I’m getting a heat pump and solar pv fitted as part of the eco4 scheme. I’ve just had a survey carried out to assess the requirements. The non-working gas boiler will be ripped out and every single pipe and radiator will be replaced as the system must be around 50 years old.
I was wondering what sort of considerations I should make, and what recommendations those that already have them would make were they having one fitted now?
Hello @tloiqacte and welcome! Do you know what brand of heat pump they are installing and any other details of the proposed system? Who is your Eco4 installer?
Hi thanks! The survey has only just been carried out so I will have to wait to find out what they want to supply. I’m sure I have some say in what’s fitted, and I don’t mind paying extra to get what I want.
The scheme is through EDF, who have subbed it to someone. I don’t know the name of the installer but i’ll find out.
Oh probably subcontracted to CB Heating and likely to fit an Ideal unit. If you’re having new pipes and radiators they may probably fit an Ideal Logic Air heat pump. I have no experiences of these but on paper they look good. Keep an eye on CB Heating and their system design.
EDF bought out CB heating, however the installation has been subbed out to a local company.
Sure, but CB will do all the design work. You will need to approve that before it goes to the local firm for installation
Sure. Are they a good outfit?
I want to keep the heat pump as far away as possible from the house so I’ve requested that the unit is installed in the garden, roughly 10m away. The pipework will be buried up to the house, where it will then run up the side and into the first floor or the loft. Is this a wise decision? How will this run affect flow temp?
Hello.
I’m new to the forum having joined only a few weeks ago after having a Heat Geek installation. One of my requests was to have the heat pump wall mounted 6 inches above ground on my garage wall, approx 4 metres from the house wall.
I had my local gardener dig a 6m x 1m x 1m trench from the heat pump position to the house to accommodate a multi-bore pipe
In the end 2 single runs were used because of stock issues. These products have exact heat loss charts available so the flow temperature loss will be known to the installer. I would suggest you’ll see more loss on the above ground piping going up the exterior wall to the entry point. As long as industry standard piping and insulation are used, these should be negligible.
I would note that these pipes are not very flexible, so haveing a deep trench will make the transitions to copper piping easier.
Daz
Oh, I do not think CB will design with a 10m run between ASHP and hot water tank. 10m is the maximum specified by, for example, in the Vaillant installation manual. A long pipe run like that, I think, will hit efficiency but if it is designed carefully with few 90deg bends it should work OK.
Anyway, I believe none of the big players like BG, EDF, Aira, Octopus will do accept 10m. They will push you to have the ASHP closer to the house.
Anyway, I think CB have several designers in their team and I would suggest you keep a close eye on the design details and heat loss calculation.
