The funding and installer process can be a challenge
If you have explored this and come up with a blank it may be worth another look – Warm Connections are here to help.

Flow temperature and efficiency – ‘It’s a kind of magic’

This winter may be the ‘new normal’ as the climate warms; it certainly highlights how quickly our weather patterns, and particularly the outside temperature, fluctuate. Last month there was a 20 degrees shift in just 12 hours, which presents a challenge for our heating systems. 

How much heat does a room or house need? Firstly it will depend on the temperature which you hope to achieve. Secondly it depends on how fast heat is lost to the outside world; as it gets colder and windier outside more heat is required to replace the increased heat being lost.
If your rooms are heating up too slowly or never reaching the desired temperature, the following may help:

• More insulation in the house will reduce heat loss (roof, walls, floor, and windows and doors)
• Reducing draughts – sealing gaps so less cold air gets in and warm air escapes less quickly
• Check the radiators are working well:
  • Bleed the radiators if necessary so that the whole surface gets hot 
• The pump or pipes might be partially blocked and reducing circulation through the radiators:
  • A plumber could advise on this – it is possible to flush a system
• The flow temperature may be too low to compensate for the heat losses in colder conditions:
  • Adjust the flow temperature 

The following advice about flow temperature is relevant for households with gas, oil, electric or biomass boilers, but not heat pumps:
What is flow temperature? The flow temperature is the temperature of the fluid leaving the boiler. Obviously hotter fluid arriving in a room will release heat more quickly from the radiator. 
If the flow temperature is cooler than necessary:

• Rooms will warm up slowly and may not even reach the desired temperature
• The pump and boiler will run continuously  
  If the flow temperature is hotter than necessary: 
• More heat is lost from the pipes
• Heating the fluid 1 degree extra costs disproportionally more as the temperature rises
• The pump might cycle on and off frequently which is less efficient and increases wear and tear
• The condensing function will not reclaim as much energy, reducing its 92% efficiency to 10-25%

What is most cost effective? Both too low and too high flow temperatures are less efficient than the sweet spot between. In simple terms – as high as is needed but no hotter.

Can’t I do the same with the room thermostat or the radiator thermostats? You can control the temperature which you are aiming to achieve in a room with the thermostats, and of course turning the thermostat down will save money. Turning the thermostat up won’t change how fast a room heats up – just the temperature it is trying to reach. Flow temperature affects the speed a room heats up and boiler efficiency, room and radiator thermostats affect the target temperature that you are hoping to achieve. 

How to adjust the flow temperature – there is commonly a dial with numbers or a scale – try to avoid this being at maximum. Some boilers have an eco setting but turn it up if the house is not warming up. Some systems show the actual temperature and even a second lower figure for the temperature of fluid returning to the boiler. 

Return temperature and efficiency – the return temperature has a significant effect on efficiency, particularly with condensing boilers. Condensing boilers capture more of the energy in the escaping ‘exhaust’ gases from burning gas. The heat is exchanged into the returning flow from the radiators, but if the return temperature is above 60 degrees the condensing function is less effective or may not even function. So, if you can see the return flow temperature aim to keep it below 60 degrees; turning down the flow temperature will cause the return flow temperature to drop. 

What about my hot water? For combi boilers, a similar thing is also true for the temperature of your hot water. In colder weather it may not be hot enough by the time it reaches your taps, whilst in the summer it may be scalding hot. Adjust the flow temperature – many boilers have separate controls for the heating and hot water flow temperatures. If you have a hot water cylinder the temperature is controlled in a different way. 

How often should I adjust the boiler? It used to be beneficial to adjust these settings as the season changed, but with the wild fluctuations in temperature we have seen this winter it makes sense to expect to adjust the flow temperature whenever the outside temperature makes a big shift. 

This article has some additional information and is clear and easy to read. https://energyguide.org.uk/boiler-flow-temperature/

What about storage heaters? Modern storage heaters automatically take account of the outside temperature when it charges,and will occasionally struggle if the temperature drops very quickly. If you have older storage heaters where the input level is set manually, keeping a good eye on the forecast will help you set the input (the amount of heat stored). There is grant funding available to almost everyone who has older storage heaters for their replacement. Please contact us to find out more.

If the answer is yes, the next question is – are you making the most of them?

