Jasper

Where is your house and how old is it?

In Peckam and was built pre-1870.

What work have you had done or what lifestyle changes have you made?

We’ve added draught proofing to the front and back doors, had the central heating optimised and installed energy saving light bulbs.

We also get our boiler serviced annually and have installed thermostatic radiator valves which control the temperature of a room by regulating the flow of hot water to the radiator. Each autumn we bleed our radiators to release any trapped gases and test our thermostats and heating controls.

Who carried out the work?

It’s important to find a good heating engineer you can trust and agree prices up front with. This means you can be confident you’ll receive a valuable service. We got a recommendation from a friend, but you could also ask a family member or colleague.

Any lesson learned and any advice for other Londoners?

The most important thing is awareness. Also to get into the habit of switching lights and power sources off when they’re not in use and washing at 30 degrees.

You also need to try and think about how much central heating you’ll need in advance every year. A little planning goes a long way and you really feel like you’re doing your part. Auditing your home when you move in is a good way of starting as you mean to go on.

What has been the impact on your life?

Saving money is important when you have a family but the main thing is contributing to the fight against climate change. We also get a kick out of persuading other people to do the same.

Did you get a grant or any other financial assistance?

We’ve looked into grants for loft insulation.