Heat pumps

matt_drummer

Hi M***,

I have just been thinking about this further.

If the ASHP was positioned where I have indicated would I even require planning permission?

Their are no assessment positions to be taken into consideration in this location and therefore it would not fail the MCS noise test.

Would it now fall under Permitted Development?

Regards,

M******.

matt_drummer

Hi M******, I will model all the receptors - 2 and 6 ***** ****** *****, the house opposite and the houses on the corner of ******* *******. I will produce both MCS and IOA calculations and then confirm whether they meet. If it meets the MCS standard then it will be permitted development but you still need to do the calculation as per the standard ( but as I would have done it for you there will be no need)

Regards

M***

matt_drummer

matt_drummer said:

Hi M******, I will model all the receptors - 2 and 6 ***** ****** *****, the house opposite and the houses on the corner of ******* *******. I will produce both MCS and IOA calculations and then confirm whether they meet. If it meets the MCS standard then it will be permitted development but you still need to do the calculation as per the standard ( but as I would have done it for you there will be no need)

Regards

M***

This is from the Environmental Protection Officer at Ipswich Borough Council who objected to my original location on the grounds of noise.

He did all the work he wanted regarding noise at the new location on the front of the house and sent me a lengthy document with his plans and calculations at all of the other houses in the road.

As you can see, he confirms that the front of the house is permitted development as long as all other requirements of the MCS standards are met.

The other email was from the head of planning at Ipswich Borough Council.

It is permitted development and cannot be disputed but I feel you could be asked to move it if neighbours complain.


Mine is pretty bullet proof with the supporting documents from IBC and their noise assessments.

Qyburn

matt_drummer said:

I don't know why building regulations come into it.

I can only imagine that it will be to do with the electrical installation.

BG will use qualified electricians and plumbers, they will know the regs.

Building Regs will come into play because of the electrical work, even just adding a new circuit would do that (in England). But electricians who are members of approved "schemes" can deal with this purely by notification to Building Control.

oliver1951

Hi Matt, how’s progress with the install?

FreeBear

Qyburn said:

matt_drummer said:

I don't know why building regulations come into it.

I can only imagine that it will be to do with the electrical installation.

BG will use qualified electricians and plumbers, they will know the regs.

Building Regs will come into play because of the electrical work, even just adding a new circuit would do that (in England). But electricians who are members of approved "schemes" can deal with this purely by notification to Building Control.

Building Regulation, Part L also covers the installation of a heat pump (and other sources of heating). There is a requirement that it is suitably sized for the property, and that suitable controls are fitted (including TRVs where applicable). The electrical work is only one small aspect of installing a heat pump.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/conservation-of-fuel-and-power-approved-document-l - Page 47.

matt_drummer

FreeBear said:

Qyburn said:

matt_drummer said:

I don't know why building regulations come into it.

I can only imagine that it will be to do with the electrical installation.

BG will use qualified electricians and plumbers, they will know the regs.

Building Regs will come into play because of the electrical work, even just adding a new circuit would do that (in England). But electricians who are members of approved "schemes" can deal with this purely by notification to Building Control.

Building Regulation, Part L also covers the installation of a heat pump (and other sources of heating). There is a requirement that it is suitably sized for the property, and that suitable controls are fitted (including TRVs where applicable). The electrical work is only one small aspect of installing a heat pump.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/conservation-of-fuel-and-power-approved-document-l - Page 47.

Building regulations will cover most aspects of a heat pump installation but I don't think it needs to be signed off by an inspector from the local authority. It certainly doesn't in my case. Maybe it does if you require planning permission?

The plumbers and electricians doing my install are well trained and fully qualified to ensure they meet the requirements of current standards.

They are most concerned about MCS compliance, there are lots of very detailed and technical rules that must be complied with.

As an example, MCS require the anti frost valve outlets to be at least 10cm apart. I found this out when I was watching the installer measuring them.

matt_drummer

oliver1951 said:

Hi Matt, how’s progress with the install?

It's going well, it will be complete today.

The installers have been fantastic and I don't have a single complaint. Their work is first class, really neat and there is not skimping on materials.

I can't see I would have got a better install however much I had paid.

I didn't know what to expect but I may have thought that there would be some cost cutting measures but it really seems to be the opposite. Using Octopus appears to be just the opposite, everything has to be just right, no real compromises and the installers are completely focused on the quality of the job rather than the time taken and the costs.

I couldn't be happier.

It's a big job and there is some disruption but my week with them has been really enjoyable.

I think it helped that I understood how everything worked and what was required to install a heat pump at our house. I had already planned where everything would go.

My airing cupboard was a mess with the previous installation, it have been added to over the years. I think the installers were worried about space on Monday but it has actually been fine. Once the old stuff was out they were much happier .


I'll let you know how it goes when the commissioning is complete later today.

DougMLancs

Building regs are completely separate from planning. Many installers are competent persons and will sign off themselves. A quote from my local council- “ In respect of the air source heat pump, as the installer is registered under the competent person scheme with a relevant body, we would expect to receive notification of this in due course.”

I’m glad it’s going well though- I’ve a lot of time for Octopus. I wanted them to do our install but they’re not doing them in the NW yet.

matt_drummer

DougMLancs said:

I’m glad it’s going well though- I’ve a lot of time for Octopus. I wanted them to do our install but they’re not doing them in the NW yet.

I will never go anywhere else, they are a fantastic company.