Ian Sims, managing director of Double R Glass and Roofing Systems, talks about the need for installers to be ready with the right portfolio of energy-efficient products.

If there was ever any doubt as to whether the importance of energy efficiency is waning, the recent uplift in the energy price cap on 1October cements its position at the forefront of public interest.

Although the increase in the price cap is 2% following a 7% decrease at the start of July, it hits at a time when fuel usage is likely to go up. And experts predict that this won’t be the end of the increases, with a sharp uplift in prices possible again next April.

Whether this speculation comes to fruition or not almost doesn’t matter. Fuel prices are likely to keep going up and down, whatever the variances, and the more consumers can insulate their homes, the less impact these fluctuations will have.

Homeowners looking to improve the energy efficiency of their homes might now be ready to invest in new windows or doors for both the immediate and long-term gains, or, if they have an old conservatory, they might be desperate to remedy the structure’s declining effectiveness when it comes to energy saving.

Conservatory upgrades

People with an old conservatory structure in place, like anyone with old windows, will be feeling the effects of decades of wear and tear and the impact of the great British weather. Old conservatories might now be so cold in winter months that the entire room gets shut off in an attempt to keep the rest of the house warm, or if the space is needed all year round, expensive heating methods are employed just to keep the potentially poorly insulated space at an acceptable temperature.

Even though conservatories being manufactured today are a world away from those installed more than 20 years ago, some homeowners are choosing extensions over replacement conservatories to avoid the same problems happening again.

But extensions can take several months to complete and that’s only when the work finally gets booked in. That’s why more installers are benefiting from having a home extension system from Double R in their portfolio of solutions.

First and foremost, our home extension system is quick and easy to install, so it offers homeowners a speedy replacement of their existing conservatory. The system can be installed directly onto a conservatory base so there is no need to involve any builders, and the entire project can remain within the installation company’s control.

Where the system is replacing an existing conservatory, the structure can be installed in as little as three weeks, which is significantly quicker than a traditional extension.

The home extension system we use is also highly insulated for long-term energy efficiency, making it an attractive proposition for homeowners looking to reduce their fuel bills and add value to their property.

Full customer support

We have a long history of being first at Double R, which means we are used to helping installers adopt new products into their portfolio. In this instance we are supporting our customers by designing the home extension structure with our in-house software to make sure there are no issues that will hamper our installers on site. We then deliver the complete system to site ready for installation.

Discussions around energy efficiency and the worry over increasing fuel bills are not going away. So, more homeowners will have to prioritise improving the energy efficiency of their properties to reduce the impact of the ongoing uncertainty and take more control over their energy costs.

Installers that are ready to meet this requirement with a full portfolio of products, including a simple and effective home extension system allowing them to easily and quickly replace an entire inefficient room, will be in a much stronger position as demand increases, than those that aren’t as prepared.