As we write it’s March and yesterday we made 7kWh from our smallish solar system. The more solar power we can use in real time the cheaper it is – when we sell electricity to the grid we get just a few pence per kWh, but we buy it back for considerably more (as much as five times more). Here are a few examples of how you can use your own generated electricity:

Avoid the grid using your self-generated electricity:

• Put the washing machine, kettle etc on when the sun is out
• Monitor electricity production and use using a smart meter in home display or your solar app to get a feel for how much energy is being made and what you can do with it
• If you need to replace your kettle buy a ‘low energy’ one, which is slower but doesn’t spike above what you’re generating
• Often bigger appliances have an eco setting, which takes longer but has a lower energy draw
• Use only one appliance at a time when the sun is out – if you use more your demand may be more than the solar is providing, so you will be buying the remainder from the grid

Warming your house – if your house is cool make the most of opening blinds and curtains on the sunny side of the house, in order to take advantage of the free ’solar gain’ heat

Heating your water – if you have a hot water cylinder you can fit a ‘solar divert’ which is programmed to read when there is excess solar, and uses the immersion element in the tank to heat your water – this is more affordable than batteries https://www.myenergi.com/product/eddi/

Storing heat – it is now possible to use excess solar energy to charge (eg Elnur storage heaters)
Use of a battery can help in 2 ways:

• When demand exceeds the generation from the panels the battery can supplement the panels and avoid use of the grid
• Providing electricity during the evening and night (when the panels are not generating)

Charging an electric car. Some car chargers are designed to use the solar energy as it is being produced

Check your export tariff:

• Some companies offer better export rates
• If you have both solar panels and battery there are tariffs which allow you to sell energy stored in the battery at peak periods, and other tariffs where charging you battery at off peak times in the winter can supplement solar production which will be much lower at that time of year

Useful links:

• Diverts, batteries and car chargers My Energi are a good starting point for researching products because they have a range of products which all integrate well (there are of course a mass of equivalent products now available) https://www.myenergi.com
• Solar compatible storage heaters – https://www.elnur.co.uk/product/solar-high-heat-retention-storage-heater/
• A solar divert monitors for excess production and diverts the surplus, in this case to the hot water cylinder.

To Summarise: Use it…Store it…Sell it.
In that order

If you would like FREE advice on lowering your energy bills or energy use at home, please do get in touch with Anna and Tom at Warm Connections:
Phone: 07759 404980 Email: advice@advicewarmconnections.net


LED Light Bulbs – what are they? Are they any good?
Are there any catches or exceptions I should know about? Here is a summary of the 4 types of bulbs commonly found in the UK, based on an old 60w bulb or alternative bulbs creating an equivalent amount of light output:

• Incandescent old bulbs create light by heating a filament to white hot. These bulbs get too hot to touch
• Halogen rely on heat to create light, so are also too hot to touch
• CFL – Compact Fluorescent Light were the original low energy bulbs, and long life – they use most energy to start up and may take a short time to reach full brightness. Manufactured with and incorporating toxic chemicals
• LED – Light Emitting Diode, create light with far less heat and can be recycled

Price


It’s getting hard to buy anything but LED now and as the price has fallen significantly, based on the length of their life alone they are cost effective; when you also add the energy savings, LEDs become a simple win.

FAQs:
Do LEDs give good quality light?
LEDs have definitely changed. Unlike CFLs there is no warm-up time. You can buy LEDs with differing tones; warm white (2700k) is a common replacement for the ‘soft’ light from old incandescent bulbs. For detailed work people often prefer a neutral tone which gives a sharper almost ‘blue’ light (4000k). The ‘k’ refers to kelvin and is used to measure the temperature or tone of the light. Daylight is high (6000k) and candlelight relatively lower (less than 2000K).
Early LEDs were sometimes a bit flickery – this is rarely an issue now.
Brightness is measured in lumens but many bulbs still tell you which incandescent bulb would be equivalent. A 12W LED is often rated as the equivalent of an old 75W incandescent.
What LED fittings are available?
 LED bulbs seem to be available in pretty much every style and varying brightness – if you are not sure take your old bulb with you to the shop and ask. There are also LED equivalents for all sorts of fluorescent tube lights.
My lights are dimmable – is there an LED version?
 There are LEDs specifically made for dimmable switches – a standard LED will not work with dimmable light switches.
Will I need an electrician, or to change anything?
 Most bulbs are interchangeable for lamps and lights with no adjustment. If in doubt ask at the shop when you buy it.
Should I replace bulbs now or wait until they stop working? 
Replacing incandescent and halogen bulbs immediately will save you money and the benefits to the environment outweigh the costs.
For CFL bulbs and fluorescent strips this is a harder debate – these bulbs are full of unpleasant stuff and are hard to recycle – many believe it is better to use them until they are done. The initial charge to get a CFL glowing is energy costly but once ‘on’ these bulbs are almost as efficient as LED, so try to avoid having CFLs in places where they are being switched on and off for short periods.
Where do I recycle old bulbs?
 All bulbs can be dropped at a local recycling centre (CFL and fluorescent strip lights must be disposed of at a recycling centre where there will be a specific place for bulbs)
The energy rating on my bulb
 F is the new A! We are transitioning to a new scale just now as we had reached the point where bulbs were scoring A+ or A++. So, the measure of bulb efficiency has been reset – no more A+ or A++, so an old A rated bulb has been re-graded to F. The hope is to encourage the industry to keep improving on bulb design and efficiency, so the best bulbs might become E and then D …. Currently you can find the same bulbs in old and new packaging – sorry it’s confusing, especially in the transition.

