Frequently Asked Questions

How long will my installation take?

The length of your installation depends entirely on the product you are having installed. It can be as quick as two hours or as long as three days, depending on your installation.

How do I arrange an installation?

It’s really easy to arrange an installation with the Thrift team. Just give our office a call, send an email or fill out a contact form, and one of our friendly advisers will be in touch to arrange a visit.

Who will carry out my installation?

All of our installers belong to the Thrift Energy team; we would never send an installer that we don’t know and trust out into your home.

How do I get my installation funded?

When you contact Thrift energy about having an installation fitted, we will do some checks to see whether or not you qualify for any funding. If you do, we will support you with your application.

For more information, visit our installation page

How do we help people living in fuel poverty?

Our aim is to help as many people as possible in the North East who live in fuel poverty, by installing heating saving measures in their home, and helping them apply for funding to subsidise the cost.

What areas do we cover?

We cover the entirety of the North East, including Gateshead, Newcastle, Northumberland, Durham, Sunderland and more. If you’re not sure, reach out and ask us if we can help you!

How do I start the process?

To start the process of having an energy saving measure installed, all you need to do is get in touch with us! You can call, email or use the contact form on our contact us page.

What are my obligations?

When you get in touch to arrange your free home survey, a member of our team will come out to assess your home, and see what energy saving measures your home could benefit from. Once this has been carried out, you are not under any obligation to carry out an installation.

For more information about Thrift Energy click here

Will you help me with my application?

The Thrift Energy team will support you as much as we can when you apply for funding for your heating project, starting with a background check to see if you’re eligible for any grants.

How do I start the application process?

After a member of our team has carried out a survey in your home, our funding team will begin the process of finding any grants and funding pots that you qualify for. After that, we will guide you through the application process.

What kind of funding opportunities are available?

In the North East, there are plenty of funding pots available. The government gives local authorities, such as the council, pots of funding to distribute for energy saving measures, to ensure people across the country have equal access to the money that could bring them out of fuel poverty.

What can I use my funding for?

Funding is available for insulation, solar panels, boilers, and low-carbon heating systems (such as an air source heat pump). Our team will recommend a funding pot, based on the needs of your home.

For more information about Funding click here

How long does it take to install?

The length of the installation depends on the size of your roof and the materials you choose to insulate with. We can provide more accurate timings after we have completed a survey of your home.

How much does it cost?

Again, the cost of flat roof insulation is dependent upon the materials that you choose to insulate with. Once we have surveyed your home, we will be able to make a recommendation and provide an accurate estimate.

How long will my insulation last?

Flat roof insulation is built to last, and yours should last between 25 and 40 years. As with all Thrift products, we offer a 25 year guarantee on your flat roof insulation installation.

How much money will I save after an installation?

You can save up to £350 on your energy bills when you get flat roof insulation installed. On top of this, the value of your home will increase, as your EPC rating goes up.

View our Flat Roofing Insulation or read our helpful articles

How much will it cost?

An air source heat pump typically costs between £4,000 and £8,000, depending on the pump brand and its heat output. There is, however, plenty of funding available to help subsidise the cost.

How long will it take to install?

Typically, it takes between 2 and 5 days to install an air source heat pump. As long as the installation team doesn’t come across any complications, it should be on the lower end of that time scale.

How much will it reduce my energy bill by?

You could save up to £1,090 per year on your energy bills, though this figure does vary depending on the size of your home and your EPC rating after having the Heat Pump installed.

What kind of funding opportunities are available?

There are plenty of funding options available to fund the installation of an air source heat pump. To find out more and see if you qualify, get in touch with the Thrift team today.

View our Air Source Heat Pumps or read our helpful articles

How long will an installation take?

A solar PV installation should only take around a day, two days if your installers run into any complications.

How much does an installation cost?

The cost of your installation directly correlates with the size of your installation. When our installers come out to assess your home, we will recommend the ideal system size for you, and give a quote accordingly.

Can I get a battery system installed afterwards?

A solar battery can be installed retrospectively, or at the same time as your solar PV system. In fact, installing a battery can usually add to the amount of clean energy you produce, thus saving you money.

How much money will I save on my bills?

The exact amount of money you will save on your energy bills is subjective, and will be unique to your home. However, we can guarantee that you will save up to 70% on your current energy bill.

View our Solar Panels or read our helpful articles

How long does ventilation take to install?

A ventilation system typically takes a few hours to install. Once you have a quote for your system, your installer will be able to give a more accurate estimate.

How much will it cost me?

