Should I get a Heat Pump?
Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler

Are you thinking of installing an air source heat pump? Are you wondering how an air source heat pump compares to a traditional boiler? Or how much it costs to run a heat pump?

With the government heralding air source heat pumps as the successors of the traditional gas boiler as part of their Boiler Upgrade Scheme, it’s an important time to weigh up your options and how these two compare. We dive it into it all below.

Already decided on an air source heat pump? Get in touch with us.

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What is an air source heat pump?

Air source heat pumps are an alternative way to heat your home which are much more efficient than traditional boilers since they move existing heat energy from outside your home into your home, whilst most traditional boilers burn fossil fuel. They essentially enable you to generate your own renewable energy and usually will save you money on energy bills.

Most heat pumps are based on air to water heat pump technology and transfer heat from the outside air to water which then heat your rooms via radiators or underfloor heating.  It can also heat water stored in a hot water cylinder for your hot taps, showers and baths. 

So, how do heat pumps compare to gas boilers?

A boiler will produce a lot of heat with a high temperature difference in a very short space of time. A boiler can thus work with radiators with a very high temperature, whereas a heat pump, produces heat more slowly and with a smaller temperature difference. The low temperature of the heat pump means that the radiator (or emitter) needs to have a much larger surface area.

This also means that emitters such as underfloor heating (UFH), which run at a lower temperature than standard radiators, are an ideal emitter with heat pumps.

To homeowners, they create the same result, but the difference in the way the two technologies work means that they need to have a different design setup when it comes to how the heat is delivered to the property.

How efficient is a heat pump?

Heat pumps do use electricity to run, but due to the refrigeration (vapour compression) cycle the heat delivered to the home can be 300% up to 500% more than the electricity used.

The efficiency of a heat pump is known as the Coefficient of Performance (CoP) which is the ratio of the amount of electricity used to the amount of heat produced.

As an example, if the heat pump uses 1kWh of electricity and produces 3 kWh of heat, then the CoP is 3 or can also be referred to as a 300% efficiency.

Heat pumps could potentially reduce your energy bills

Running costs will depend on how your heat pump is designed and how it is operated. Savings on your energy bill will also depend on the system you are replacing

Research from the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP), a Brussels-based non-profit which specialises in the environmental impact of natural gas and power, found that those who switch from gas boilers to heat pumps could save £211 a year on their energy bills. Therefore benefiting from the soaring energy prices we’re going to continue experiencing for some time.

Air source heat pumps can also provide cooling in summer

During the summer, certain heat pumps are able to reverse the process and providing cooling, effectively making the system an air conditioner.

Heat pumps do have a higher cost of installation

An air source heat pump costs more than a new gas boiler to install. The typical cost ranges from £12,000 to £14,000, including installation.  However, the Government are offering up to £5,000 towards air source heat pump installation from April 2022.

Heat pumps provide you with an incentive

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme launches in April 2022 and will replace the RHI until April 2025 to help homeowners in England & Wales afford the upfront costs of heat pumps. Homeowners can apply to receive a grant for their system for a flat rate of £5,000 for the purchase of air source heat pumps (ASHP).

Read our full guide here to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and whether you are eligible.

Are heat pumps right for you? Get in touch….

Get in touch with us for a free, no obligation chat and budget quotation about whether a heat pump will be right for your home. Email [email protected] or call 01708 528240.

We would recommend that you visit our Sustainable Home Centre so we can explain our heat pump solutions in more detail.  We have a wide range of heat pumps on display as well as a working model complete with various indoor system options. We are close to the M25 and the A13 and our Centre is open weekdays from 09:00-16:00, so please let me know if you would like to arrange a visit.

Boiler Upgrade Scheme: Here’s everything you need to know

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme launches next month, April 2022. We share everything you need to know about how you can get up to £6,000 off the cost of a heat pump. 

What is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) will launch on 1^st April 2022 and is part of the Heat and Buildings Strategy to aid the decarbonisation of buildings. It will provide upfront grants to support the upfront costs of installing heat pumps in homes and some non-domestic buildings in England and Wales.

How much funding can you receive?

Homeowners in England and Wales will be able to access grants of £5,000 to have air source heat pumps installed, and £6,000 for ground source heat pumps.

However, as the funding is provided through grants, you will need to pay the difference if costs of installation exceed the grant you receive.

Are you eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?

You must meet a few requirements to be eligible:

• You must be a homeowner or small business owner
• Your property must be in England or Wales
• The building must have been issued an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) in the past 10 years, which either has:
  • No recommendations for loft or cavity wall insulation
  • It has recommendations but you insulate you home ahead of applying for Boiler Upgrader Scheme
  • Your property has an insulation exemption

Custom and self-build homes will also be eligible under the scheme. Custom and self-builders will be given a three-month validity period to complete their installation and do not need to provide an EPC to provide evidence of insulation eligibility.

How do you apply?

Applications will open from 1^st April 2022, but the Boiler Upgrade Scheme will operate on a “first-come, first-served basis”, so if you are thinking about installing a heat pump, get in touch with us as soon as possible to ensure you will be able to apply for this grant.

After you have agreed our quotation, as an MCS installer, we will apply for the voucher on your behalf and you will then be contacted by Ofgem to confirm that you wish to go ahead with the project.  We will then have 3 months to complete the project.

How long will the scheme run?

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme will run from April 2022 until April 2025.

Don’t leave it until it’s too late – get in touch with us now to enquire about a heat pump in your home

Contact us for a free, no obligation chat about whether a heat pump is right for your home, find out more about how heat pumps work and the process of installation.

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is first-come, first-served, so don’t miss out. Get in touch today by emailing [email protected] or call 01708 528240.

Sign up for Free Daikin Heat Pump Training

 

The demand for heat pump installation is extremely high following the government’s incentive to phase out gas boilers, and, what with the latest dramatic increase in soaring energy bills, demand really is at its greatest.

We are delighted to be offering you free Daikin training at our Daikin Sustainable Home Centre in Rainham. We are located close to London, just off the M25.

Daikin are the market leaders in renewable energy as heat pump and air conditioning manufacturers, so we are thrilled to have partnered with them. Our trainer is very knowledgeable and has 15 years of industry experience working with heat pumps.

But don’t just take our word for it, here is what one of our previous attendees have had to say:

“I highly rate this course on Daikin Heat Pumps hosted and presented by Quantum Group. Very digestible and practical…” Leon Gadsdon – Building Services Consultant Engineer 

The details you need to know

Dates available: 

• Wednesday 13^th April 2022
• Wednesday 11^th May 2022
• Wednesday 15^th June 2022

Time: 8:00AM – 4:30PM

Entry requirements: We do require that you complete an online pre-course training ahead of the training day in the comfort of your own home. It helps keep the training session succinct (so hopefully we can finish earlier!) if you are all aware of the basics of heat pumps. There are 5 modules, including a final assessment. The total course time is 150 minutes, but you don’t have to complete in one sitting – for your convenience you can work on each modular stage if you so wish! On completion of online training, you will receive an email from Daikin with a certificate.

To complete your training, click here.

Agenda for the day: The agenda for the day can be found here.

How to book your space: Upon completion of your pre-course training, complete the form on our website here to secure your place on our training course

Certification awarded: Upon successful completion of the course, you will be awarded a certificate and there is also an opportunity to win a refractometer in a prize raffle!

Start your pre-course training now!

Get ready for the future of heating with us. Spaces are limited, so book now to avoid disappointment! 

Any questions? Please contact Kelly or Belinda on 01708 52824