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, www.warmconnections.net, advice@warmconnections.net

Windows account for 10% of heat loss in many homes. In this article we will look at options for improving or replacing windows to reduce those losses. We will discuss the use of curtains, shutters and blinds next month. The summer is a good time to get work done ready for next winter.

Older double glazing may be ‘blown’, in which case condensation will be visible inside. Double glazing standards changed in 2003, so older units might be worth updating if you are able to. If the frame is wood and in good condition and still fits well upgrading the glazing is better for the environment than replacing the whole units, and should be cheaper.

As always there are a bewildering number of approaches available. The areas worth considering are the glazing type, frame materials, style (eg types of openings used by the window), security, longevity, price.

The Glazing Units
The table below summarises much of this:

The data above is a compilation from many sites – and inevitably individual products will vary


Secondary glazing has considerable thermal benefits over single and in addition can significantly reduce draughts, but may mean a window cannot be opened without removing the secondary pane.

Double glazing can be narrow, ie a small gap between the panes, but a wider gap is more efficient
Triple glazing is heavy and wide, but offers very good efficiency

Vacuum glazing equals or exceeds the benefits of triple glazing but is thin enough to retro-fit into frames designed for single glazing

Frame Materials
The variations here are about material costs, production costs, longevity, ongoing maintenance and heat loss through the frame
PVC has developed significantly, now being available in different colours and with convincing grain patterns if wanted.

Window Style


This is in part about choice but can re-specified by planning, particularly in conservation areas.

Retro-fit and Conservation Area Requirements


Some areas have planning restrictions which limit the construction materials or design of windows. If the current frames are in good condition single panes can be replaced with thin double glazing (‘heritage glazing’) or vacuum units.

Doors


Doors can be made to match windows. Energy efficiency is important and each material has different ways to ensure insulation and draught proofing is maximised. The door ‘furniture’ should also be considered; for example a letter box may be unnecessary and newer style keys avoid the need to have a draughty hole right through the door.

A true story of heat, cost, carbon, and effort by Anna and Tom Sibbald

Warm Connections put on an Eco-Fair on Saturday 27th April 2024 in the Aberfeldy Town Hall.

The event was also sponsored by The Aberfeldy Development Trust and The Pitlochry and District Climate Cafe.

The exhibitors were numerous, informative, and generous with their time and energy.

We remember an energy adviser coming to visit us during our first cold winter in our house; he had lots of helpful advice – all very useful but he was not satisfied; I think he realized we were not really curtain people, and spent a while enthusing about how much curtains help to keep a room warm; so, reluctantly we committed to using and improving our curtains. What a difference it made to the temperature of the house….a win-win situation, as we can keep the house warmer, bring our energy bills down AND help the environment, all at the same time. Even better, it’s probably the lowest effort, highest benefit thing which we have done at home, so we can’t help encouraging others. 

Windows (even double-glazed) form a cold surface, so warmer air inside will cool wherever it contacts the glass. Heat also radiates through glass and is lost from the room. Finally, if the window frames are draughty there is even better reason to close your blinds or curtains.

So, how do I maximise the benefits of curtains and blinds?

1. Use thermal curtains / blinds as much as possible, or secondary thermal curtains are available which attach to the same rail but just behind the curtains themselves. Just like clothes – layers are good and trapped air also works well.
2. Make sure there is as little gap as possible between the curtains and the window sill. If possible, minimising or removing the gaps at the side of the curtains, and reaching the ground will also help.
3. If the curtains cover your radiators, either shorten them or tuck them up onto the window sill to allow the heat from the radiator into the room.
4. Close curtains / blinds as it’s getting dark, aiming to beat that rapid temperature drop which we have all felt as the sun drops but it’s not yet dark.

Don’t forget to open your curtains again to allow sunlight (and therefore warmth) in, particularly on south- facing windows. And having said all this, if it does get hot this summer we may find ourselves closing curtains to keep some of the cool in. Hard to imagine as we write this article on another chilly June day!

People often ask “are curtains or blinds better”? Perhaps two better questions would be firstly, “How is the draught being stopped?” Curtains often use pleats to press against the wall beside the window, hence reducing draughts, and blinds can run down tracks at the edges to stop draughts.  And secondly “How effective is the thermal barrier?” Curtains maximise the barrier using lining and quilting, whilst blinds frequently use reflective foil and air gaps between layers to form a barrier to reduce heat loss. 

Lastly – let’s not forget the humble shutter. If you are fortunate enough to have shutters in your home it is well worth using them, as they make a really effective first line of defense. 

