Transforming Juanita’s House into a Warm and Cosy Home

After 46 years of relying on just a gas fire and a few plug-in heaters to keep warm, Juanita Roberts is finally living in a more comfortable home.

Thanks to the central heating the team at Gaia Energy installed at her three-bedroom terrace in Old Swan. The pensioner, who suffers from COPD and Lupus, was eligible for free first-time central heating and loft insulation under the ECO4 Scheme. The grant also covered the installation of extractor fans in her kitchen and bathroom to help keep damp and mould at bay.

Speaking on the impact our work has had on her daily life, Juanita said: “My house feels so much warmer. I’ve got radiators in every room, and I can really feel the difference with the loft insulation. It’s fabulous!”

She added: “Before Gaia Energy put my new boiler in, I used to have to go all the way upstairs to turn the immersion heater on if I needed hot water, but now I just turn on the tap in the kitchen – it’s a pleasure to wash the dishes!”

When Juanita first heard about the ECO4 funding available to pensioners and low-income households, she almost dismissed it as a scam. She explained: “I knew nothing about ECO4 until a lovely man from Gaia Energy came round knocking on doors in the local area. He was telling people about the grants available for central heating and insulation, but to be perfectly honest, I thought it all sounded far too good to be true. Within a week of that knock on the door, Gaia Energy came out to put in central heating, loft insulation and extractor fans in the kitchen and bathroom. It’s absolutely brilliant, I just can’t believe it!”

Juanita added: “Everyone at Gaia Energy has been so helpful and the men who came to do the work were fantastic. They did a great job and left no mess at all. I think more people need to know about this; I would advise anyone to get in touch with Gaia Energy to find out what they could be entitled to. I’ve been telling everybody, I’m so grateful.”

Gaia Energy’s Managing Director, Liam Gray, said: “No one should have to put up with living in a home that feels draughty and cold, especially the older generation. Juanita’s story is why we do what we do. The ECO4 Scheme makes life-changing energy upgrades possible, and we’re proud to play our part in making homes warmer and more comfortable for people like Juanita.”