STORY: Sue – ‘We have been given professional guidance that puts our mind at rest’
Sue, 67, contacted Green Doctor when her home was dangerously cold. Thanks to the support of Groundwork’s Green Doctor, her house is now warm again.
Sue lives in the outskirts of Norwich with her husband who is troubled by numerous physical health issues. His condition requires their home to be kept warm all year round but despite their efforts to heat the home, one part of the building remained particularly cold. Sue knew that this was dangerous to her husband’s health.
She initially got in touch with Groundwork’s Green Doctor service to book an energy advice talk on behalf of a community group she chairs, which supports elderly women to tackle common issues such as high energy bills. During this conversation, Sue additionally requested her own home visit to see what could be done for her and her husband regarding their home’s energy efficiency and warmth.
When the Green Doctor visited Sue’s home, they firstly identified the source of the worrying cold patch – it was a draught that had been entering from one of the doors. The Green Doctor installed draughtproofing around the door frame in a necessary measure to limit the amount of heat escaping from the room. This would cause the house to become much safer for Sue’s husband.
The Green Doctor was able to help Sue further maximise the home’s warmth. They identified several radiators in rooms that were in contact with external walls and installed three radiator foils to reflect the heat back into the home.
Sue wanted to learn how to program her thermostat so that the heating came on at 7am when her and husband got up in the morning. The Green Doctor advised Sue on the use of her thermostat and programmed it to the desired timing for her.
Shortly after the home visit, a follow-up call was made by the Green Doctor to Sue. She expressed that she is already feeling the benefits of the radiator foils and has needed to turn the thermostat down as a result! The home no longer feels draughty and is overall much warmer throughout the day, which is a vital outcome for Sue and her husband.
Sue said:
I thought I knew how to meet the challenges of keeping my home warm, but the visit highlighted things I had missed. It was a pleasure to have a Green Doctor come to my home. He walked through my home with respect, had a great manner and provided ideas that have warmed my rooms to a higher level. I am already saving money! I feel that we are now doing the best we can and have been given professional guidance that puts our mind at rest.
No-one should ever have to choose between heating and eating, but we know this is the reality for increasing numbers of people. You can find out more information and pledge your support here.
About Stay Warm, Stay Well
Stay Warm, Stay Well is a three-year programme that aims to help those living in fuel poverty by offering tailored energy advice, carried out by Groundwork’s Green Doctors.
Funded by the Cadent Foundation and led in partnership by Groundwork, the programme will invest £6m and support 14,500 households in communities across England.
In addition to the Green Doctor support, the programme is also funding an initiative to support the creation of the next generation of energy advisors via a 12-month traineeship opportunity through the Green Doctor Academy, to create more accessible pathways into work.
Find out more: www.groundwork.org.uk/stay-warm-stay-well
