Heat Pumps - What do I need to know?

In that case how do you approach the installation of heat pumps?

There are four parts of the process. Heat loss survey, design, installation and commission, all in that order. You will not have a good installation without following these four procedures well.   A lot of work goes into all parts, but the commissioning aspect is underrated. (The commissioning is essentially an inspection of the installation to ensure the heat pump has been installed to the manufacturer’s specifications and will function properly) A bad commission could drop your efficiency by up to 30 to 40 percent.

First point of call -  carry out a full heat-loss assessment.  We do a full heat-loss design calculation by measuring the windows, getting u-values (The rate of transfer of heat through a structure), measuring rooms and inputting all the information from our site visit of window types, door types, ceilings and floor information and so on. We use those values to build a report that gives a room-by-room and full house heat-loss assessment. This allows us to size the heat pump to ensure maximum efficiency.

Then we can size the emitters. You may choose underfloor heating or radiators, or a mix of both (air source heat pumps work through either) We will also assess insulation to see if there are any upgrades needed. For example, if there’s no loft insulation it may take you over the threshold of needing a larger heat pump. It may therefore be more cost effective and productive to have the insulation carried out prior to the heat pump installation.  We aim to give the best advice to ensure the homeowner can make an informed decision. 

Is a heat pump suitable for my house?

Every house is suitable for a heat pump, you just have different challenges for different houses. Our installations include old cob cottages to new builds.  In both we fitted the same heat pump and they are both working well. The mistake people make is to think that means we can just do a one-size-fits-all standard installation for each house. That doesn’t work. Each design has to be tailored to the house. The older properties tend to take a bit more work and time to get them right. But getting them right is what matters. You have to embrace all the variations.

So it’s not just a case of installing?

No, it’s a detailed process to make sure we have all the permissions and because we are MCS Certified we comply with all the regulations to enable us to complete the final MCS Certificate, Insurance and full Handover Pack. We apply for your BUS Voucher with Ofgem which provides the homeowner with a grant of £7500 towards the installation. That along with the zero rated VAT on renewables means that there has never been a better time to look into changing. We deal with the District Network Operator (DNO) to get permissions for your heat pump or if the heat pump is connect and notify, then this is done following final commissioning. They will need to know all sorts of things, from fuse sizes and the household’s likely maximum demands.

We also carry out a sound  power assessment, looking for the closest habitable window for neighbouring properties (this must be a bedroom or living room) and we also assess whether the heat pump can be seen. Sometimes we will need further planning applications, and every planning office has slightly different requirements.

On average how long does it take to instal a heat pump and is it disruptive?

Installations take on average 4 to five days (with commissioning)  The installations can be a bit disruptive. In fact, the point is, that  if they are not a bit disruptive, then what is the installer doing? There’s a lot that needs doing. You have to build a base, run pipework and sometimes build a plant room in a loft or garage.  Again, it depends on what the consumer wants. The important thing is that you are letting the householder know what’s going to happen whilst providing them with all the advice and knowledge of the installers who have been dealing with heat pumps for many, many years. 

Do I need new radiators or will my existing radiators be suitable for my new heat pump?

Generally speaking, it is necessary to resize radiators on pretty much every job as part of a heat pump installation. This is because many people favour a lower temperature flow. This is much more efficient but requires bigger radiators than the ones we’re used to with standard conventional heating systems. There are so many variations in terms of what you can fit and customers have their own ideas of how they want their home to operate. It comes down to the type of house and the budget.

Why are so many people installing heat pumps?   

They do it for a variety of reasons. It will lower your energy bills and we are definitely seeing a rise in people decarbonising their homes. With a heat pump you can literally decarbonise overnight, dropping your carbon by switching from gas. If you really want to dent your bills you can add in solar and look at batteries. We are MCS installers of heat pumps, solar and battery storage.  The route you take depends on your priorities.

How would you describe the appetite for heat pumps now? 

It’s been very busy.  There is no doubt that the BUS (boiler upgrade scheme) has given lots of consumers the opportunity to go ahead with a heat pump installation and take advantage of the savings.  

Is a heat pump right for my property?

There are many factors to consider when you are considering installing a heat pump. The easiest way to assess whether a heat pump is the choice for you is to speak to one of our engineers, who can explain the pros and cons of installing one at your property.

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