Air source heat pump vs oil - high install cost and higher running costs ?

Fizz1981

I are trying to help the planet by reducing carbon emissions and have been led to believe that a heat pump should be approx equivalent in running costs to a boiler.
I currently have an oil boiler and use about 2000 litres oil a year to heat bungalow (about 190m2).

I’ve had quote for ASHP to replace  upgrade most of the radiators , install a 13kW air source heat pump & a new hot water system. 

Heating & h/w demand is approx 22700kWh/yr. Which they reckon will translate into about 7500 kWh/yr of actual elec consumption for hot water and heating. They have calculated this as £2596 / year @ 0.34p /kWh (which as we all know is far from certain given energy volatility).

Last year I paid about £1900 for the oil to do the same job. The cost of the heatpump will be about £24k , minus the £5k government grant , which doesn’t even come close to ofsetting the massive cost of this. So it looks like a massive spend plus more expensive running cost , which is highly sensitive to electric price fluctuations. 

This is doing my head in as we need to drastically reduce consumption of fossil fuels, but the costs just don’t add up. Is more help availabile with costs of ASHPs to help the planet (and us?!)

Swipe

Madness even considering it. I'd stick with your oil boiler

matt_drummer

Hi,

How many quotes have you had?

At first glance it sound excessive but it depends on the equipment being supplied and how much work is involved.

How old is your oil boiler?

If that needs replacing then not all of the cost of the ASHP is extra.

The cost of oil is arguably even more uncertain than the cost of electricity.

An ASHP would give you the opportunity to generate and store your own power via solar panels and batteries, but that is, of course, another capital cost.


I think many people expect helping the planet to be cheap, environmentally friendly is just that, it is not guaranteed to be cheap.

born_again

Watch this video. Start around @ 3.14 for the real mistruths & how some companies are ripping people off. Given their house is far bigger than your bungalow (no idea on your level of insulation) sounds like you have hit on one of the companies he describes for your system.


https://youtu.be/J8vvCKUC3u4

Fizz1981

The existing boiler is 'mid life' about 6 years old and would cost about £3-4K to replace, but even taking this into consideration the whole cost is a lot of money to find. I don't have an expectation that it is cheap to help the planet, but it really does feel like being penalised for trying to do the right thing. Also if this is the case , there need to be more subsidies to help scale the rollout of non fossil fuel based heating to reduce carbon emissions globally. The money being used to subsidise new oilfields and oil company profits could be diverted to fund this.

DougMLancs

Could you share what work they’re proposing to see if it’s a fair quote? Whereabouts are you? Is there any SE premium in there?

 I’m getting an ASHP fitted next month and it came in at 10k after grant including replacing 8 rads and fitting a unvented cylinder as we’re currently on a gas combi.

comeandgo

Where we stay winter temps can be as low as minus 20, not unusual to be in minus figures for weeks.  Some of our neighbours have gone for ASH.  They have log burners and are stocking up with logs to keep them warm over winter.  Houses are newish and they did not need to change radiators but I’m staying with my oil heating a bit longer.  Waiting for larger grants before I consider other heating.

Fizz1981

born_again said:

Watch this video. Start around @ 3.14 for the real mistruths & how some companies are ripping people off. Given their house is far bigger than your bungalow (no idea on your level of insulation) sounds like you have hit on one of the companies he describes 

Energy rating is D with good/average insulation and we can’t put any more in due to the construction. I did try other companies but they just sent ‘sales’ people not proper engineers and I red flagged them for this and some did not even get back to us with quotes. Octopus came but said they couldn’t do it as they only do heat pumps up to 9kW and the property would need more. Not sure how else to check that the heat pump is sized correctly. 

matt_drummer

Fizz1981 said:

The existing boiler is 'mid life' about 6 years old and would cost about £3-4K to replace, but even taking this into consideration the whole cost is a lot of money to find. I don't have an expectation that it is cheap to help the planet, but it really does feel like being penalised for trying to do the right thing. Also if this is the case , there need to be more subsidies to help scale the rollout of non fossil fuel based heating to reduce carbon emissions globally. The money being used to subsidise new oilfields and oil company profits could be diverted to fund this.

You are not being penalised, you are getting a £5,000 grant, free money!

My ASHP supplied and fitted by Octopus is £6,500 including two new radiators. That includes a new hot water system and is net of the grant.

So, either you are getting better equipment, need more work doing or being ripped off by the installer. It could be a combination of these.

Get more quotes and do as much research as you can on how it works.

matt_drummer

born_again said:

Watch this video. Start around @ 3.14 for the real mistruths & how some companies are ripping people off. Given their house is far bigger than your bungalow (no idea on your level of insulation) sounds like you have hit on one of the companies he describes for your system.


https://youtu.be/J8vvCKUC3u4

I don't think his house is bigger than 190 m2. I have watched many of his videos.

It's a three story house and the ground floor is basically unheated garages.

His heat pump is only 5 kW if I remember correctly. I suspect the heated area is 100 m2 or less.


A bungalow with 190 m2 of floor area will be much harder and expensive to heat.

Billxx

I have read recently in the papers examples of heat pumps being fitted, then breaking down, and customers being unable to get engineers to fix them.  I don't think the market has matured enough for me.  I'd stay clear.