In most circumstances, yes.

It’s true that heat pumps run at lower efficiencies while producing hot water, but a correctly designed system can produce more than enough hot water for most people’s needs.

Heat pumps generally run at lower temperatures than gas boilers, so a larger cylinder is used to give an equivalent hot water volume.  The larger cylinder also contains a larger heat exchanger / coil so that the lower flow temperature from a heat pump can still heat water efficiently.

Many of the systems we install achieve COPs well over 3 for hot water production and the Heat Geek Super Cylinder we installed from Newark achieved an impressive COP of 4.

In some circumstances finding space for a large enough cylinder can be an issue, especially if moving from a combi boiler, but options such as the Sunamp heat battery or Heat Geek Mini Store can be good solutions. As always, system design is critical.

Not necessarily, but more than you might think.

While it is true that heat pumps often perform best in well-insulated properties with underfloor heating, many older properties can also benefit from a heat pump as long as the heating system is compatible.

Twelve years ago when we first started installing heat pumps, we were very cautious and only really installed for customers with new or upgraded properties.  Over the years, we’ve put more faith in the maths and design process, with both ourselves and our customers being pleasantly surprised by the results.

We even have a few installations in solid wall properties with no cavity or retrofit insulation.  Even these installations are able to keep the property warm and achieve good efficiencies (although with COPs closer to 3 than 5). 

The short answer is yes, but this is not good for heat pump efficiency.  However, if hot towel rails are a requirement, then we can discuss a range of options with you, such as hydraulic separation and heating the buffer to a higher set point at specific times of day, or making use of electric or dual fuel towel rails.

With most system designs, there are compromises to be made between efficiency and comfort, we will work with you to try and come up with the best solution for your property and how you want to inhabit it.

Heat pumps require electricity to run. Due to the price of electricity, they can be expensive to run in winter, especially if the full system is not well-designed and commissioned.  However, at the time of writing, a heat pump only needs to achieve an annual SCOP of 3.3 – 3.7 (depending on boiler efficiency), to be on par with a gas boiler assuming Ofgem Price Cap tariffs of 7p gas and 27p electric. If the, ‘Spark Gap,’ between gas and electricity prices narrows, then heat pumps will become cheaper to run.  In the meantime many of our installations achieve SCOPs in the range of 4 – 6, and many of our customers take advantage of off-peak tariffs, solar generation and battery storage to achieve bills significantly lower than gas or other forms of heating.

Heat pumps are not silent and we always recommend locating them away from bedroom windows wherever possible.  We install some of the quietest heat pumps on the market in Stiebel Eltron and NIBE, and are yet to be asked to move one due to noise.

We carry out the required MCS020 noise assessment and discuss installation locations as part of the design process.

Many customers are initially concerned about noise and then are pleasantly surprised by how quiet heat pumps are in practice.

Heat pumps generally have a quiet mode that can be scheduled, e.g. overnight, to reduce the heat pump’s output and sound power, (although this could result in indoor temperatures falling below design conditions during very cold weather).

An air source heat pump service typically costs £150 + VAT, and a ground source heat pump service is £180 + VAT.

Not all manufacturers insist on an annual service in order to maintain the warranty, but some do.  While we recommend an annual service to ensure that important checks are carried out, we are flexible and happy to discuss service plans tailored to your requirements.

At the time of writing, there are several tariffs that can significantly reduce running costs for heat pump customers.

Heat pump-only customers may benefit from Octopus Cosy, with three lower rates per day (although we recommend scheduling the heat pump to be off or set back during peak rate).  The OVO Heat Pump Plus tariff is a very good deal for those who can get onto it, although we understand it is now closed for the time being to new Ecodan customers.

Many other energy suppliers are also starting to launch new tariffs that will help reduce heat pump running costs.

For customers with battery storage, Octopus Cosy can still be a good option, and the battery can be charged during the lower rate periods too.

Customers with larger battery stores, relative to heating demand, often make effective use of overnight off-peak tariffs, typically advertised for electric vehicles.

