Are you ready for a heat pump?

Step 1. Get your home heat-pump ready

Like with any heating system, heat pumps work best in well-insulated homes.  Having good insulation ensures you are keeping your valuable heating in your home and that your heat pump is working most efficiently. This not only provides increased home comfort, but you will also benefit from increased savings on your energy bills. 

If you have an older home, and an old oil or gas boiler that is due to be replaced soon, a good starting point is to invest in your home insulation now so that when the time comes to replace your heating system, your home will be ‘heat pump ready’.  

If your home was built from 2007 onwards, then there is a good possibility that your home has good levels of insulation as it was built to newer building standards, and so is already suitable to make the switch from fossil fuels to more efficient heat pump systems.  

Don’t wait until your current boiler breaks down and replacing it becomes a panic buy. Now is the time to investigate how to make the switch to a heat pump.  

Step 2. Choose your installer

When it comes to choosing your SEAI-registered contractor to install your heat pump, it’s always a good idea to talk to and get quotes and references from more than one installer. Even better, if you know other homeowners who have already made the switch, talk to them about their experience and ask for recommendations. It is important to shop around so that you are getting the right quote to suit your needs. 

Step 3. Choose the right heat pump for your home

You’ve heard about the different types of heat pump systems but you’re not sure which one is best for you. The list of choices can seem overwhelming at first, but it mostly comes down to practical considerations like space and cost, which will narrow your options down. Your heat pump installer will be able to recommend the best option for your needs and explain everything in an easy-to-understand way.  

Let’s look at the three main types of heat pump system:  

• Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP): These have an outdoor unit that takes energy from the air and converts it to heat that’s used to heat your home. These are the main types:  
  • Air-to-water: heat taken from the air outside is used it to heat the water that circulates around your radiators or underfloor heating. These are the most common system in Ireland. 
  • Air-to-air: the energy taken from the air outside heats air, which in turn heats the rooms through air units.  
  • Exhaust air: these systems combine heating and ventilation. They use the heat from the air being extracted from the house to heat the water that goes through the radiators or underfloor heating (and your hot water). 
• Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) – this system takes heat from the ground and the options depend on space.  
• Water Source Heat Pump (WSHP) – this system takes heat from open water, such as lakes or rivers, as the heat source. They are not common in Ireland. 

Step 4. Apply for your heat pump grant

When applying for your heat pump grant, make sure you submit your application before you start any works. The SEAI website is an excellent resource to guide you through the online application process step by step.  

There are two options to getting a heat pump grant. If your home is well insulated and you only want to install a heat pump, without any additional home energy upgrades, the individual heat pump grant of €6,500 is the best option for you.  

However, if you are planning on carrying out multiple energy upgrades in one go, including the installation of a heat pump, then SEAI’s One Stop Shop service is for you. With this option a SEAI registered One Stop Shop will manage the whole project from start to finish, including all the grant aspects, making it hassle-free.  With this option, as well as getting a grant of up to €10,500 for your heat pump system, you can also opt for additional grants for windows and doors, floor insulation and mechanical ventilation. 

Step 5. Designing Your System

A heat pump is designed to provide all your space heating and at least 80% (but usually all) of your hot water. The size of the heat pump is worked out by calculating the heat demand for each room in the house and using that to get the total heat requirements. Your heat pump installer will carry out this calculation.  

This calculation also allows the installer to see what size radiator is needed to heat each space and if the existing radiators need to be replaced. If you have underfloor heating, they will also assess it to ensure it works well with your heat pump.  

If you’re getting an air source heat pump, you will need to consider where to put the outdoor unit and the hot water cylinder inside. The outdoor unit should be as close to the house as possible – you don’t want the hot water from the heat pump to have to travel too far to the cylinder inside. It should ideally be away from windows, especially bedrooms.  

Step 6. Installation and Commissioning – what to expect

When the heat pump is being installed, you will be without heat for a few days so it’s important to plan for that. Depending on the work involved, your installer will be able to advise how long the install will take so you can plan accordingly.   

Your system should be ‘commissioned’ once the installation is complete. Commissioning is the final step and it’s crucial because this is when they ensure your system is set up to run as efficiently as possible.  

Once the commissioning is complete, make sure the installer explains how to use your heating system. You shouldn’t need to do anything with your heat pump too often as they’re designed to operate without much input once set up, unlike a traditional boiler. You should know how to use it so make sure you ask how to use the controls and settings e.g., what to do during the summer when you might not need your space heating on.  

How you use the heat pump can have a big impact on how efficient it is so make sure you are confident with using it before your installer leaves.   

Step 7. Submit your documents and claim your grant

If you have applied for the individual heat pump grant, you have eight months to install your heat pump and carry out a post-works BER assessment. You then submit your completed grant documents to SEAI and the grant is paid directly into your account. 

If you chose the One Stop Shop service and installed your heat pump as part of a major home energy upgrade, then all the paperwork will be managed by your registered One Stop Shop and the grant will have been deducted from the cost of works upfront. 

After-Sales

We also advise homeowners to ask about the warranty and after-sales service. Ideally, ask about a service contract for support as this will help with any teething problems you may have.  

We hope this blog has provided you with good advice on what to expect when choosing and installing a heat pump. With the right information and guidance, it won't be long before you and your family are enjoying the exceptional comfort and efficiency that a heat pump offers.