The price of a ventilation system variews, depending on the size of the system you require. Once a member of our team has visited your home and taken the necessary measurements, they will provide you with a quote for the work.

How long will my ventilation system last?

Typically, a ventilation system will last for 10 to 25 years, depending on how well you care for the system, and you keep your insulation topped up, to prevent unwanted air flow.

Do I really need ventilation?

Short answer, yes! Long answer, it’s now a legal requirement to have ventilation of some kind in your home, and you won’t be able to access funding without it.

View our Ventilation service or read our helpful articles

How long does it take to install?

It takes up to 2 hours to install loft insulation, generally. Timing may vary, depending on the size of your home.

How much does it cost?

Again, the cost of loft insulation is subjective to the size of your home and how much is needed, as well as the kind of insulation you choose.

How long will my insulation last?

Loft insulation can last up to 40 years, if it is properly maintained and has no damp or condensation problems. At Thrift, ours come with a 25-year guarantee.

How much money will I save after an installation?

You can save up to £580 on your energy bills when you get loft insulation installed. On top of this, the value of your home will increase, as your EPC rating goes up.

View our Loft Insulation or read our helpful articles

How long does it take to install?

It takes up to a day to install a room in roof insulation. Timing may vary, depending on the size of your home.

How much does it cost?

Again, the cost of a room in roof insulation is subjective to the size of your home and how much is needed, as well as the kind of insulation you choose. Typically, room in roof insulation is one of the more expensive insulation options.

How long will my insulation last?

Room-in-roof insulation can last up to 40 years, if it is properly maintained and has no damp or condensation problems. At Thrift, ours come with a 25-year guarantee.

How much money will I save after an installation?

You can save up to £580 on your energy bills when you get room in roof insulation installed. On top of this, the value of your home will increase, as your EPC rating goes up.

View our Room in Roof Insulation or read our helpful articles

How long does it take to install?

Underfloor insulation can be installed within a day, depending on the size of your property.

How much does it cost?

As with most insulation installations, the cost of an underfloor insulation installation is dependant upon the size and needs of your home.

How long will my insulation last?

Underfloor insulation typically lasts between 20 and 30 years, subject to the conditions of your home. Here at Thrift energy, our insulation products come with a 25-year guarantee.

How much money will I save after an installation?

You can save up to £130 per year, just by insulating the ground floor of your home. This will make a huge difference to your energy bill and your carbon footprint.

View our Underfloor Insulation or read our helpful articles

How long does it take to install?

It takes between 7 and 10 days to complete an EWI installation. This time period can vary, as an EWI installation is affected by the weather. If it’s cold, for example, an installation can take longer to dry.

How much does it cost?

External Wall Insulation is one of the more expensive insulation options. It can cost up to £15,000, but with the help of the Thrift team, we can find funding options to help subsidise most, if not all of that cost.

How long will my insulation last?

Your EWI installation will last for decades, much longer than the 25 year guarantee that Thrift Energy provides you with!

How much money will I save after an installation?

You can save up to £425 on your energy bills when you get EWI installed. On top of this, the value of your home will increase, as your EPC rating goes up.

View our External Wall Insulation or read our helpful articles

How long does it take to install?

It takes between 2 and 4 hours to install cavity wall insulation, generally. Timing may vary, depending on the time of your home.

How much does it cost?

Again, the cost of cavity wall insulation is subjective to the size of your home. Usually, it costs roughly £200 per two-storey wall.

How long will my insulation last?

Cavity wall insulation is designed to last as long as the building it has been installed in. At Thrift, ours come with a 25-year guarantee, for extra peace of mind.

How much money will I save after an installation?

You can save up to £480 on your energy bills when you get cavity wall insulation installed. On top of this, the value of your home will increase, as your EPC rating goes up.

View our Cavity Wall Insulation or read our helpful articles

How much does it cost to replace a boiler?

The cost to replace a boiler varies a lot, depending on the size of your system and how much repair work needs to be done before the new installation can take place. When Thrift completes a survey, we will provide you with a quote.

How long will it take to replace my boiler?

On average, it takes between one and three days to replace a boiler. However, this can vary depending on the location of the boiler and if it needs to be moved from one room to another.

How much money will I save by replacing my boiler?

You stand to save up to £315 per year, when you replace your boiler with a more environmentally friendly model.

Can I get funding for this?

There’s funding available for almost any heating upgrade. To see if you qualify, get in touch with the Thrift team, and we can support your application.

View our Boiler Replacements or read our helpful articles