It’s hard to believe, but Renewable Heating Hub has just turned five years old.
What began as a deeply frustrating, eye-opening struggle with our own heat pump installation has grown into one of the UK’s most active, trusted and homeowner-focused communities for renewables and low temperature heating.
Our air source heat pump was installed seven years ago. For the first two winters it underperformed. Some rooms were cold, running costs were higher than expected and the system was commissioned as if it were a boiler rather than a low temperature heating system with on/off stats everywhere and a fixed 45C flow temperature. Repeated installer visits changed nothing of substance. Our SCOP stagnated at around 2.7.
At the time, we didn’t realise how naïve we were. We assumed poor performance meant a fault that would eventually be fixed. What we didn’t understand is that most heat pump failures are baked in at design, sizing and commissioning stage.
We hit a wall. It may be hard to believe but seven years ago there were no genuine consumer-facing resources, no clear explanations, no plain-English troubleshooting guides and certainly nowhere homeowners could turn to. So we documented the experience publicly on our personal blog.
Homeowners started responding and comment chains started going into the hundreds and out of that collective frustration, Renewable Heating Hub and its forums were born.
Five years on, the scale of the community still surprises us. At time of posting, the Renewable Heating Hub forums now host over 2,500 topics and more than 56,000 posts, all centred on real homes, real systems, real data and real outcomes.
What truly sets Renewable Heating Hub apart is its culture. We do not tolerate abuse, belittling or posturing. There are no stupid questions here either. That environment didn’t happen by accident, it was deliberately built and carefully protected. Our moderators deserve enormous credit for maintaining a space that remains constructive, welcoming and relentlessly homeowner-first.
The demand for that space is evident. Renewable Heating Hub now attracts over 40,000 unique visitors every month… homeowners actively seeking clarity on heat pumps, renewables, controls, performance, piping, plumbing and system optimisation.
Alongside the forums, the platform has grown. We’ve published three homeowner-focused books, launched an award-winning podcast across YouTube and major podcast platforms, and in 2026 we’re doubling down on short, high-impact educational video content.
The Renewable Heating Hub YouTube channel is now serving 100,000 views per month, and across forums, video, audio and written content, Renewable Heating Hub now reaches more than 30,000 followers and members.
We constantly challenge misinformation, we question poor practice, stand up to industry, and yes, we ruffle feathers. If that makes some people and companies in the industry uncomfortable, so be it.
Renewable Heating Hub in 2026 isn’t just bigger. It’s more informed, more confident and more relevant than ever. The focus is shifting from basic troubleshooting to education at scale because heat pumps aren’t a future concept. They are a lived reality for homeowners across Britain right now.
If the last five years have taught us anything, it’s that consumers need an independent platform that challenges poor standards, speaks plainly and supports people through the consequences of bad decisions. Renewable Heating Hub is that platform.
Here’s to the next five years, and huge thank you to everyone that has supported and contributed to this journey.
Happy birthday and thank you @Mars for everything you put into making RHH what it is today. It has helped hugely in my understand of heat pumps and the system we need to run our heating efficiently.
Happy birthday