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The good, the bad and the not that great – my heat pump installation

Burtis · 2024-09-25T09:51:41Z

Hi semi new to the group and been on my Heat Pump journey since mid/end of 2023. Whilst my system works and heats our property and provides hot water it's not exactly a neat install or very well executed installation in places. That being said I am no professional but have done a serious amount of read up. Sadly I wasn't available on the week/days of the instal so it got put in without me being there. Below are a list of the issues I am having to deal with now the installers have left and they are unwilling to do anything about without me paying to sort it and after paying the best part of £4000 (plus the £7500 grant) I'm not that keen on doing this as I don't believe it's for me to pay to sort their work out but I'm just a humble home owner 😅. Buffer tank in loft mounted to a ply board is loud as it rests on joists and uprights reverberates through the ceilings. The circulation pump is floating next to it which also generates some noise. (Picture attached) Outside pipework is a bit scrappy looking and could be a lot better orientated. The pipe work from the outside unit to indoors through the wall was only partly insulated, then concrete/mortar used to fill the hole left and not sleeved to protect it, I did see them do this and questioned it but they said it's fine... Also after install I see a fair few runs of old copper and plastic left still on the system which was meant to the changed as per the quote but they also are unwilling to do this. Even had a MCS audit which was very basic and I don't think fit for purpose. I am now probably going to have to go through various avenues to try and get these issues sorted before I have to think about getting another company in to solve the problems. Funny thing is I was going to go with Octopus but thought I'd try and use a local company as it seemed like the right thing to do 😅

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Mars

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15/10/2024 10:24 pm

@burtis did you find out if your installation is registered with HIES or RECC (consumer codes)?

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Burtis

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Topic starter 15/10/2024 10:36 pm

@editor

HIES buddy

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Mars

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15/10/2024 10:55 pm

@burtis interesting. Have you also filed a case with them?

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Burtis

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Topic starter 16/10/2024 1:53 am

Small update.

I found that most of the locksheilds for the radiators in the kitchen, downstairs bathroom and connecting space were near completely shut off. We haven't touched these

I have since opened these but no noticeable noise difference. Still the same high pitch humming from circulation pump

Buffer tank has a auto bleed valve on the top it appears this has been leaking so presumably it is faulty no big issue I do have a spare.

MCS have forwarded the complaint on to NAPIT by the way

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Burtis

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Topic starter 16/10/2024 8:13 am

@editor

I did call HIES and they said to exhaust all other avenues first.

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JamesPa

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16/10/2024 8:18 am

Posted by: @burtis

↑

I found that most of the locksheilds for the radiators in the kitchen, downstairs bathroom and connecting space were near completely shut off. We haven't touched these

That may (or may not) not be significant. Many lockshields have only a tiny adjustment range ie they need to be almost 'off' to have any affect at all. See heat geek videos/guides on balancing and particularly pay attention to 'valve authority' for further explanation.

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.

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Mars

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16/10/2024 8:19 am

@burtis again, very interesting because this contrary to all “advice” I’ve received.

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Burtis

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Topic starter 17/10/2024 8:05 am

@jamespa

Ah yeah I have seen this they were left screwed pretty far down so possibly part of the problem.

System seems to run a little more efficiently now less cycling on and off 🤔 but hard to tell as Midea app isnt very good so going off Octopus consumption graph could just be placebo effect though as outside temperatures have risen

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Transparent

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17/10/2024 9:22 am

Hmm; well that's a fairly consistent approach.

The installers seem to have screwed both the lockshields
and their customer ...

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Burtis

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Topic starter 17/10/2024 9:43 am

Also regarding noise from the unit itself on the wall bracket yes I expect some noise from it as is the nature of a wall bracket but there seems to be a lot of noise transfer when hot water is ramping up obviously as it's working harder and a lot of it is transferred to the wall.

So hopefully they will sort those mounts out for something a bit more suitable.

I did see in the document on MCS checklist that they ticked the box of where it states Anti Vibration mounts used it says 'None'

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Burtis

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Topic starter 17/10/2024 9:50 am

Another point worth mentioning is the lack of a soak away.

They just removed 3 slabs under the unit and put some gravel down unsure this is any good

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Transparent

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17/10/2024 10:34 am

The anti-vibration mounts being referred to on a checklist could be heavy rubber 'feet' beneath the outside unit.
Building Regs Part-L puts the onus on the installer to create the Commissioning Checks.
Using a 'standard' MCS form without stating what mounts are being referred to is clearly inadequate.

To test whether condensate drainage will be adequate, the installer may have poured a bucket of water onto the ground.
If so, then that too should form part of the Commissioning checklist.

You could do this yourself.
Use two buckets of water, 15mins apart, on the slab below the heat-pump.

If the second bucket leaves water above the gravel layer, then you can assume that would create an ice-covered surface in winter.

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