UPDATED: Air Source Heat Pumps/Air Con - Full Info & Guide, is it cheaper to run than mains gas?

crumbleman

Thanks for the advice, its kind of what I was coming round to.
I am thinking of solar thermal and solar PV, I understand that many system boiler setups are compatible with solar thermal so seems a no brainer!

matelodave

I've got a heat pump because there's no gas where we are, given the choice I'd go for mains gas.


I suggest you do a few sums to work out what the payback would be for solar thermal to see if it's worth it. Make sure you can get RHI if you do decide to go for it.

vince31

Disagree with going for mains gas!

I live in a 4 bed detached house (built 2000) on a standard estate in UK. Last year my mains gas bill for heating and water etc came to £645. The projected cost of heating and hot water provided by an Air Source Heat Pump (8Kw) is £465. Thats a saving of £180 pa. Factor in an RHI payment of £521 pa for the next 7 yrs on top of the savings and thats a substantial amount (£700) net gain. On top of that, my PV panels will be feeding in free electric (rather than exporting it for nothing) when the sun is out so its even cheaper to run.

The installer GUARANTEES lower running costs and will refund the difference if these figures are not borne out in real world operation!

zeupater

vince31 wrote: »

Disagree with going for mains gas!

I live in a 4 bed detached house (built 2000) on a standard estate in UK. Last year my mains gas bill for heating and water etc came to £645. The projected cost of heating and hot water provided by an Air Source Heat Pump (8Kw) is £465. Thats a saving of £180 pa. Factor in an RHI payment of £521 pa for the next 7 yrs on top of the savings and thats a substantial amount (£700) net gain. On top of that, my PV panels will be feeding in free electric (rather than exporting it for nothing) when the sun is out so its even cheaper to run.

The installer GUARANTEES lower running costs and will refund the difference if these figures are not borne out in real world operation!

Hi

So, leaving inflation, investment lost income or interest charges (green deal or otherwise) aside, the saving and RHI is £701(521+645-465) for the first 7 years, that's £4900, then assuming another 7 years at £180(645-465) saving before replacement or serious repair costs you'd be looking at an additional £1200, so lifetime savings of £6100 to offset against the initial installation cost of (guess) £8k to £10k (?) .... then comes the expenditure on a replacement after the RHI scheme has expired ...

... as for the installer performance guarantee, well, unless it's insurance backed, if there's a number of claims due to poor performance what is the installer likely to do ... pay-up £thousands out of their own pocket or simply wind-up the business which issued the guarantee and set up a new one ???

HTH
Z

Cardew

vince31 wrote: »

The installer GUARANTEES lower running costs and will refund the difference if these figures are not borne out in real world operation!

Welcome to the forum.


I agree with the post above.


So are you saying that your heating and hot water will be separately monitored so you will know how much electricity the just the heat pump has used? i.e. not include 'normal' electricity consumption in the house.


If we get a very cold winter and you decide to have the heat pump flat out for maximum temperature 24/7 and use copious amounts of Hot water the installer will guarantee to refund the difference between what you use and £465? or £645?


Have you got that guarantee in writing??? No caveats??


Have you read the EST report on their 12 month trial of heat pumps with the manufacturers present?

Mr._Bean

I am on the verge of purchasing an air to water heat pump, can anyone give an opinion on the best one, that is not trying to push a brand. I will be installing it myself as it is just pipes and power,(ha ha just) but I am quite capable. I get confused with different people quoting this one is best because.blah blah.... then someone else says this one because that one isn't blah blah...........:easter:

Cardew

Mr._Bean wrote: »

I am on the verge of purchasing an air to water heat pump, can anyone give an opinion on the best one, that is not trying to push a brand. I will be installing it myself as it is just pipes and power,(ha ha just) but I am quite capable. I get confused with different people quoting this one is best because.blah blah.... then someone else says this one because that one isn't blah blah...........:easter:

Even experienced installers often get the installation wrong!


If you are expecting RHI payments, then it must be installed by a MCS registered firm.


Unless someone had tried all the brands and monitored their performance over a couple of years, it would not be possible to know which is the best model.

matelodave

Mines a split unit with an outside compressor and internal hydrobox rather than a monobloc so there's refrigeration piping to take into account. It's a Daikin, it's nearly five years old and so far has been faultless.


As said, you wont get RHI if you install it yourself (unless you are an MCS registered installer).


Make sure you design the heating system very carefully to optimise the design - just bunging one in place of an existing boiler rarely ends up being satisfactory.

Mr._Bean

I am not interested in The RHI as I live in France, and I am sure they won't give it to me here.... I am Looking at getting a mono-bloc system,
So any info on these would be most interesting..

lovesgshp

Have a look at the following test results for different makes. Sorry that it is in Danish, but you should be able to get a idea of the better performing models.

http://sparenergi.dk/forbruger/vaerktoejer/varmepumpelisten