UK householders have an appetite for investing in more sustainable forms of home heating that will reduce energy bills, according to a nationwide survey by trade specialist Wolseley.
The survey also found that householders believe sustainable heating options are inaccessible due to cost, and people do not understand enough about those options or Government subsidies designed to assist with purchasing and installation costs.
According to the survey 34% intend to spend their money changing their heating system over holidays this year. Almost half (48%) believe it is important for their energy source to be environmentally friendly, while 52% will be considering the environment when they next renew their heating system. 72% of people say they would seek a heat pump, hydrogen or other non-gas/oil boiler to deliver cheaper long-term energy costs.
The survey also identified challenges that need to be overcome to make sustainable forms of heating more accessible.
55% cite high expense as the main barrier to installing more sustainable forms of home heating, while 60% said they had a lack of knowledge on the issue. 36% wanted to wait until Government funding/subsidies become clearer before switching to more sustainable heat sources.
Simon Oakland, CEO, Wolseley Group, said: “Transforming the way that UK homes are heated to reduce environmental impact will take time. There are big hurdles to overcome around cost and reskilling of existing heating engineers. Specialist merchants, like Wolseley, will be critical in providing the support, training and advice needed to increase the number of installers able to provide these new technologies.”
He continued: “It is clear that the Government and the home heating sector need to be working together more closely to accelerate this transition by making the available grants and subsidies clearer, and the options more understandable. The appetite for more sustainable home heating is clearly there across the country.”
