Considering AHSP or Solar Panels

perkster0192

We are thinking about either getting an AHSP or Solar Panel system with a battery but there is so much information out there and I could do with some advice or recommendations.
We live in Norfolk so plenty of sunshine. A few of our neighbours have solar panels and our roof is east/west facing. 
We only have electric so it would be to heat water and replace the four storage heaters we use which heat the entire house. 
We live mid terrace - it's a late sixties build.

Can anyone help us out as it feels like a minefield and is a big decision with huge implications. We are releasing equity from the house to do some other renovations so if we do decide to go ahead would need to do this work first before anything else.

Thanks in advance!

Netexporter

Welcome to the forum.

Thinking strategically, I think the ASHP is first priority, whilst the £7500 subsidy is available. If you still have budget available, then add a battery, which you can charge up at cheap overnight prices and use to run the house in the day. If you get one of the all-in-ne battery systems, choose one with an inverter that had MPPT points, so you can add solar with minimum fuss and cost when you have funds available. 

mmmmikey

Netexporter said:

Welcome to the forum.

Thinking strategically, I think the ASHP is first priority, whilst the £7500 subsidy is available. If you still have budget available, then add a battery, which you can charge up at cheap overnight prices and use to run the house in the day. If you get one of the all-in-ne battery systems, choose one with an inverter that had MPPT points, so you can add solar with minimum fuss and cost when you have funds available. 

My exact thoughts too so won't bother repeating  

Alnat1

My only doubt with the ASHP would be the current planning requirements re noise levels because you say you live in a terraced house. Most ASHP so far have been fitted on detached houses or the side of semis because they can be sited far enough away from neighbours windows. Terraced homes generally struggle to meet the current regulations.

Have a look at form MCS 020 Air Source Heat Pump noise Level Calculation and stick in your numbers. Average heat pumps are around 50-60 decibels.

perkster0192

Alnat1 said:

My only doubt with the ASHP would be the current planning requirements re noise levels because you say you live in a terraced house. Most ASHP so far have been fitted on detached houses or the side of semis because they can be sited far enough away from neighbours windows. Terraced homes generally struggle to meet the current regulations.

Have a look at form MCS 020 Air Source Heat Pump noise Level Calculation and stick in your numbers. Average heat pumps are around 50-60 decibels.

Thanks that is really helpful advice as that had been my concern. Our gardens at the back are small and enclosed as there is a block of garages that back onto the houses (with good old fashioned asbestos corrugated roofing) so the noise would bounce back off those.
At the front it's very open with plenty of space around but concerned it could still impact on neighbours.

Aira have said they'll send a surveyor over to suss it out. Might do that and take it from there.

If anyone has recommendations for solar panels if we end up down that route please let me know. It just all feels overly complicated!

tamste

Note that if you only have storage heaters currently, you will need a full wet system installed to use ASHP through radiators. Alternatively:
1. Replace storage heaters if old
2. Air to Air ASHP, but no £7500 subsidy for these as far as I understand  - they are like reverse air conditioning units.

QrizB

perkster0192 said:

If anyone has recommendations for solar panels if we end up down that route please let me know. It just all feels overly complicated!

With a roof split east/west, you can put panels on both sides and benefit from both morning and evening sunshine.

Exactly how many panels will fit will depend on the size of your roof but you should be able to get a good solar PV system for £5-6k (possibly less).

The financial case for a battery is more complicated but budget another £5k or so (again, possibly less).

You're in Norfolk so if you drop a PM to @Screwdriva he can probably put you in touch with a reliable and reasonably-priced installer.

Screwdriva

Normally, my first inclination is to suggest PV over a Heat pump for a faster return on investment. That said, you have electric hot water heating, which is very expensive. I also expect a wet Air to Water Heat pump will be expensive for your type of property, even assuming radiators and cylinder are covered as 60's insulation will need to be upgraded to allow for <50 degree flow temperatures (I'm assuming you don't have Underfloor Heating and have not received any Heat pump quotes/ heat loss surveys?) 

So here are 3 thoughts:

1) Mixergy Heat Pump Hot Water cylinders - Vastly more efficient than an immersion element type hot water cylinder or even a ASHP running a DHW cycle, they will pay for themselves very quickly. 

2) Solar PV - A Tesla Powerwall 3 based system with 12 X Eurener 500W panels will cost £11K installed. I'd fill every square inch of my roof if I were you, at £270 per additional panel installed. 

3) Air to Air Multi-split Unit - As others have shared, this may prove less costly than a wet Air to Water system, despite the £7.5K grant the latter benefits from. No Hot Water Functionality, so works well with #1 above and doesn't need the level of insulation upgrades to achieve a higher SCOP. I've heard very good things about the Toshiba Haori multi split. 

Hope this helps! 

perkster0192

@QrizB and @Screwdriva this is all stunning advice. Thanks so much.

We don't have underfloor heating and I am concerned the ASHP will be to loud to make it viable.

I will look into these other systems asap.

wrf12345

Mid sixties terrace, have you tried turning the heating off in winter and living off the heat pulled in from adjoining houses - can't imagine there is much by way of insulation to stop it flowing on those kind of builds. Joking aside, I would start by super-insulating the house, which probably means 50mm Celotex on internal walls, topped by plasterboard and then either decent secondary glazing or downsizing windows, plus layered up loft and underfloor insulation on the ground floor. All DIY so not that expensive if you source well via internet. That plays well with a minimal A2A install.

Netexporter

perkster0192 said:

@QrizB and @Screwdriva this is all stunning advice. Thanks so much.

We don't have underfloor heating and I am concerned the ASHP will be to loud to make it viable.

I will look into these other systems asap.

Balanced flue gas boilers are often noisier than heat pumps.but there don't seem to be any regulations about that.

My ASHP is near my bedroom window. I can't hear it at all with the window shut.