Energy news in general

QrizB

It's a step in the right direction.

I was hoping they would be able to claw back director's remuneration more generally. Back when Avro and Neon Reef and all went bust, the directors still walked away with millions.

stripling

@QrizB

"For heating, it's a little more complicated. A home using the Ofgem average amount of gas, 11500kWh, and burning it all in a 90% efficient boiler, is receiving 10350kWh of usable heat. Their gas bill on the current capped SVT will be £776. Obtaining 10350kWh of heat via a heat pump with a COP of 3 will require 3450kWh of electricity, which on the SVT will cost £851. That's roughly 10% more than the equivalent gas cost."

I have two years of bills on a fixed electricity tariff with no batteries or solar or ToU tariff that demonstrate that it is cheaper to heat my house/hot water with my Daikin heat pump than it was using gas. Plus the house is warmer throughout and the heatpump runs 24/7 for around 8 months per year and the hot water tank is heated daily.

I don't even have very good insulation. What I do have is a very well-optimized heat pump running purely on weather compensation with a good system design so it runs low & slow. I use 3500 kWhs per year whole house - cooking & everything. That's not bad.

TroubledTarts

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81973810#Comment_81973810

Also worth adding in no need for gas standing charge that's well over £100 a year now

Scot_39

How do servicing costs for ASHP / wet system - compare to those for GCH boiler / wet system ?

Thinking of those who pay £100s pa for things like GCH care plans with BG etc.

Do ASHP fitters have similar plans ?

Is there an additional saving there - to add to the gas SC saving - for those concerned about marginal or risk of no savings with an ASHP.

TroubledTarts

You can spend as much or little as you want like gas boilers.

Some don't bother getting them serviced at all like our next door neighbour.

We have an annual £85 service on ours just a checkup looking for any potential changes and issues, clearing out any debris, looking for leaks, checking anti freeze levels and expansion tank pressures etc they really are simple bits of kit.

I see homeserve offer ASHP plans and some others as well including breakdown repairs so the market is starting to open up and become competitive.

I would say, on the whole, servicing was being charged at double a gas boiler not so recently but the market is becoming a bit more competitive now.

stripling

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81974079#Comment_81974079

I pay £9 per month for an annual Octopus service plan.

This is necessary a) to keep the heat pump clean and running well; b) an annual service from someone 'recognised' is a requirement of the Daikin guarantee.

A British Gas service plan for heat pumps is a quite a bit more. But if I didn't have 🐙 I would probably just pay a one-off annual fee with a local installer. When I had gas this was always cheaper than a 'plan'.

Swipe

£9 a month for someone to check a few messges and clear some leaves once a year sounds like daylight robbery but no doubt they pull the old service required or you'll invalidate the warranty line. I had two Daikin heatump aircon units at my last house and they still ran fine after 10 years with no service. The remote control could check for any refigerant level and other error warnings.

Netexporter

An unserviced gas boiler can kill you. An unservices heat pump may just stop working.

The main ASHP servicing jobs are cleaning the filters, usually a basket filter and a magnetic filter. Both easily done if you have a modicum of DIY skills. Restore the pressure, via the filling loop, and the jobs a good 'un.

Obviously, loss of refrigerant needs a qualified engineer.

WiserMiser

Always a good idea to have some CO detectors if you have any gas appliances whether they're serviced or not. They're cheap as chips.

Those with a digital display are best because you can check the peak reading, you don't have to wait until the level is so high that the alarm sounds.

Martyn1981

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81974203#Comment_81974203

I didn't think £9pm sounded excessive, if it includes a service.

I haven't had our two A2A units serviced, but I have done a 'mini-service' myself, stripping off the covers, and cleaning them out. Used 'proper' fluids, though, they too, may be a rip off, but pretty cheap at £25. Probably enough to last for about 10x cleans (10x both internal and external units).