Your Guide to Heat Pump Installation
If you want to cut the cost on your heating bills, you may consider installing a Heat Pump. Of course, providing you get a heat pump system suitable for your home. If you can access the £7,500 UK grant, they can be very cost effective…
Is my home suitable for a heat pump?
Your first call should be to acquire a heat-loss survey from a qualified installer. They will assess your home for suitability, determine what size heat pump you would need and any upgrades you may need for insulation. (This is because they work best for well insulated homes). Instead of using bursts of high heat like you would get with a traditional boiler, heat pumps work at lower temperatures for longer.
What’s included in a heat loss survey?
Before a Heat Pump Installation can take place, the survey must be carried out.
Within the survey, they will assess the following:
- How efficient your insulation is
- How the door and windows perform
- The size of your radiators
- Your hot water demands
- Thermal bridging (parts of your home where the heat is escaping quicker).
- Placement of the outdoor unit to see the best place in regards to meeting MCS 020 noise standards and the best possible airflow and space.
Grants for Heat Pumps
In the UK, you can receive £7,500 towards the Heat Pump Installation Cost if approved, courtesy of the Boiler Upgrade System (BUS). An MCS certified installer would usually do the application on your behalf and deduct the amount from your invoice.
Quote & timeline for installation
Your installer will create a heating system designed for you including the right heat pump size and any upgrades you may need such as upgrading the pipes or size of the radiators for your household. Once you have a breakdown of costs with the BUS system being accounted for too (if eligible), you can proceed to accept the quote if you’re happy to go ahead.
Installation for Heat Pumps
The process of installation will take a few days, with air source heat pumps tending to be take less time than a ground source type.
Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP)
The ASHP unit is placed outside though sometimes it can also be mounted on a wall if possible. It will need space to allow for proper airflow and be placed away from neighbours in order not to disrupt.
Indoor components (typically a hot water cylinder) is installed along with connecting pipes between the indoor and outdoor units (through the wall).
As mentioned earlier, radiators are often upgraded to larger units at this point.
Once the system is assembled and filled, it must be commissioned and tested.
This is a vital stage that involves engineers testing the system to ensure everything is running as it should be. For example, checking for any leaks, testing out the heat output, the noise level and any potential issues before the handover can commence.
Once the system has been commissioned, the installer will the give you an explanation of how your new heat pump system will operate. This will include the necessary training and guidance, as well as any supporting documents you should need.
Not forgetting, your warranty details and commissioning report/certificate to show the system was tested and assembled in correct fashion.
Remember, these systems do not operate like boilers. To get the best use, they should run at lower temperatures over time. This enables it to be the most efficient and ultimately, ensure you receive lower running costs.
Ground source heat pumps
Installing this will still be an efficient way of heating your home. However, they work by collecting the heat from a different source (absorbing heat from the ground). They need more time during installation because of the necessary groundwork. In some cases, where an air source heat pump can take 2-4 days, a ground source could take four weeks by comparison. This is due to the need for excavation and heavy machinery as well as more difficult plumbing and commissioning.
Don’t let this put you off though – as ground source heat pumps are often more efficient than air source, especially during the cold winter times in the UK.
Heat Pump Servicing and post-installation support
Finally, once your system has been commissioned your installer should inform you about servicing. This would include inspections on the electrical connections, filters being cleaned, checking for leaks and a performance test to measure how efficient your system is. Basically, it’s about ensuring your set up is safe and performing to its best, most efficient ability. Usually, this only has to be carried out once a year so maintenance is quite minimal.