Lucy’s heat pump – Love is in air source
14 February 2024
Lucy and her husband Adrian, installed an air source heat pump in their Norwich home in June 2023. We recently caught up with her to find out why she loves her new installation and how she found the perfect heat pump for their Victorian terraced home.
Lucy, how did you find your perfect heat pump?
I started by using the ‘Find a contractor’ tool on the MCS website to search for certified heat pump contractors near me. I wanted a contractor that was competent, trustworthy, and registered to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) so I could claim my £5,000 grant discount (this amount has since increased to £7,500 as of 23 October 2023). I got a range of quotes from installers, but ultimately decided to go with Heat Different.
The team at Heat Different carried out a home survey to determine the most suitable heat pump for my Victorian, terraced, three-storey home. They recommended a Viessmann Vitocal 222-A 16kW air source heat pump because of its high efficiency and streamlined design. It is capable of heating an old, three-storey, five-bedroom home and also takes up 60% less space than comparable models, making it a perfect match for terraced properties like mine.
So, Lucy, why do you love your heat pump?
I absolutely love my heat pump because it keeps our home a lovely stable temperature, not too hot, not too cold. We’ve got a whole cupboard back for extra storage, no boiler noise in the house, and no plume of steam outside either! I can also confirm that outside, the heat pump is quieter than an extractor fan, but above all, we are emitting way less carbon, and saving money on our energy bills.
Lucy, why did you decide to transition from your gas boiler to a heat pump?
Our Victorian terraced house was chilly and expensive to heat. Rising energy costs meant that our gas and electricity bills had doubled in two years from £1,895 in 2020 to an eye-watering £3,272 in 2022. This combined with the necessity to take action on the climate crisis prompted me to look at ways to save money and reduce our carbon emissions. I then decided to make 2023 the year to get our house fixed up to use clean, cheaper, renewable energy.
My research showed that an air source heat pump would offer the biggest environmental impact and energy savings for the investment, especially when factoring in the BUS grant. As well as the heat pump, we also fitted six solar panels with a 5kWh battery this year too. The combined result is that even with the effect of price cap increases, our November bill dropped by a quarter year on year. And our overall emissions from space and water heating are less than half what they used to be, which is even better!
What do your family, friends and neighbours think about your switch to a heat pump?
Most people don’t know much about heat pumps. Since I got one, I’ve had half a dozen neighbours and friends come to visit just to see it, with many more booked in! The main thing is people are really interested and keen to find out more. In fact, I’m currently planning a ‘Meet and Heat’ morning with tea and cake for my neighbours and friends to find out more about my heat pump. I’m fairly confident that our heat pump has increased the value of our home, and I would recommend anyone thinking of transitioning to low-carbon heating to go for it!
If you are interested in heating your home with a heat pump, you can find an MCS certified installer on the MCS website. https://mcscertified.com/find-an-installer/