Energy Saving initiative includes East Dulwich

[Sue]

Not sure if this is the right place to put this thread, so please move it Admin if not.

I found out by chance at a council-run event that London residents can get loads of energy-saving freebies under

This Scheme

I just had somebody come to my house and amongst other things fit a brush letterbox thing (that'll please the postie when he tries to shove the letters through), water-saving tap aerators, radiator panels (for rads next to outside walls) to reflect heat back into the room, a powerdown device for the telly and an electricity display monitor (already had one but never got round to fitting it).

They will also provide things like chimney balloons but didn't have them available today.

The guy who did all my stuff is called Dennis Ricketts and his phone number is 07960 152486. He can sort out an appointment directly (he gets paid per home done).

Alternatively you can call Climate Energy directly on 0800 054 6814 to arrange an appointment, provided you are a Southwark resident. This is different to the number shown on the website, but it's the one I used and I got straight through without any problems.

Apparently the home energy experts are also knocking on doors to offer the service. There is a letter (which I don't recall ever having had through the post) signed by Cllr Barrie Hargrove (he who was responsible for the blue bins :)) ) and it's all above board.

However personally I would rather make an appointment than let in somebody who just knocked at my door .....

[Ted Max]

I just had somebody come to my house and amongst other things fit a brush letterbox thing (that'll please the postie when he tries to shove the letters through), water-saving tap aerators, radiator panels (for rads next to outside walls) to reflect heat back into the room, a powerdown device for the telly and an electricity display monitor (already had one but never got round to fitting it).

How did you find his workmanship?

[Sue]

Ted Max Wrote:

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>

> How did you find his workmanship?

xxxxxxxx

Ha bloody ha :)):)):))

Not much you can do wrong clipping something round an electricity meter and sticking stuff behind a radiator :)

[bels123]

Based on this recommendation I've just had a visit from Dennis. Called him today and he came within a couple of hours. Left me with water-saving tap aerators, radiator panels, a TV powerdown device and some energy saving bulbs.

BTW the number mentioned in this month's SE22 mag is for the Bexley apparently, so I contacted Dennis directly on the mobile number above.

[Alex K]

Sue, thanks for sharing this. Much appreciated.

[Sue]

You're welcome, glad it was useful.

Just to add, Dennis actually came back today specially to bring me a spray gun for my hosepipe which he hadn't had with him yesterday. What a star.

[Sue]

As an update, don't get one of those tap aerating things fitted on your bath tap unless you want to wait twice as long as usual for your bath to run .... or have one half the depth you usually have it (maybe that's the idea, come to think of it) :-$

[the-e-dealer]

Sue does that Number really have a 'S' for sugar in it? I Tried a 5 but its not them.

They said try 0800 512 012 this number and you get a loft insulation salesmen.

[sweetgirl]

i had a personal letter addressed to me from the local councillors..... it was regarding this scheme. i have made an appt with these guys who are coming round next week.

apparently you need to be in the catchment area..... its definately worth ringing them.

[Thomas Micklewright]

Sounds good to me, green initiatives moving forward.

Meat free day would also be good, which Barrie fully supports.

Tom

[Sue]

the-e-dealer Wrote:

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> Sue does that Number really have a 'S' for sugar

> in it? I Tried a 5 but its not them.

>

> They said try 0800 512 012 this number and you get

> a loft insulation salesmen.

xxxxxxxxxx

Sorry, I'm not sure where my original number came from, and because I've now had the visit I've binned some of the paperwork.

However I have found the letter I picked up at the council event which has a different number on it which is 0800 054 6814. I've edited my original post to put that number in instead.

But the number for Dennis is definitely correct.

[Longlad]

I called Dennis directly this morning and he squeezed us in this afernoon. He sorted us out with loads of different gadgets from a chimney baloon to the heat reflecting radiator pads.

If you have a spare hour then it is a great idea as it saves yourself some money and helps the environment.

Thanks to Boris for paying for this initative.