The following links may be useful:
Second Hand: Buying second hand is always good for the environment and our pockets. Our Thrift Shop often has curtains for sale, as does Remake in Crieff – https://remakescotland.co.uk. 

Secondary Curtains: Dunelm – https://www.dunelm.com/search?q=curtain+thermal+linings

Thermal Blinds: https://www.blinds-2go.co.uk/energy-saving-thermal-blinds.htm

And with side sliders which form an even tighter seal – https://www.blinds-2go.co.uk/perfect-fit 

Velux Options: Blinds – https://www.veluxblindsdirect.co.uk/product/velux-blinds/energy-blinds

Shutters: https://www.veluxblindsdirect.co.uk/product/velux-blinds/roller-shutters

One of the big challenges of making a house warmer with insulation and/or draught proofing (both of which make a house more airtight) is that by reducing draughts we have the potential to trap moisture, particulate matter and chemicals in the house, and actually cause problems to the house and/or our health. Before we go any further let’s begin by saying that we are not advocating over-warm houses – there is lots to be said for living on the cool side. Secondly we are not saying don’t do anything other than putting an extra jumper on. What we want is comfortable, healthy houses with affordable bills.

Houses breathe in three ways:

• Through deliberate gaps where air can flow, eg an open window, where we can choose to close it
• Through unintended gaps around pipes as the enter or leave a building, and gaps left in the building process
• Buildings also breathe through their surfaces – moisture particularly moves through older walls 

The benefits of draughts and walls breathing in a house:

• The air is continually changing in the house, stale air is replaced keeping air quality is high and moisture being produced in the house should escape naturally
• The walls themselves may absorb and return both and moisture and warmth to the house

The negatives of draughts in a house: 

• The house will cool down quicker than for an equivalent, less draughty building 
• The cost of heating and maintaining a given temperature will be higher than for an equivalent, less draughty building 
• Draughts cause people to feel colder  
• If the house or some rooms are under-heated moisture may build up on and in colder walls 

The benefits of adequate, controlled ventilation: 

• Air quality is improved and humidity is reduced
• Heat loss is reduced and therefore heating costs are lower
• The fabric of the building is protected
• Heath of occupants is better 

The negatives of houses with inadequate ventilation:

• Possibly poor air quality – this includes particulate matter in the air and chemicals being released from the fabric and contents of the house
• Moisture from washing, cooking and living can condense on cooler surfaces and cause damp and mould. Moisture can get into the walls and become trapped within the walls
• Occupants’ health can be impacted
• Dampness in insulation can reduce its effectiveness
• Timber and other materials can be damaged by the damp

Monitoring

Relatively cheap moisture meters are available, designed to test walls and timbers for moisture content. You can buy meters which read the humidity of the air in a room. Checking the air quality is a more expensive challenge. 

Draught proofing 

Sealing gaps in the fabric of the house will reduce draughts, flexible fillers are great for holes and spaces around pipes or in the fabric and brushes and draught stripes are ideal for sealing doors and windows which need to be opened and shut.

Insulation

Synthetic insulation is often (but not always) non-breathable, whilst many natural materials are used to create more breathable insulation products. Care is required if additional insulation is being added to avoid creating problems with damp in the future. 

• Internal wall insulation:
  • Moisture impervious insulation needs to be installed with an air space behind it, ensuring that the wall can still breathe – the air and moisture in the room needs a way to be removed .
  • Breathable insulation can be attached directly to the wall and will allow the wall the breathe as designed. Care is needed that the plaster and paint also encourage breathability
  • Loft insulation – if the ceiling is insulated care must be taken to ensure there is still ventilation in the loft
  • Suspended floor insulation – ensuring the void below is dry and has good air flow is essential There should be air bricks, which should be checked to ensure they are not blocked or covered. 

Ventilation

• Windows are now built with trickle vents, which allow air flow
• Doors – internal doors usually have a space below to allow air to circulate in a house. Under door draught excluders will reduce this though monitoring moisture levels in rooms and checking cold surfaces for damp is a wise precaution if you are reducing airflow, especially if your rooms are not all equally warm.
• Extractor fans in bathrooms and kitchens can help remove moisture and by pushing air out of a house can also encourage fresh air to be drawn in, improving indoor air quality. Many houses now have low power extractor fans designed to run continuously.
• Mechanical heat recovery – a ventilation system which recovers some of the heat from the air being expelled and pre-warms the replacement air. Available as a whole house system or for a single room and easily retrofitted using the hole from a pre-existing extraction fan
• Smart ventilation – can monitor air in a room or below a suspended floor. The vents can open or close automatically as needed. Available as passive systems or powered providing mechanical ventilation if required. By closing the vents when air quality is good, heat loss is reduced.