Gas or Ashp

gazb_2

What would you fit on a soon to be renovated house?

it will be fully insulated under floors with wet underfloor heating. All external walls and ceilings fully insulated.

I keep reading and loads of people seem to regret ASHP! Is it that bad? Should I fit a new gas boiler with the option to change to ASHP in 10ish years?

thanks 

BUFF

which part of the country?
who is to live there (& for how long)?

Scot_39

What about the current Heat Pump grants.

Do people think they will stil be around ?

I suspect not - based on BEV / hybrids etc over recent years ?

And as to future price drops - remember when we were told BEV's would be same price as ICE ?

IIRC upto 5K in Eng, upto 7.5K / 9K (£1500 rural uplift) plus loans in Scotland

markin

If its solid wall are you going up to current insulation standards or far beyond. Epc D or A?

Everyone claims just the heat pump part will be same price as a a boiler in 2-6 years, the grants just keeps the prices high, they see it as their bonus.

InvertedVee

Not an easy call and depends on lots of factors. I would get quotes from reputable companies for both before deciding.

Things that would make me more likely to go to ASHP now in your position:

• if reducing carbon emissions is as important or more important to you than costs
• if you know you will be living there for 10+ years
• if you have no reason to pay for a gas supply other than heating
• if the new house is well-insulated with a high EPC rating
• if you prefer a steady temperature for longer periods each day rather than short periods of higher temperatures
• if you don't need the budget for other things
• if you have the space for a hot water cylinder
• if the climate (temperature and wind) at your new house is moderate
• if a convenient location for an AHSP is available
• if you don't mind learning how a new technology works and putting in the time and effort it takes to get the best from it.

None of the above is an absolute essential but the more you can say yes to these, the more feasible it is.

Whatever you decide now, make sure that any radiators you fit are big enough to heat the rooms adequately with the low flow temperatures of an ASHP.

Reed_Richards

What water temperature will you run your underfloor heating at?  The lower it is, the better the efficiency of a heat pump; your should achieve at least 300% on average I would think.  Or with a gas boiler designed for low temperature operation you should be able to achieve close to 100% efficiency.  At current fuel prices a heat pump operating at 300% efficiency would have about the same running cost as  a 100% efficient gas boiler.  But a heat pump is the "greener" option; if that is any part of your considerations.

I have a heat pump and there are a few others here with heat pumps who post regularly.  I don't think any of us regret our choice; those people that do regret it usually haven't had their heat pump installed properly.  It's very likely that if you had a gas or oil boiler and try to install a heat pump as a drop-in replacement then your radiators won't be large enough to cope, your heat pump will spend then all its time at its maximum operating temperature, that's the least efficient operating point and you still won't be warm enough in cold weather.  But with new UFH that won't apply to you; you just need to size the heat pump to meet the heat loss from your house.

With either a heat pump or a low temperature gas boiler you will need a hot water cylinder designed to be heated with lower temperature water; one with a longer coil than is used conventionally.      

Zandoni

Personally I would go for a boiler with the option to change down the line if it's considered a good idea then.

Swipe

Gas boiler, no brainer, even more so if you are adding high levels of insulation

Scot_39

A link to this came up - loads of people complaining - some calling ashp tge next miss selling scandal.


https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-11830589/amp/How-heat-pumps-leave-homes-cold-owners-having-ripped-out.html

And useless efficiency wise on cold days like today.

One even said fitted oil boiler to use over winter as cheaper.

Is this just low quality Mail journalism - I don't normally read it as that seems a common problem - or do these folk have a valid  point - are they not fit for a British winter ?

And are the govt simply "ignoring" low winter efficiency in the rush to net zero.

And promoting correctly as potentially cheapest electric option - even if not as cheap as gas of old - which seems to be part of common complaint ?

Certainly when I looked into efficiency years ago  I initially thought would need GS not AS, up in North (temps 3-4 C on ave below S Eng ) but they were quadruple the cost to install.  an uncle in far North - actually did go ground source - but hes got an old stone cottage farmhouse etc so needed the power and higher all year round efficiency..  I just went gas in the end.  The grant might have swayed me more now though.


How expensive are they to run on a near zero external temp like today or really sub zero day - like the -5 here in Dec - or sub zero overnight regularly in winter cold snaps ?

Alnat1

Have a read about how well Finland is doing with heat pumps, a country that is much colder than the UK. 

markin

Alnat1 said:

Have a read about how well Finland is doing with heat pumps, a country that is much colder than the UK. 

Usually are far better insulated, with triple glazing, Most often the is a wood stove available if needed, That could be on every day who would knows? I know some heat pumps have oil boiler back-up on some local district heating systems.  Power costs have normally been very low being nuclear, hydro, biomass, with links to Norway and Swedens grid.

They don't have a gas network so volume brings the prices down a little.

Also the are Arctic versions from every brand, So maybe uk installers don't get the correct version for the North of the uk?