Behind Blakemore Renewables is Damon Blakemore, a heat pump installer with a passion for getting the job right, no matter how challenging the house or how remote the location. Based in Sheffield, Damon covers the entire UK, from Cornwall to Mull in the Highlands, and everything in between. For him, every job is about doing it properly, and leaving his customers confident, warm and supported.
“Heat pumps bring people together,” says Damon. “Half my customers become friends. That tells you everything you need to know about how we work.”
From Council Plumbing to Award-Winning Heat Pumps
Damon’s heating career began with a 5-year apprenticeship at Rotherham Council, followed by 15 years of plumbing and maintenance. A desire for more freedom and more family time pushed him to start Blakemore Renewables five years ago, and since then he hasn’t looked back.
From fitting weather-compensated Viessmann boilers, to tackling his first heat pump job with friends from Bristol and Heat Geek, Damon’s reputation has grown one project, and one relationship, at a time.
A Hands-On, Small Team That Cares
Blakemore Renewables is a small, tight-knit crew. Damon personally designs, installs, commissions and liaises with every customer. Supporting him is Gemma, who keeps everything organised behind the scenes; Jake, an eager young installer with a thirst for learning; and trusted subbies Brett and James, old friends and colleagues Damon has brought into the fold.
Damon’s network extends to other top engineers like Aaron Woodford and John Wood, so no matter the project or postcode, he has the right people around him to get it done.
Retrofits and the Jobs Others Avoid
Blakemore Renewables specialises in domestic retrofits, particularly older, solid stone houses and heritage properties that many installers shy away from. Damon loves a challenge: listed buildings, difficult pipework, complex multi-floor layouts.. these are the projects that light him up.
He’s proud to work with forward-thinking builders like Greensheaf for deeper retrofits, MVHR and integrated systems. His ultimate dream? Working on National Trust properties.
Design Principles: No Shortcuts, No Guesswork
Every system starts with a full, paid heat loss calculation, done in-house or with trusted partner Stephen Coyle. Damon refuses to quote on a drive-by visit: instead, he walks the house, checks everything from electrics to shading, and talks to the homeowner about how they really live.
“It’s like baking a cake. You need the right ingredients, the right temperature and the right timing. Heat pumps are the same. Heat Loss. Design. Install. Commission. Service.”
Viessmann First, But Always the Right Tool for the Job
Damon’s go-to is Viessmann. He loves the controls, the support and the sheer depth of adjustability. He also rates Grant’s new R290 units and has huge respect for their team. NIBE’s an engineer’s heat pump too, and Damon still works with Vaillant, especially for Heat Geek jobs.
He’s also keen to fit Kronothem units and isn’t afraid to tackle hybrid, cascading or commercial systems. If it moves heat… he’s interested.
Buffers? Open Loop? Depends on the Job
Damon believes there’s no single ‘right’ way. Buffers have their place (especially for passivhaus-level loads or huge multi-zone systems with micro-zoning). Open loop works brilliantly too if the design supports it. His approach: design around what delivers the best balance of SCOP, running costs and real-world usability for the homeowner.
The Details Matter
Quality starts with the design and carries right through to the finish: Damon flushes and fills every system, sizes expansion vessels correctly, uses VDI2035 to protect system water and prefers pulled bends to rows of push-fit joints. Remote monitoring, smart scheduling and weather curves are all dialled in, and he’s not afraid to back up his work with third-party monitoring if the customer wants it.
Customer Care That Doesn’t Disappear
After handover, Damon stays close. He’s at the end of the phone, email, text, WhatsApp, and keeps an eye on every system remotely. He likes to service his own work and build a long-term relationship with each customer. It’s about trust, accountability and knowing the system’s doing exactly what it should.
A Job Worth Shouting About
One install that stands out? A solid stone property with minimal insulation, upgraded on a tight budget using the existing open vent system previously run by an AGA. Using Viessmann’s API and time-of-use tariffs, the heat pump has been over 400% efficient across 250 days matching or beating gas costs nearly every day. Real data, real savings.
Advice for Homeowners
“Find yourself a good installer… someone who’ll take you to see their other jobs. Speak to past customers. Ask real questions. Trust your gut. Are they an installer or just a salesman?”
Contact Damon
Website: www.blakemorerenewables.co.uk (coming soon)
Email: damon@blakemorerenewables.co.uk