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Heat Pump Damage on install - useable or dealbreaker?

Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs)

Last Post by GrahamF 13 minutes ago

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Azmania

(@azmania)

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Joined: 5 hours ago

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Topic starter 14/09/2025 8:23 pm

Hi All,

I've been lurking the forums for a while and I recently took the plunge. Full 24 panel solar & battery storage install & a 12kw R290 Samsung Heat pump / 200ltr cylinder + 50 ltr buffer tank to replace an old oil boiler. House is a 3 bed 3 bath barn 200 sqm barn conversion with full underfloor wet heating, no rads. Per the heat loss the Heat pump is either bang on or a tad oversized for the property (3 different quotes - 3 different heat loss reports obviously!).

Solar and battery install went well, great work from a recommendation from a friend who'd had work from the firm.

Heat pump install from a different firm, recommended by Octopus as an Octopus partner, has taken a week to date, with some really good work on the internals to replace some piping, remove the 15 year old oil boiler and cylinder. All the plumbing and electrical work looks great so far. However, when they came to move the heat pump they unboxed it prior to moving it. They balanced it on a 2 wheel sack trolley (not a pallet trolley like it was delivered on) to move it. It looks like they caught it somehow when moving it into my garden and there were a number (30+) of badly bent fins on a portion of the rear of the heat pump.

I discovered the damage, they didn't volunteer it. When I asked how they would rectify the issue they informed me that the supplier assured them it wouldn't cause any operational issues and to fix with a fin comb. I've included some pictures of the state of the unit after the fix. I don't know enough to understand if this will seriously affect performance, but after seeing the fix I've asked for a replacement unit. Looking for some guidance as to if that request is excessive, i.e. the unit would still operate fine with this damage?

Thanks,

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benson

(@benson)

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Posts: 148

14/09/2025 9:31 pm

I wouldn't personally say it's an excessive demand. It is significant even if it doesn't affect performance and I certainly wouldn't accept it either. It's a new unit that should be unmarked with no visible damage- that is what you have paid for, so I'd stick to your guns. Hopefully you have some form of final payment outstanding?

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bontwoody

(@bontwoody)

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14/09/2025 9:54 pm

I would agree.Even if it does not materially effect performance I would want some kind of recompense for the damage.

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Mars

(@editor)

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14/09/2025 10:23 pm

That’s more than the ‘typical’ amount of damage I’ve seen… installers always tell me it’s a tiny percentage loss in efficiency, but I don’t understand how these units get any fins damaged given how well they’re usually packaged.

I don’t think it’d be unreasonable for you to request compensation or a new unit…

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GrahamF

(@grahamf)

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Posts: 27

14/09/2025 10:46 pm

They have already been dishonest by not telling you about the damage, so it is not surprising that they are telling you that it doesn't matter. You are justified in refusing to accept it. You have paid for a new unit, but this is damaged goods. You have no way of knowing how it was damaged, or whether there may also be some invisible damage. There is also a risk that the supplier might later refuse a claim under warranty, because it has been damaged.

I would also ask why they are installing a buffer tank.

Grant Aerona 290 15.5kW, Grant Smart Controller, 2 x 200l cylinders, hot water plate heat exchanger, Single zone open loop system with TRVs for bedrooms & one sunny living room, Weather compensation with set back by room thermostat based load compensation

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