ASHP install questions

madmackem

We have been offered a full install grant, pump and tank with all new radiators etc.

We are currently with Fuse energy dual fuel, they dont offer a heat pump concession on their deals. I suppose I will bite the bullet and pay to end the contracts early.

However we will have no need for a gas supply. Is there a way to get the gas supply terminated without paying around £400? I am unemployed and my wife is registered disabled on pip and dla, we cant afford the cost, but we will still have to pay the standing charges even with no gas appliances in our house.

Thanks :-)

Alnat1

Can confirm that Octopus will cap your gas supply for free.

They have a heat pump tariff called Cosy, with 3 cheaper slots each day (around 14p/kWh) 4-7am, 1-4pm and 10-12pm. None of the other suppliers have the extra evening slot but it does have an expensive slot 4-7pm which might not work for you if you have a lot of early evening use for cooking etc.

Reed_Richards

I'm dubious about tariffs that suppliers say are appropriate to heat pumps. The most economical way to run a heat pump is to keep it going all the time (with a nighttime set-back if you like). But the heat pump tariffs seem to require you to run the heat pump hard to heat up the house, then turn it off for a few hours when electricity is costly.

Alnat1

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81884146#Comment_81884146

It's most economical in that it uses less electricity per day and gets a better COP but it might not be the most financially economical way.

With the special tariffs the heat pump doesn't have to be turned off during the more expensive slots. You can overheat 1C in the cheap slots and underheat 1C when it's expensive.

NedS

Where heat pump tariffs like Cosy work really well is for those with battery storage, giving 3 cheap rate slots per day where the battery can be topped up.

Even without a battery, load shifting allows one to lower the average import price. Last winter, with a heat pump and solar (but no battery), I achieved an average import price of 20p over winter which was significantly lower than the SVR at the time. Octopus Agile is another option that allows a similar averaged import price with a little load shifting and avoiding the peak rate where possible.

A SCOP of 4 and an average import price of 20p per kWh will still work out cheaper than a gas boiler.

matelodave

I think you really need to get it in and working so you can understand how it works and how it matches your lifestyle before trying to get too clever with special tariffs which could limit your flexibility and actually increase costs.

Just my opinion you understand but having had a heat pump for well over 15 years and doing a lot of fiddling and faffing with multiple controls (programmable stats, zone controls etc)

We've found that just letting it tick over using weather compensation to balance your temperature (making sure the curve fits) and nothing else but a few degrees set back overnight means we are warm and cozy all day. The machine idles rather than cycling and the house doesn't get cold like it did when we were turning it up and down and it works out cheaper to run as well

I'd probably do it different if we had solar and batteries, but as we haven't I just go for the cheapest fix I can find.

madmackem

(Quoted post removed by Forum Team)

The installers are saying within six weeks, we cant change tariffs till end of August. I just dont want to pay for the gas, especially when I wont use any at all!

NedS

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81884562#Comment_81884562

Acknowledged. My thinking was that it wouldn't be the end of the world if you were tied in to an expensive electricity tariff in terms of high heat pump usage, as it won't be installed until end of March / beginning of April at which point winter is largely over so your electricity usage won't be sky high due to the heat pump.

Of course savings from switching to a better tariff and being able to end your gas supply may more than offset any exit fee for leaving early before your contract expires. Don't forget to get a referral if you switch to Octopus for a free £50.

QrizB

I just dont want to pay for the gas, especially when I wont use any at all!

I don't know what your particular tariff is, but gas standing charges are usually around 30p a day. Say £75 total from an end-of-March heat pump installation until the end of August.

If the exit fee is more than £75, you might as well hang on until the fixed term ends.

matelodave

Its interesting how priorities get a bit skewed -

 A full install grant, pump and tank with all new radiators etc and the OP is quibbling about having to pay for a gas standing charge for a couple of months whereas someone else less fortunate wont be getting a free installation of a brand new state of the art system probably worth £10-15k if he had to pay for it himself.

Added to that the OP also admits to being unemployed and being on benefits so is even better off than someone who is going to work, paying tax so the OP can get his freebie heating system and still wants a bit more. I really find it hard to have a lot of sympathy

matt_drummer

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81884691#Comment_81884691

I love the ones who get all this for free because their house has a lowish epc and then spend their savings on extra solar panels and battery storage.

It doesn't seem right to me, if you have that much spare money why did somebody else have to pay for all the upgrades to their house?