The Edinburgh Boiler Company has launched a Fuel Poverty Prevention Scheme aimed at helping households with their energy bills.

Managing director Mark Glasgow has invested £30,000 into the project, which runs throughout the month of March.

The scheme will see a dedicated team of fully-qualified engineers visit homes throughout the Lothians to carry out free health checks on central heating systems to ensure appliances are working as efficiently as possible.

These will centre around an 8-point checklist, including: boiler and heating controls, radiator systems and valves, thermostats, settings and timers.
The firm set up the scheme in response to the soaring fuel prices, with Scotland’s energy minister Michael Matheson recently claiming that nearly one million Scots will suffer fuel poverty as a consequence of the price rise.

“There’s no doubt this is a worrying time for a lot of people and I wanted to do something to help,” said Mr Glasgow, whose firm reported a record turnover of £4.4 million in December.

“We were fortunate enough to enjoy another successful year of growth and I felt very strongly about giving something back to the people.
“During the month of March, we will have a dedicated team on hand, both in the office and out in the field, whose focus will be on carrying out efficiency checks on boilers and heating systems.

“These will be free to anyone, not just our customer base, who wants any advice and help ensuring they are heating their houses as efficiently as possible.

“I want to keep houses warmer for less money. The rise in fuel prices has a lot of people worried and I am determined to do my bit to help tackle fuel poverty.

“Small changes can make big differences when it comes to heating homes.
“For example, according to research carried out by The Energy Savings Trust, annual heating bills increase by around 10% for every degree a thermostat is turned up.

On the other hand, turning the thermostat down will not only save money but can reduce a typical home’s carbon emissions by about 300kg a year for every lower degree.”

Anyone interested in registering for the Edinburgh Boiler Company’s Fuel Poverty Prevention Scheme, should email FPPS@theedinburghboilercompany.com.

If the scheme is successful, there are plans to roll it out elsewhere in the country, starting with Glasgow, funding permitting.