[bloonoo]

Had dennis round this afternoon, he's a lovely chap :) highly recommend him, give him a bell and he'll sort you out with some goodies!

[GrahamP]

I can echo the positive feedback about this scheme. It is good to have a free service that quickly determines what's needed and gets it all sorted in one visit.

Only one slight problem, the shower head provided does not fit well so is not needed. The installer said he reads this forum and is welcome to return and recycle the shower head.

(Graham, Dunstans Road, Wednesday 7th Dec)

[Sue]

GrahamP Wrote:

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>

> Only one slight problem, the shower head provided

> does not fit well so is not needed.

xxxxxxx

Yes, the shower head wasn't suitable for my shower either.

Not that I can actually use the shower yet :-S

[bels123]

Just to add that Dennis came back to mine last week to deliver a chimney balloon which he didn't have on him when he first came, very thoughtful of him.

Can't recommend this scheme enough, a whole load of free stuff that helps you save money.

[nunhead_man]

Thanks for this - main learning for us from visit was that our solution for not heating the outside walls (we do not have cavity walls) with our wall mounted radiators was out of date - new solutions examples here

www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=radflek&tag=googhydr-21&index=aps&hvadid=5589077896&ref=pd_sl_7vdbu22ji3_e

and here

www.thegreenstop.co.uk/heatkeeper-energy-saving-radiator-panel-211-p.asp

[Sue]

Does anybody else find that the energy-saving lightbulbs Dennis provided make a strange buzzing sound?

I was already using energy-saving bulbs in the rest of the house, but not in the kitchen (because of the type of lampshade I have there), and I'm wondering whether it's the socket or the bulbs.

I've tried two different bulbs in the socket but haven't yet tried one of the bulbs in a different socket.

But the "ordinary" globe light bulb I had in the socket before didn't buzz!

[nunhead_man]

Yeah - we have three LED based bulbs in our kitchen replacing halogens - and they do buzz as they warm up - sounds like 50 cycle hum - the "cycle" (alternating cycle - AC) on UK AC electricity

[Sue]

Thank goodness for that, when it first started I thought I was hearing things!

They seem to flicker a bit as well at times - very strange.

ETA: I've just realised that's probably because they're on a dimmer switch, when it's turned up full there's no flicker. They're probably not meant to be used with dimmers.

[jimmah]

I'll add my thanks to Sue for sharing this. I made an appointment and had a guy round today who has fitted the reflective radiator panels. He also brought the electricity monitor which will no doubt give us hours of entertainment as we plug things in and out

It is a really good service and very easy to arrange.

[bil]

Thank you Sue for the tip. We are getting our loft insulated for free and are getting a reduced rate for a loft hatch and ladder installation. I have been meaning to sort this out for some time now and this has saved me a good sum of money.

Thanks again.

[Sue]

bil Wrote:

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> Thank you Sue for the tip. We are getting our loft

> insulated for free and are getting a reduced rate

> for a loft hatch and ladder installation. I have

> been meaning to sort this out for some time now

> and this has saved me a good sum of money.

>

> Thanks again.

xxxxxx

Blimey, that's annoying, I didn't realise there were grants for installing loft ladders, I've just paid full whack for mine (though it was actually very reasonably priced and the guy did a very good job so I'm not complaining too much :) )

As I predicted in my first post, sadly I've had to remove the brush thing from behind my very small letter box, as the postie couldn't get the post through. Don't think much draught comes through there anyway though, luckily.

[Pickle]

This thread has reminded me that I had made an appointment for Dennis to come round last week, and he never showed up! Must try again as it sounds like I've just been unlucky given all the other glowing recommendations.

[GEEKASAURUS]

Hi

We've just moved to the area. Derrick has been round this afternoon (thank you for the tip above) and has given us a chimney balloon, some light bulbs, radiator panels and some sound advice on door insulation. Our taps were aerated already. I'd reccommend him. Best of all it's free.