There are numerous grants and schemes available within Ireland that you can take advantage of to save energy in your home benefiting both your pocket and the environment simultaneously! You will need to figure out which grants are most suitable for your home. Whether you are building a new home or upgrading your existing residence, here are the top 3 money and energy saving grants you need to know about. Ready to save thousands on your home energy?

1. Insulation Grants

Did you know that a home can lose 20-30% of its heat through the walls and 30% through a poorly insulated attic? The insulation layer is simply the most important building material to consider when looking to achieve the best energy efficiency rating for your home.

To avoid this loss of energy and money, you can apply for the home energy grant making your home more energy-efficient, saving you thousands of euros.

The insulation types allowed within the grant scheme are:

• Attic insulation
• Wall insulation, both internal and external.
• Cavity wall insulation 

The process of this grant is broken down into three parts: application stage, survey stage, and delivery stage. To apply for this grant, you must first check your eligibility, if you’re eligible you must then apply either by post or online. Once your application is received, a surveyor will contact you to arrange an assessment of your home and recommend upgrades. The type of upgrades recommended for a home will depend on many things, including the age, size, type and condition of the property.

Aside from insulation being a necessary part of your home in order to add comfort and warmth, an insulation grant has many more benefits. These include preventing your home from becoming damp and eventually damaged, saving you money with the initial insulation costs, and reducing the cost of energy bills in the future.

We work with Ireland's leading insulation contractors providing the widest range of high-quality products and solutions that will make the SEAI’s contractor’s job easier and more efficient. 

2. Heat pump system grant

The heat pump system is a cost-effective alternative to the use of fossil fuels in your home. It allows you to heat your home using renewable energy by harnessing energy from free renewable sources outside the building. They are electrical devices which convert energy from the air outside of your home into useful heat which can be then used for hot water and to heat your property. The heat generated will be released by radiators, underfloor heating or warm air. 

This heat pump system grant is available to all homeowners, including landlords, whose homes were built and occupied before 2011. There are, however, a set of other criteria that you have to meet in order to apply and qualify for the grant. This includes ensuring your home is properly insulated to ensure the upgraded heating system isn’t working harder to heat your home. To assess this, you must seek a professional advisor who is SEAI registered, in order to carry out the checks within your home. Once the checks have been done and your home is eligible for the upgrade, you can then apply by either post or online.

Some benefits of upgrading your heat pump system include: 

• You can reduce your heating bills by improving your energy efficiency
• Increase the comfort and warmth of your home
• Prevent burning fossil fuels to heat your home 
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support the environment

3. Solar water heating grant 

A solar thermal system can provide 50-60% of your annual housing needs. By using solar energy, you will heat your water, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enjoy cheaper heating bills. You can get this solar water heating grant based on the number of occupants that are meant to live in your home and homes that were built and occupied before 2011. All homeowners, whose homes were built and occupied before 2011 can apply.

It is also important to consider other requirements for the solar water grant:

• Your home should have a good BER rating, this means well insulated walls, floors and attic as well as double or triple glazed windows.
• Your heating system should have a heat pump already installed.

You may also need to get planning permission to install a solar water system. If the collector exceeds 12m2 or 50% of the property’s total roofing area, then you will need to seek planning permission for the installation to go ahead.

To apply for the grant, simply send your application form by post or online. 

Interested in Learning More About Home Energy Saving Grants?

At U Value we are experts in energy saving and will help you with your project from planning all the way through to installation. Making your home more energy efficient is a sure way to save thousands on your energy bills as well as create a more sustainable footprint- a win for all! With more that 30 years experience we are always up to date on the latest grants and supports available in Ireland to support you and our expert team will be happy to advise you. 

For further information please visit: https://www.uvalue.ie/contact or phone: 01 861 2000.