Air source heat pump diary

[Dahnsouff]

3 minutes ago, Strokes said:

I’d rather we generate more renewables and retain our current way of living over this. It seems like a massive faff.

The price of an early adopter. 

These issues are plumbing problems, due to lack of familiarity by the tradesmen more than issues with the technology

But I do get the hesitancy.

[Dahnsouff]

Rising fuel prices make comparison of previous years slightly tricky, but using last years prices on Octopus, it appears we are using about 25% electricity than we were pre Heat Pump. And of course zero gas now, well we would be if they ever give us a date to remove the supply and end the damn standing charge.

 

For reference, last year (25th May - 25th June) it was 296 units of electricity compared to 392 this year, but clearly small gas then compared to none now.

[Spudulike]

We're replacing all of our kitchen appliances for A efficiency rated items (except the fridge/freezer that don't come in A rated due to the scale change). Got rid of the gas hob for an induction one. All bought but not yet installed. 

 

However, gone for a new energy efficient combi gas boiler (only gas appliance in house) and hope for a hydrogen upgrade in the future. 

 

Hopefully all done by the autumn so will be ready for winter. 

[Dahnsouff]

Well if Putin keeps this up, the heat pump is going to pay for itself inside 6 months. 

[Dahnsouff]

For anyone interested, an update finally to this slightly troublesome installation

• Since install, hot water has been great, no issues
• As the weather that’s turned colder, the central heating has come on (18c) occasionally
• This is where we started to see problems as the flow rate for the central heating would consistently get to the required 20-25l per min
  • Hot water did get the required flow rate, just not the CH, so water was good
• This problem has now been identified and basically we were early adopters and the newer models have a low loss header
  • The company is coming to fit a low loss header to our system next Friday
• House is nice and warm (when it works)
• Cost wise we are spending
  • £170 p/m on Electricity and £0 on Gas
  • Overpaying about £230 to mitigate expected price rices

Once fixed I never need to go outside in my dressing gown at 5am again, hopefully….

 

If it wasn’t for these CH issues, I would not hesitate to recommend an AHP

 

[Dahnsouff]

Revelation

After the company returning yesterday to address our (seemingly long running) issues with the central heating, they have fitted the required low loss header, and it is night and day. 

 

The heating is now superb, just like the hot water

 

Very pleased indeed. 

 

So if you do go for it, ask if a low loss header is needed, in fact I think most come with them now, but worth asking. 

 

Cost wise we seem to using a very similar amount of electricity to last year (obviously no gas) when we had the gas boiler, but suspect a lot of this relates to improved insulation. 

Edited 19 November 2022 by Dahnsouff

[ian__marshall]

27 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

Revelation

After the company returning yesterday to address our (seemingly long running) issues with the central heating, they have fitted the required low loss header, and it is night and day. 

 

The heating is now superb, just like the hot water

 

Very pleased indeed. 

 

So if you do go for it, ask if a low loss header is needed, in fact I think most come with them now, but worth asking. 

 

Cost wise we seem to using a very similar amount of electricity to last year (obviously no gas) when we had the gas boiler, but suspect a lot of this relates to improved insulation. 

Out of interest did you also improve your home insulation and if so what did you have done? 

 

Had new double glazing recently and our cavity wall insulation replaced but haven't noticed any difference.

 

Tempted to have the loft insulation replaced but it seems a bit of a minefield in terms of getting the right people who actually know what they're doing, I.e. Properly sealing, and not insulating over cables. 

[Dahnsouff]

13 minutes ago, ian__marshall said:

Out of interest did you also improve your home insulation and if so what did you have done? 

 

Had new double glazing recently and our cavity wall insulation replaced but haven't noticed any difference.

 

Tempted to have the loft insulation replaced but it seems a bit of a minefield in terms of getting the right people who actually know what they're doing, I.e. Properly sealing, and not insulating over cables. 

We did yes, we live in a 1930s semi and has a fair bit of work done in two phases, first 4-5 years ago, we had the kitchen diner in the existing extension done, and this was flat roof to pitch roof and that added deep celatex insulation in the pitch, then secondly we had the roof room done / reinsulated, again with celatex (about 150mm) and all the bay windows bulkhead reinsulated the same.

Also added further draft exclusion round the doors, double/triple glazed throughout

 

All this work has certainly made a difference to us

[Dahnsouff]

Been a while, so a quick update...we were still having occassional issues and the installer gave up and fobbed us off, telling us to talk directly to Daikin

 

Glad they did!!!

