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How would you rate the design, installation and efficiency of your heat pump system? Poll is created on Nov 06, 2022

  
  
  
  
  
  

[Sticky] Rate the quality of your heat pump design and installation

 
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Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs)
Last Post by Mars 1 hour ago
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 Gmuzz
(@gmuzz)
Eminent Member Member
Joined: 4 months ago
Posts: 15
23/02/2026 4:13 pm  

@editor your opening statement on the thread states that "heat pump installers and association members that have taken exception to me stating that less than 20% of heat pump installations in the UK have been flawlessly designed and installed, bringing the competency of installers into question.

This is unsurprising given the high bar that you are setting almost to ensure your 20% statement is validated.



   
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Mars
 Mars
(@editor)
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Joined: 5 years ago
Posts: 4253
Topic starter 23/02/2026 4:53 pm  

@gmuzz, no, I’m not setting an artificially high bar to validate anything. I’m setting the bar where it should be when you blow £10k–£20 on a heat pump: accurate heat loss calculation, correct unit sizing, appropriate emitter upgrades, sound hydraulic design and proper commissioning so the system delivers expected comfort and efficiency as it should.

That isn't perfectionism... that is baseline professional competence IMO.

If fewer than 20% of installs meet that standard, that’s not because the bar is unfairly high it’s because execution is wildly inconsistent.

When you retrofit a heat pump into an existing property without rigorous heat loss, without emitter verification, without system design thinking and without careful commissioning, you’re rolling the dice. And way too many homeowners are discovering that after the fact.

If the data shows I’m wrong and 60-70% of systems are technically sound first time, I’ll say so publicly. No problem.

But I’m not going to redefine good downward just to make everyone more comfortable.

When people invest that level of money into heating their homes for the next 15+ years, I think they're entitled to expect proper design, proper sizing, proper commissioning, etc.

That’s not an extreme bar. That should be par for the course. 


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Mars
 Mars
(@editor)
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Joined: 5 years ago
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Topic starter 23/02/2026 4:59 pm  

@toodles, you’re not wrong... perceptions will vary depending on knowledge, experience and even physical access to the system. Someone who’s never dug into heat loss calculations or emitter sizing may only judge the system by noise and comfort, and that’s fine... it still reflects part of the homeowner experience.

That said, this poll and forum topic are deliberately weighted toward the basics that I think matter most: design, sizing, commissioning and whether the system delivers the comfort and efficiency it should. Those are things every homeowner can judge, even if they’re not a technical expert. For example, did the house heat up, is it insanely expensive to run, did the installer explain the controls and were there avoidable issues requiring revisits.


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 Woofers64
(@woofers64)
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Joined: 1 day ago
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23/02/2026 5:04 pm  

@editor, Mars, I really appreciate the update to the wording of Poll options one and two. My issue was never a fundamental objection to the word flawless, it was that the supporting comment doubled down with “perfect in every sense”.

The change to the supporting comment now guides the Poll user in exactly the right direction from my point of view and still keeps the distinction from option 2, thanks.



   
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Mars
 Mars
(@editor)
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Topic starter 23/02/2026 5:12 pm  

Thanks @woofers64. It was a fair point, and the distinction between 'flawless' and the next tier needed to be clear, without implying unattainable perfection, and it’s good to know the updated wording strikes that balance.


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