TEIGNBRIDGE residents are being encouraged to step inside real homes this autumn to discover practical ways of cutting energy bills and making their properties more resilient.

Open Eco Homes Devon is inviting householders across the district to open their doors and share the improvements they have made to their homes – giving visitors the chance to see energy-saving measures in action.

The free programme will showcase a range of measures, including insulation, solar panels, batteries, heat pumps, ventilation, natural building materials, rainwater harvesting and wildlife-friendly gardens.

Crucially, visitors will be able to speak directly to the home owner.

They can find out what worked well, what they would do differently and what advice they would give to someone considering making similar improvements.

Organisers say residents do not need to be planning a major renovation to benefit from a visit.

Seeing what other householders have done could provide inspiration for a much smaller first step – from improving loft insulation and tackling draughts to installing shading or investigating whether solar panels would be suitable for a particular roof.

Robin de Carteret, who coordinates Open Eco Homes Devon, said visiting other homes had helped make energy-saving improvements feel more achievable.

‘Seeing that people had simply got on and made these changes made it feel real and possible’, he said.

‘The real benefit was talking to householders: what it was like to live with the changes, the decisions they made and the tips they had afterwards’.

Robin and his wife Hannah went on to build their own timber-frame Passivhaus home after visiting earlier Open Eco Homes events.

Their home uses very little energy and includes recycled-newspaper and wood-fibre insulation, triple glazing, heat-recovery ventilation and solar panels.

Measures such as better insulation, shading and ventilation can help keep homes warmer during the winter and cooler in summer, while reducing energy use, bills and carbon emissions.

Robin said the opportunity to talk to homeowners could also help people navigate the sometimes conflicting advice surrounding home improvements.

‘People want to hear from someone who actually has a heat pump, solar panels or insulation’, he said.

‘Being able to see things for yourself and ask honest questions helps cut through the conflicting information’, he added.

Homes in Ogwell, Dawlish, Chudleigh, Lustleigh, Teignmouth and the Teign Valley are among those taking part in this year’s programme, which gets underway from September 26, running until October 11.

There will also be an evening of talks, practical advice and questions and answers at Newton Abbot Library, from 7pm to 9pm on Wednesday, September 23.

The free event will feature householders and experts discussing real-life retrofitting, heat pumps, grants, summer cooling and low-carbon homes.

For more information, including an interactive map of the homes taking part, some of which require booking, visit - www.energysavingdevon.org.uk/open-eco-homes-devon