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Mother of four, Rosemary West came up against plenty of negativity from her sons
as well as friends worried she’d made a misinformed decision to install a dual solar
hot water and heating system.
Fortunately the modern languages teacher isn’t easily
deterred and she went ahead with the installation regardless of the pressure from
her children to change her mind.
“I got into a lot of trouble with my sons,” says Rosemary, who lives on a leafy tree-lined street on the outskirts of Cambridge. “They were absolutely furious and said it was a complete waste of money. I was totally in the minority in the house about this.”
With non-existent interest rates and rising energy costs, however, Rosemary felt her money could work harder for her with investment in the solar system.
“You can easily justify the cost because it will bring down your household bills – my savings aren’t earning me any interest in the bank. I said to the boys, ‘just see how much money you’ll make with it in the bank’. Although you might not have the liquid cash the return can only increase in value,” says Rosemary. “And it will add value to your house and you’re not making a loss on it. So long as the sun shines it works.”
With three of her sons now at university, the large inter-war semi is quiet during term time. When the whole family is there it’s a different story with constant baths and showers for the growing lads. “Maybe when all the boys are here we might need to top up the solar heated water with heat from the boiler,” adds Rosemary. “When they are here it’s a case of shower, bath, shower, bath… but all I need to
do is top it up occasionally.”
Slightly wary of an unfamiliar technology, Rosemary will admit that she didn’t know what to expect from the system at first. Many of her friends and neighbours were equally as unsure but since having it installed everyone wants to know more.
“The pump ran for 1000 hours in just six months,” she continues, now totally convinced of the merits. “It has a counter on it and it really does work. It heats the water. You’ve got to learn how to live with it and there are definitely tricks to getting it to do more for you though. It’s like anything new – you’ve got to work your way into it.”
So has the learning curve been rewarding since the installation over a year ago? “Yes, I think it was a good decision. There isn’t any other way I’d be getting a return on my investment and I’m doing something good for the environment,” Rosemary concludes.
Meet Miss West in Cambridge
Type of installation: Solar Heating
