How a heat pump and our support created a cosier home

The challenge

Isle of Skye householder Ms McDonald spoke to us after being referred by our partners Citizens Advice Scotland, who had given her advice about improving her four-bedroom property’s insulation.  Ms McDonald told us she wanted advice about changing to a more efficient heating system. One of our home energy specialists referred her for a home visit so we could find out more.

Ms McDonald said: “My sister started me off on all this, when she stayed with me for a couple of weeks one January when we had snow and icy weather. My sister commented that I had a cold house.

“My home had all electric storage and panel heaters which I didn’t find efficient and which were expensive to run. I only heated the rooms I used, keeping room doors closed to conserve heat.”

The solution

A specialist from Home Energy Scotland’s Highlands and Islands advice centre visited Ms McDonald’s property to assess it and complete a Home Energy Improvement Report. The report confirmed that she would benefit from improving her home’s insulation and energy efficiency. The report also recommended that she install an air source heat pump (ASHP) to provide heating and hot water. 

Ms McDonald said: “I received very helpful links to various fact sheets about alternative energy, but mainly about the heat pump system. I was advised to install underfloor insulation too.”

She added: “I received advice about how to find an MCS-registered heat pump installer near me and was advised to apply for a Home Energy Scotland grant and interest-free loan to help cover the costs, which I did .” MCS certification is a mark of quality that demonstrates compliance of both products and installation contractors with recognised industry standards.

The outcome

With our advice and support, Ms McDonald installed:

• an air source heat pump
• underfloor insulation (covered by Ms McDonald's own funds).

Ms McDonald was also given tailored advice on how to reduce her overall energy use. By taking advantage of the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan to help cover the costs, she has been delighted with her investment.

“I have been totally blown away by how warm and cosy my house is! Gone are the days when I only heated the room I was using and wore extra warm clothing,” she said. “There is now an ambient temperature throughout the house. I leave room doors open; I don’t need to close them to conserve heat anymore.”

She added: “My electricity bills are half of what they used to be. It also helped that I changed supplier, and they arranged for a smart meter to be fitted. During the summer, I now pay approximately £160 per month and over winter around £260 a month. My last bill for February 2025 was £263. So, I would say that even with the increase in the price of electricity, I have saved a lot on my electricity and heating costs.”

Get free advice on how to make your home cosier

We can give you free, impartial advice and support to make your home more energy efficient. Whether you’re upgrading your heating system, improving your insulation, or just want to reduce your energy bills, we’re here to help every step of the way. Call us on 0808 808 2282 or learn other ways to contact us.