 

The guy turned up, spotted three things wrong inside 2 minutes, straight outside, cleared out the "strainer" a tiny eggcup sized filter on the pipe between external and internal unit, it was totally clogged. This was something the installers should have done as part of their commissioning  

 

He said with total confidence, 'thats your problem' - pointed out a couple more things and went on his merry way

 

Been good as gold since, bills are fine, house is warm enough, happy times  

[Wolfox]

49 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

Been a while, so a quick update...we were still having occassional issues and the installer gave up and fobbed us off, telling us to talk directly to Daikin

 

Glad they did!!!

 

The guy turned up, spotted three things wrong inside 2 minutes, straight outside, cleared out the "strainer" a tiny eggcup sized filter on the pipe between external and internal unit, it was totally clogged. This was something the installers should have done as part of their commissioning  

 

He said with total confidence, 'thats your problem' - pointed out a couple more things and went on his merry way

 

Been good as gold since, bills are fine, house is warm enough, happy times  

What are you saving on hills do you reckon?

[Dahnsouff]

7 minutes ago, Wolfox said:

What are you saving on hills do you reckon?

Admit it is difficult to say, as we trying to gauge

• Once its all working properly
• Against last year, when we still had Gas!
• Damn costs increases

But, bills are tolerable, unit wise its obviously higher for electricity, don`t think we will have a proper picture until we have had it really working for a good few months

 

To be honest, the environmental point was more in my thoughts (Perhaps not my wife's admittedly...) than the cost !!

[Wolfox]

6 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

Admit it is difficult to say, as we trying to gauge

• Once its all working properly
• Against last year, when we still had Gas!
• Damn costs increases

But, bills are tolerable, unit wise its obviously higher for electricity, don`t think we will have a proper picture until we have had it really working for a good few months

 

To be honest, the environmental point was more in my thoughts (Perhaps not my wife's admittedly...) than the cost !!

Fair enough…. What I’m paying in gas would have powered Port Talbot steel works for a month last year…. 
 

I’m averaging ~£475 a month on gas alone…. My mate keeps accusing me of hosting heat and hot water parties

 

I’ve insulated my house as much as I can, it’s completely zoned with smart rad valves and we don’t go above 18c

 

its an old house without the benefit of cavity walls…. Leaks energy I imagine 

 

it can’t get warm too soon for me!

[Dahnsouff]

6 minutes ago, Wolfox said:

Fair enough…. What I’m paying in gas would have powered Port Talbot steel works for a month last year…. 
 

I’m averaging ~£475 a month on gas alone…. My mate keeps accusing me of hosting heat and hot water parties

 

I’ve insulated my house as much as I can, it’s completely zoned with smart rad valves and we don’t go above 18c

 

its an old house without the benefit of cavity walls…. Leaks energy I imagine 

 

it can’t get warm too soon for me!

That is interesting and quite a challenge I imagine! Its a period property I guess? Did you only have limited insulation options?

Outside of the total HP cost (£8k approx with susibdy) we spent more on new rads and improving the insulation where we could

 

We also got skanked by our new EPC as he claimed we had no cavity wall, but we definitely do!

 

We paid about £450 over the coldest month and about £100-125 over the warmer ones

[Wolfox]

4 hours ago, Dahnsouff said:

That is interesting and quite a challenge I imagine! Its a period property I guess? Did you only have limited insulation options?

Outside of the total HP cost (£8k approx with susibdy) we spent more on new rads and improving the insulation where we could

 

We also got skanked by our new EPC as he claimed we had no cavity wall, but we definitely do!

 

We paid about £450 over the coldest month and about £100-125 over the warmer ones

Yep…. It’s Edwardian

 

A lovely home (I’m not complaining!), but there are limits to what you can do…. I over specified insulation for both the loft conversion and extension…. There is double glazing and we have a curtain going across the front door…. However, with a fair amount of glass and English bond exterior walls…  it just lets heat out…

 

I have some microbore piping running round the place so the cost and effort of upgrading that would be significant….   with an £8k installation, I’d need to be saving a third of those gas costs over over the colder months to get a 10 year payback, but as you say there are the ecological considerations too…. Im not sure if I’d get that?

Edited 25 January 2023 by Wolfox

[Trav Le Bleu]

Anyone remember the humble brag thread?

[Dahnsouff]

Still going strong since initial troubles, and we work out it is economically similar, maybe even slightly cheaper than with our gas boiler.

[jgtuk]

Had my 17kw ashp fitted 2 weeks ago, solar panels going up tomorrow so hopefully will see benefits (or not!). Previously had ancient oil boiler and glad to see the back of it. 

[Dahnsouff]

See Defra have been quoted in the Telegraph that too many ASHP in a community would be too noisy for large scale roll out

Well…..speechless, ours is silent and our neighbours have commented on how quiet it is, they cannot hear it at all

Guess  it is just oil and gas lobbies at work