We’re always happy to help customers review their tariff options when installing a heat pump, and like to keep in touch, so we are happy to have further tariff discussions as the market evolves.

• The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS grant) provides a £7,500 contribution towards the cost of installing a heat pump for eligible home owners. Most existing homeowners will qualify for the BUS grant if there is an Energy Performance Certificate for the property that demonstrates a none renewable heating system is to be replaced. 
• The Energy Company Obligation (ECO4 grant) often provides free heat pump installations, along with other measures such as solar panels, and insulation to eligible customers.  To be eligible for the ECO4 grant, homeowners must usually be in receipt of certain benefits. 
• Green Homes Wales is a Welsh government initiative that provides an interest free loan of up to £25,000, repayable over 10 years, with a six month payment holiday to start.  While not a grant, the structure of this loan can make the installation of renewable technologies significantly more affordable for eligible customers living in Wales.

None that we are aware of.  From time to time, there are local initiatives, but the only national scheme we’re aware of is the Green Homes Wales loan.

Solar customers can sell their export via the Smart Export Guarantee, and those with batteries can also charge off-peak, with lower cost energy and / or sell energy back from the battery during peak rates.

Each project is different, but the majority of installations pay for themselves via export payments and bill savings within 5 – 10 years. Some customers choose to finance the installation so that the savings pay off the loan.

Yes. Air to air heat pumps, more commonly referred to as air con are excellent at providing cooling.

Air, and ground to water heat pumps can also provide gentle cooling via underfloor heating, or more active cooling, via fan coil radiators.  Cooling via heat pumps, other than air to air, is less common in the UK, but can be an effective way to prevent a property from overheating, (once a property has overheated then trying to cool it back down is likely to be ineffective by using another type than air to air).  For customers wanting to implement cooling via their ASHP or GSHP, there are a lot of factors to consider.

Condensation risk, floor coverings, vapour resistant insulation, humidity sensors, and the routing of additional services for condensation and power, if using fan coils are all factors.

As with any project, a good design is crucial.

Usually, yes.

A well-designed and installed GSHP is around 15% more efficient than an ASHP (all other factors being equal).

However, the additional upfront cost of a GSHP is significantly more expensive than an ASHP, so the efficiency gains would not usually pay for the extra work and materials involved.

We love installing ground source heat pumps and consider them the optimum system, but the majority of our installations are ASHP.

We only specify a GSHP where the project requires one for specific reasons e.g. listed buildings not allowing ASHP outdoor units, extreme coastal locations meaning the ASHP outdoor unit is unlikely to last very long, (most coastal locations are fine with the right precautions), land-owning families building multi-generation homes and wanting to invest in the infrastructure to collect heat from the ground.

We regularly install heat pumps from NIBE, Stiebel Eltron, and Mitsubishi, but have installed other brands including Vaillant, Samsung, and Ecoforest.

We have found inverter driven compressors, good controls and either R32, R290, or R454 refrigerants result in higher efficiencies.

In our experience, proper design, installation and commissioning are far more important than the make and model of heat pump.

We also believe it’s important to attend manufacturer specific training, get to know a heat pump, including it’s controller well, and build a relationship with the manufacturer for ongoing maintenance requirements.

Having said this, we do personally like the sophisticated controls, including full online monitoring, aesthetic appearance and comprehensive parts AND labour warranties that come with NIBE and Stiebel Eltron heat pumps.

For many properties, we can often tell by experience whether a heat pump is likely to be suitable and we will always be honest with you, as we would rather not sell a heat pump than have an unhappy customer with a cold house and high bills.

Before proceeding with an installation, a full room-by-room heat loss calculation is needed to determine the required heat pump size and then assess whether the network of pipes and radiators is adequate, or can be upgraded to heat the house effectively.

Sometimes this full calculation is required earlier in the process to assess whether a house is even suitable to have a heat pump at all, for example in larger properties that have been extended multiple times and have a mix of construction types.