Judith and Peter were using an old combi gas boiler for their heating and hot water that was almost twenty years old and would soon need to be replaced as it was inefficient and unreliable.

Peter had started looking at the possibility of converting to a renewable heating system, as it was important for him and Judith to have a low-carbon heating solution installed and become more environmentally sustainable.

After doing their research by speaking to a number of different experts in the area, the couple decided to participate to the Electrification of Heat (EoH) demonstration project, funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). EoH is seeking to better understand the technical and practical feasibility of a large-scale rollout of heat pumps into existing British homes.

The Challenge

The recruitment and installation phase of the EoH project ran from July 2020 through to October 2021, and despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, 742 heat pumps were installed into a broad spectrum of housing types and socio-economic groups, that reflects a representative sample of households across Great Britain.

The range of different heat pumps installed, included:

• Low-temperature and high-temperature air source heat pumps
• Ground source heat pumps
• Hybrid heat pumps incorporated with a gas boiler
• Some additional technologies, such as heat batteries were incorporated.

Householders were asked to reflect on their first hand experiences of taking part in the programme, including disruption during the installation work, thoughts on the noise and aesthetics of the technology and the outcomes for warmth and comfort.

The Solution

An air source heat pump was installed over four days with a new hot water tank placed inside a cupboard in the kitchen where the gas boiler used to be located, plus all existing pipework and radiators were replaced with larger and deeper ones.

The Outcome

It will reduce their heating CO2 emissions by at least 80%. Prior to the installation, Judith and Peter were concerned about the amount of disruption that the conversion process would cause to their flat and everyday lives. Although it wasn’t necessary, they decided to move out for a few days while the installation was completed. When they returned, they were pleased to see that the installers had done everything they could to ensure minimal disruption to their home.

Judith and Peter had an ultra quiet heat pump model installed in their backyard therefore they have no issue with noise, however due to the relatively small size of their backyard: “The heat pump is very present in our backyard” says Peter.