Location
64 Upper Whatcombe
Frome
Somerset
BA11 3SE
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Opening times
Sat 14th 10am-1pm, Sun 15th 10am - 1pm
Just turn up What 3 Words... lung.rails.golf Upper Whatcombe does confuse people! Its a loop with 2 entrances off Whatcombe Road. Take the lower one and bear left. I'm one of the six terraces up the hill at the end.
Henry’s cavity-wall home demonstrates how a combination of relatively simple, low-cost measures and more unusual DIY solutions can significantly improve energy efficiency. The property had uninsulated cavity walls and only 100mm of loft insulation when Henry moved in, although it already had double glazing and a condensing gas boiler. Since then, his ongoing approach to improving the home has reduced annual gas consumption by around two thirds.
The retrofit combined a range of measures, including:
- Cavity wall insulation using lightweight carbon beads.
- Draughtproofing, including a bespoke insulated inner front door and a cover over the letterbox.
- Additional insulation in loft, around the rear patio doors and behind kitchen cupboards.
- Secondary glazing, using a low-cost DIY acrylic system fitted over the existing double glazing.
- Bespoke insulation to the patio doors, combining acrylic glazing, insulation board and an insulated door.
- Air to Air heat pump, providing heat to the main living space and reducing reliance on the gas boiler.
- Solar PV, with five 360W panels installed through the Frome Town Council Solar Streets scheme.
- Battery storage, with a 5.2kWh GivEnergy battery.
- Thermal curtains and careful positioning of curtains around radiators to help retain heat.
- Water conservation, including two water butts and reusing bath water on the garden during drought.
- Lifestyle changes, including insulating areas of the kitchen that are not visible and using the air-to-air heat pump to warm the main living space.
The project demonstrates how a homeowner can combine professional installations with inventive, low-cost and DIY measures to improve the energy efficiency of an existing home. Henry’s gas consumption has fallen from around 3,300kWh a year to just over 1,000kWh, while his solar PV generated 1,680kWh in 2024, with around half used in the home and half exported to the grid.
