Eligibility Criteria For Heat Pump (etc) Grant

MWT

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81994594#Comment_81994594

The EPC is not really a factor for the BUS grant and it doesn't sound like you would qualify for any of the schemes aimed at those on benefits.

If you can show that your property only has electric panel heaters for example you should still qualify for the BUS grant at least.

Still worth looking at the EPC comments to see if anything there makes sense to do at the same time.

You don't need to have a perfectly insulated home to use a heat-pump, but it does help if you've done what is reasonable to help with the insulation.

Reed_Richards

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme would give you a £7,500 grant towards an Air Source Heat Pump system, if you replace an existing fossil fuel heating system, including an electric one. Paradoxically, I'm not sure if a house with no heating system would qualify. But I don't see that it has to be a central heating system. And a house that only has fireplaces could possibly qualify; you would certainly be replacing a fossil fuel.

lukey105

Thanks team !

So just to clarify:

Hot water : the house only has 2 independent point of use heaters - one for the shower, one on the kitchen sink

For heating - two gas powered heaters (kitchen has a gas cooker also btw)

No central heating, no radiators, no combi boiler, no immersion heater in this house !

-

I logged in to my EON account and according to them at least we we are eligible for the BUS and can get a Air Source Heat Pump (which would solve heating and hot water) BUT would still cost us £5k+ …..and I assume we would have to get rid of the gas supply (so we would also have to switch to electric cooker).

So even if we shop around and get a better quote than £5k - still feels like the overall most cost efficient move is to just buy a new gas combi boiler

So looks like I need a different section of the MSE Forum now to find a good recommendation on a new boiler !

QrizB

and I assume we would have to get rid of the gas supply

You can keep the gas supply and the gas cooker.

So even if we shop around and get a better quote than £5k - still feels like the overall most cost efficient move is to just buy a new gas combi boiler

If you don't already have a wet heating system (radiators), just fitting a a gas combi boiler will give you gas hot water but no heating. Installing a wet heating system alongside a combi boiler is likely to cost considerably more than £5k.

FreeBear

If you don't already have a wet heating system (radiators), just fitting a a gas combi boiler will give you gas got water but no heating. Installing a wet heating system alongside a combi boiler is likely to cost considerably more than £5k.

A neighbour a few doors down had a complete new wet CH installed around the same time I did. Cost him a bit over £8K including a WB combi.

I replumbed my system and got away with reusing one drop plus a some of the radiators. Total cost for the copper pipe, fittings and a couple of radiators (and combi boiler) came in around £3K. If I had purchased all new radiators, that would have probably added another £600. Making good afterwards (had the hallway ceiling down) was another expense - Didn't need to take the ceiling down, but it was one of those jobs on the cards.

If Eon are quoting £5K for an ASHP including all the plumbing & radiators, I'd say that is exceptional value.

lukey105

Having done some more digging today - EON and Octopus cannot install a heat pump in a property that does not have existing central heating plumbing 😪

So so looks we have 2 options :

1) Find a local, independent MCS-certified installer to do the full wet system install (central heating, hot water for bathroom + kitchen) including heat pump (we would get £7500 BUS grant toward this)

2) Pay for a full wet system install (central heating, hot water for bathroom + kitchen) and have a gas combi

Honestly think option 2 is better……..same cost in the end if not cheaper, faster as no grant application hassle, neater install, and we can likely find a finance plan too.

Would love it if I am wrong about this ! But honestly seems like people buying a house in this state of repair are just not going to get any help from the grant schemes - which seems a little ironic as the house needs it the most !

FreeBear

If you do go for a gas boiler, do yourself a favour and fit oversized radiators all round (at least 30% larger). This will enable you to run at a lower flow temperature and boost boiler efficiency.

Many gas installers base their calculations on a 70°C flow temperature, although current building regulations mandate 55°C for new installs. I've been running with 50°C and regularly hit 94% efficiency, so well worth doing. If the radiators are sized for a 50°C flow (or even 45°), you'll be heat pump ready for when the day comes.

Lower flow temperatures means minimal risk of burning yourself on a hot radiator. Lower rates of corrosion (so less sludge), and the boiler should last a lot longer.

QrizB

EON and Octopus cannot install a heat pump in a property that does not have existing central heating plumbing 😪

See if EDF will quote; a neighbour of mine had a heat pump installed by EDF and was previously storage heaters IIRC.

lukey105

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82001218#Comment_82001218

Nice thanks so much - this is elite home heating intel !

and thanks to everyone for the tips and advice on this thread - @QrizB will let you know how I get on with EDF 👍️

Magnitio

If you have no existing wet central heating system, then it is worth looking in more detail at the air-to-air heat pump options. For some properties, especially bungalows, they can be relatively easy to install, discrete and provide the benefit of cooling as well as heating. @Martyn1981 might want to add more.