Revised version of MCS-020 (noise standards for heat pumps)
MCS have published a revised version of MCS020- the noise standards for heat pumps if they are to qualify for permitted development rights. It seems that this may be in advance to a change in PD rules, so is not yet in force.
In many ways it is better than the previous version and offers greater clarity. However I think it still suffers from a lack of precision, and (IMHO) does not meet the level of precision which would be expected of a document that is effectively part of the body of law. For that reason I would urge those interested in standards and/or precision or who rely on these as installers to read it and comment.
I have made the following comment:
I wish to draw your attention to the following matters which I think may be editorial issues with MCS020(a) as published on your website on 23/4/2025On page 14 the text reads as follows:"Barrier (Type 1) – a solid brick/masonry wall or a solid fence that is at least 18mm thick. There should be no cracks or gaps in the barrier. The barrier should extend horizontally by 1m or more from either edge of the heat pump.Barrier (Type 2) – a solid fence that is less than 18mm thick. There should be no cracks or gaps in the barrier. The barrier should extend horizontally by 1m or more from either edge of the heat pump "The meaning of 'The barrier should extend horizontally by 1m or more from either edge of the heat pump.' is unclear, and your help desk appears not currently able to offer a definitive interpretation. The meaning of this phrase needs to be unambiguous as it appears that it will become part of the body of the law of the land.Also on page 14 the formula for calculating the sound pressure at the attenuation position is defined asAb is defined in the table on the same page, and in all cases is either negative or zero. The formula thus results in an increase in the calculated sound pressure at the attenuation position when a barrier is present, not a decrease. I refer you also to the example on page 18 which is inconsistent with the calculation and table on page 14.I trust that you will consider this representation and, if appropriate, upissue the document with the necessary amendments.
4kW peak of solar PV since 2011; EV and a 1930s house which has been partially renovated to improve its efficiency. 7kW Vaillant heat pump.
What’s your take on permitted noise limit remaining at 37 dB LAeq,5mins?
Pre-order: The Ultimate Guide to Heat Pumps
Subscribe and follow our Homeowners’ Q&A heat pump podcast
Posted by: @editorWhat’s your take on permitted noise limit remaining at 37 dB LAeq,5mins?
As you say this is no change, which I personally think is reasonable given the figures in BS 8233.
4kW peak of solar PV since 2011; EV and a 1930s house which has been partially renovated to improve its efficiency. 7kW Vaillant heat pump.
- 26 Forums
- 2,153 Topics
- 47.3 K Posts
- 93 Online
- 5,673 Members
Podcast Picks
Latest Posts
-
RE: A Customer's Lessons Learnt from a Heat Pump Installation in a Large House
After our rather lengthy meander off piste, I thought I...
By GrahamF , 11 minutes ago
-
RE: Midea ASHP – how to set weather compensation
@pash44pump - to collect the IAT/OAT data, can I sugges...
By cathodeRay , 2 hours ago
-
RE: Ecodan software update. Real or scam?
@vinz86 Contact Mitsubishi and an engineer attends and ...
By ASHP-BOBBA , 12 hours ago
-
My Samsung Gen6 (probably same controller as yours) onl...
By Old_Scientist , 22 hours ago
-
@drei When I was in local government we were of cours...
By JamesPa , 22 hours ago
-
RE: Heat Pump SCOPs – The Truth Might Not Be What You Think
Sufficient system volume is also essential for ensuring...
By Old_Scientist , 24 hours ago
-
RE: Boiling Mad: Exposing Radiatorgate
@rob-nezard you can see more of Drei's rad dramas here ...
By Mars , 24 hours ago
-
RE: Flexi-Orb Heat Pump Scheme: A Game-Changer for the UK's Heat Pump Industry
As someone who has suffered from a Heat Pump installati...
By DREI , 1 day ago
-
RE: Solar Power Output – Let’s Compare Generation Figures
1040kw Even beat June and July. Great month.
By Andris , 2 days ago
-
RE: New Vaillant aroTherm Plus in black - When will it come to the UK?
Hope they know what they're doing regarding paint types...
By PatrickVito , 2 days ago
-
RE: What crazy nonsense are inverter limits and why are they imposed?
I’ve also got a dual fuel Rangemaster. We originally ha...
By Majordennisbloodnok , 2 days ago
-
RE: Octopus tariffs - a quick comparison
@tim441 I’d agree wholeheartedly with that, with 2 x Po...
By Toodles , 2 days ago
-
RE: Electricity price predictions
@bontwoody Maybe one for @editor to consider whether a ...
By ChandyKris , 2 days ago
-
RE: is a home battery without an EV worth it?
You would think, but when I had my Powerwall 3 installe...
By Old_Scientist , 2 days ago
-
@mars That response surely deserves a nomination for Tu...
By JamesPa , 3 days ago
-
Specifying batteries, pv solar etc using ChatGPT
I thought I'd try to use ChatGPT to specify my requirem...
By Tim441 , 3 days ago
-
RE: Ecodan & MelCloud scheduling
When I interviewed Mitsubishi Electric at Installer ear...
By Mars , 3 days ago
-
RE: Rodents! A word of warning for heat pump owners
@lucia One look at that protection and the rodents will...
By Toodles , 3 days ago