Would you like to be more energy efficient and save money on your heating bills? Of course you would; however, like most of us, you probably worry about the cost of upgrading your heating system. But, if you live in Ireland and meet a few simple criteria, you could be entitled to a grant towards your heating upgrade.
At Duffy Heating, we work with householders in Dublin and the surrounding areas to apply and install new heating systems. With generous grants available from the SEAI (more about them in a minute), upgrading to a cost-saving new system becomes a no-brainer.
Again, the spectre of mountains of grant application paperwork can be off-putting. Again, it’s not a problem, as we can help you every step of the way – and we can even apply for the funding on your behalf.
Here’s a bit more about SEAI heating grants: what they cover, who is eligible to apply, and how you can go about submitting an application for one. By the time you’ve finished reading this, you’ll realise how straightforward it actually is.
Who Are SEAI?
SEAI stands for the “Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland”. They work with everyone from the government to homeowners, and their mission is to help make Ireland’s energy use cleaner and more efficient.
Since the organisation was launched in 2011, SEAI has invested €400 million in sustainable energy projects. This isn’t just about massive wind farm projects and things like that: SEAI understand the importance of energy saving on a domestic scale, and that small changes really do add up.
With that in mind, a lot of their energy (sorry) is focused on making Ireland’s households more energy efficient, while creating cosy, cheap-to-run homes in the process. To do this, they invite Irish householders to apply for home improvement grants, which go towards upgrading heating and insulation systems.
What Grants Does SEAI Provide?
SEAI offers a whole range of energy efficiency grants, including funds towards electric vehicles, community projects and Irish businesses. If you want your home to be more energy efficient, you’ll need to look into their home energy grants.
The home improvement grants that are currently on offer are:
- Heat pump systems grants
- Heating controls grant
- Insulation grant
- Solar electricity grant
- Solar water heating grant
These grants can save you lots of euros, with up to €1,200 available for solar heating installation, and €750 towards a heating control upgrade.
It also pays to apply for more than one upgrade. If you complete three upgrades, you get an additional €300. Complete four, and you’ll receive an extra €400. Plus, of course, you’ll then be living in a super-cosy and economic home.
At Duffy Heating, we’ve installed plenty of new systems that were paid for in part by SEAI, and we’re really behind this excellent scheme.
Am I Entitled To An SEAI Grant?
If you’re an Irish homeowner living in a property that was built and occupied before 2006, you’re entitled to apply for an SEAI grant under the Better Energy Homes Scheme.
So, given the age of many of Dublin’s properties, that’s a pretty broad range of eligible people. The cut-off date of 2006 is simply because homes built after that should comply with the 2003 Building Regs, so in theory are already energy efficient and shouldn’t be in need of an upgrade.
If you’re not the homeowner yourself, your landlord is entitled to apply – you don’t actually need to be the resident yourself to submit a grant application, and you can be the owner of multiple eligible properties.
If you receive certain welfare benefits, and live in a pre-2006 home, you may be eligible for a free home upgrade.
Don’t worry if you’ve already applied and received a grant under this scheme, as you’re entitled to apply to get additional work done. However, if you’re halfway through a project (such as installing insulation), you won’t get a grant to complete it.
And finally, you need to meet another important criteria – you need to work with an SEAI registered contractor – like Duffy Heating.
How Do I Apply For An SEAI Grant?
You can apply online, or download, complete and post their application form. But, we’ve found that most of our customers prefer to pass the paperwork onto the professionals – which is why we can fill out the forms for you. Because we’re one of SEAI’s registered contractors, they’re happy for us to provide this service.
If you meet the criteria and want to upgrade your heating system, get in touch with us at Duffy Heating, and we’ll have a chat about what you need. We’ll then go ahead and apply on your behalf.
When you receive confirmation of your successful application, you then have 6 months to complete the work.
You won’t receive a cheque or a debit for the grant amount: as approved contractors, SEAI simply deduct it from our final bill. So, all you’ll pay us at Duffy Heating are any costs over and above the grant amount. It couldn’t be simpler.
The good news doesn’t end there. Your shiny new system can also earn you carbon credits. Dublin’s householders can receive carbon credits from their energy providers. (Please note: this is selected suppliers, and you’ll need to check with your own provider to find out if they’re part of the carbon credit scheme).
Carbon credits are based on the estimated annual savings you will make by upgrading your old heating system to a new and efficient one – another cost saving from that initial application.
What SEAI Upgrades Can Duffy Heating Help With?
We work with SEAI and our customers to upgrade heating control systems. Upgrading your heating control can save you an astonishing 30% off your annual gas bill; and with a grant towards installing the new system, it’s a real win-win.
How can an upgraded heating control help you save money?
- You can divide the house into different zones – you don’t have to heat upstairs until bedtime, for example
- Heating and hot water are separate – no more powering up the full central heating system just to run a bath
- Digital timers and thermostats give you greater control over your heating. No more wasting gas by guessing when you need the heating or hot water on
- Some systems are compatible with heating apps, which give you even more control over your central heating and hot water, and can be operated remotely through your smart phone, tablet or laptop
With an SEAI grant of €750 towards the costs of this upgrade, you won’t have to spend much at all. And the result? A warm, comfortable and energy efficient home, tailored to meet your family’s heating needs.
Do I Need To Upgrade My Boiler As Well As My Heating Controls?
You won’t necessarily need to upgrade your boiler along with your heating controls, so the short answer is, no. However, if you’re after real energy savings, we’d recommend a new boiler as well.
If your boiler is pre-2000, we’d also suggest looking into to upgrading this. With the savings you’re already making by using modern and efficient controls, it would be great to know that your boiler isn’t spewing up to 40% of its energy into the atmosphere.
There currently aren’t any grants for new boilers in Ireland; however, replacing your old one needn’t cost as much as you think.
We offer a competitive boiler replacement service in Dublin and the surrounding areas. Your new boiler will soon pay for itself, working alongside your effective new heating controls to make your home as energy efficient as possible.
Because our quality boilers come with a manufacturer’s warranty for at least five years, you’ll also be saving money on running repairs – and we all know how much it can cost to get hold of obsolete boiler parts.
When you apply for your heating control upgrade, you may like the idea of a smart system that can be app-controlled. An older system won’t necessarily support this, so that’s another thing to bear in mind.
Duffy Heating Is Here To Help: Contact Us About Your Grant
If you live in or around Dublin and are thinking about taking advantage of the Better Energy Homes Scheme grant, please get in touch with us at Duffy Heating.
We’re here to help you with your SEAI application. We’ll discuss your needs with you, and then because we’re registered with the organisation, we can take the SEAI application paperwork off your hands. Once you get approval to go ahead, we can crack on with installing your efficient new heating system.
To find out more about this and our other heating services in Dublin, please contact us at Duffy Heating.
Published: 6 November 2019
