ECO4 Boiler Grants

shiraz99

Can you still get an ECO4 grant for a like for like replacement for an old, gas combi boiler? Also, who are the best places to go to as when googling you get so many companies coming up I don't know how genuine or trustworthy they are.

QrizB

You can get an ECO4 grant.

What upgrades you are offered will be at the discretion of the ECO4 contractor.

FreeBear

QrizB said:

You can get an ECO4 grant.

What upgrades you are offered will be at the discretion of the ECO4 contractor.

In the current climate with a push to net zero carbon emissions, a heat pump is more likely to be specified.

Correctly set up and on the right tariff, it would be cheaper to run for all bar a few really cold days in a year.

shiraz99

FreeBear said:

QrizB said:

You can get an ECO4 grant.

What upgrades you are offered will be at the discretion of the ECO4 contractor.

In the current climate with a push to net zero carbon emissions, a heat pump is more likely to be specified.

Correctly set up and on the right tariff, it would be cheaper to run for all bar a few really cold days in a year.

"Correctly set up and on the right tariff", particularly for a 100 year old, solid wall property like mine would likely involve also including extra insulation (possibly EWI), solar, batteries to get to it being anywhere near cheaper. I know quite a few owners of heat pumps in similar properties, without the above, and it's costing them an absolute fortune. I'm going to stick to a gas boiler while I still can.

QrizB

shiraz99 said:

"Correctly set up and on the right tariff", particularly for a 100 year old, solid wall property like mine would likely involve also including extra insulation (possibly EWI), solar, batteries to get to it being anywhere near cheaper.

Insulation and solar PV are common parts of an eCO4 upgrade bundle, yes.

Batteries are uncommon (I don't recall a single thread here where someone has received batteries under ECO4 without the householder paying for the batteries as an add-on).

shiraz99 said:

I know quite a few owners of heat pumps in similar properties, without the above, and it's costing them an absolute fortune.

They should get an account on the forum and seek help. There are plenty of folk on the "heat pumps" board where their heat pumps cost less than an equivalent mains gas boiler, per kWh of heat delivered to the house.

FreeBear

shiraz99 said:

FreeBear said:

QrizB said:

You can get an ECO4 grant.

What upgrades you are offered will be at the discretion of the ECO4 contractor.

In the current climate with a push to net zero carbon emissions, a heat pump is more likely to be specified.

Correctly set up and on the right tariff, it would be cheaper to run for all bar a few really cold days in a year.

"Correctly set up and on the right tariff", particularly for a 100 year old, solid wall property like mine would likely involve also including extra insulation (possibly EWI), solar, batteries to get to it being anywhere near cheaper. I know quite a few owners of heat pumps in similar properties, without the above, and it's costing them an absolute fortune. I'm going to stick to a gas boiler while I still can.

Regardless of source (gas or heat pump), you are still going to need the same amount of energy to keep the place warm. So if you are currently burning 10,000kWh of gas for (say) 9,000kWh of heat, that isn't going to change with a heat pump. For 9000kWh of heat out of a HP, you'd need 3000kWh of electricity (assuming a lowly COP of 3). A well tuned system could get to a COP of 5 on warmer days.

I too have a property close to 100 years old. A mix of solid brick (~230mm thick) and cavity walls. Some of the solid walls have been insulated (doing each wall as I renovate/decorate a room). Not seeing any significant energy saving from the IWI. Comparing two similar sized rooms where one has insulation, and the other doesn't, I'll see perhaps a 0.25°C greater drop in temperature overnight. However, it has cut condensation on the walls and provided a nice flat surface to decorate, so not a complete waste of money.

Sophiej27

You are still able to apply for the ECO4 scheme. Your local council should have recommended suppliers as you must meet certain criteria.

E-G EPC for best chance of funding
D rated is more difficult as it has additional criteria to meeting insulation wise.

Income under 31k or be receiving qualifying benefits.

You also receive insulation measure (Cavity wall, loft insulation and ventilation if needed) 

you could also be eligible for Internal Wall insulation however this is expensive and not all companies provide this.

it would be best to see who the local authority recommends it’s normally under energy efficiency when you search

NedS

shiraz99 said:

FreeBear said:

QrizB said:

You can get an ECO4 grant.

What upgrades you are offered will be at the discretion of the ECO4 contractor.

In the current climate with a push to net zero carbon emissions, a heat pump is more likely to be specified.

Correctly set up and on the right tariff, it would be cheaper to run for all bar a few really cold days in a year.

"Correctly set up and on the right tariff", particularly for a 100 year old, solid wall property like mine would likely involve also including extra insulation (possibly EWI), solar, batteries to get to it being anywhere near cheaper. I know quite a few owners of heat pumps in similar properties, without the above, and it's costing them an absolute fortune. I'm going to stick to a gas boiler while I still can.

We have an old (pre-1800s) solid stone walled cottage, and  had solid internal wall insulation (IWI), solar panels and an ASHP fitted last summer on an ECO4 grant, replacing an old oil boiler.

We are on the Octopus Cosy heat pump tariff, and our running costs have been significantly reduced. Out total monthly electricity usage over winter has been less than the equivalent oil (or gas) bill would have been to provide the same amount of heat, and in summer our export and solar usage means we are in credit.

Maybe we were lucky, as we definitely had great installers who knew what they were doing, but our system has dramatically reduced our bills. We are now looking to add further solar panels and a battery which should make us net zero and eliminate our bills completely (averaged over the year). This for us is a great outcome given we were previously paying around £2400 per year for electricity and oil, and that was before the massive increases in energy prices in 2022/3.