The Vortex Vibrator is pretty cool: https://vortexbladeless.com/technology-design

@editor We have 4 kW solar PV but may increase to 6-7. Skybrators are so cool, aren't they? Batteries are frying my brain today. We haven't got them yet but will need them with the larger PV. Heat battery may have been a better choice instead of the dual coil water cylinder. I feel like I need to go on a training course for all this stuff... LG pump came with a wall controller and that's the only thermostat. My husband finally ignores it, after being cold for 15 years of marriage. Our old gas boiler was v inefficient!

Hi, I've followed the ASHP discussions - thank you!

I am at an early stage in making changes to my house to reduce overall energy demand- so exploring the options.  I currently have a new-sh gas boiler and do not want to change it at this stage but I would like to make sure that the build allows for a change over from gas at a later date. MVHR is something I am almost certainly going to include at an early stage (building an extension). I have come across a system with combines MVHR and ASHP (from Total Home Environment Ltd). I don't completely understand the set up (or the advantages of it) - wondering if anyone has any insight?!

Hi, my name is Viktor.

We buying house at Essex,Loughton.Planing to use ASHP whit underfloor heating and radiators in bedrooms on second floor.Our new home is 3 bed house whit side garage conversation to a room (130sqm).Will be new triple glazing and will be insulated to high standards.

I looking for quality installer who can provide right ASHP for this property.Any advise are also helpful,because is a bit of a long journey to have all this done .Thank you.

@vikror-blagoev, welcome to the forums. It is a long journey. The best starting point for an installer is the search directory on the MCS website.

Hi All. Thanks My Home Farm folks for setting this up.

We're luxuriously on grid in central Exeter but looking to remove gas completely. Motivation is to cut our carbon output. Obviously we don't to want to throw away money but it doesn't have to make purely economic sense.

The wrinkle - or point of interest - is our house. Built c1690 (some bits of wall possibly much older) with a mix of stone/rubble/cob downstairs and timber frame above. It's listed (grade II) and we're in a conservation area.

I'll put **MUCH** more detail in the ASHP thread 🙂

All the best, Des

@desexeter, welcome to the forums and we look forward to answering your questions and hearing about your amazing period property.

Hi I came across this forum as I am interesting in changing my heating system. 
I bought my home nearly 3 years ago. It is 3 bed detached stone cottage. The original cottage dating to at least 1800 with later additions. It is built into the side of the hill so rear ground floor is below ground and is south east facing. Single glazed sash windows but the window openings are small. Side windows are upvc double glazed no windows to the rear. Gross internal area is 110m2 
I’m not on the gas network. The house came with a 3 phase electric supply, night storage heaters some are very old and a 5kw wood burning stove. Immersion 210l hot water tank. I’m on economy7 tarif with green electric supplier Bulb. 
I have installed a 9.7kw Esse Iron Heart. It has a fan attached to the flue pipe.  I use wood briquettes from wood fuel coop in both stoves. They are made from100% hardwood sawdust a by product of furniture and timber building products manufacturing. 
The iron heart is amazing it pretty much heats the whole house most of the time, but I do need additional heating which currently is the night storage heaters and plug in portable electric 3kw heaters. The portable heating is also excellent. On full power it will bring a room to temperature in 10 mins there after can turn it right down to either maintain temperature or if lighting the stove from cold as that takes about an hour to get going. I can also cook on the Esse. I also have an induction cooker.  My usual annual energy consumption is Way below average but as it is all electric it is expensive. Briquettes are also expensive but they are really good much better than logs they burn hot and clean with little ash and are easy to light. 

I have looked at a few different heating systems and I have come to the conclusion that what ever I decide it will have to be a heating mix rather than a one system to rule them all.

I have looked at A2A ASHP and A2W ASHP and also wet under floor heating and electric underfloor heating. Also researched Infrared heating and Sunamp which is phase change material which sort of works like a battery and stores heat for use at later time, pretty similar to hand warmers used for skiing etc.

I am not convinced by ASHP for my property, but have the opportunity to use the Green Homes Grant scheme voucher for £10k. I was lucky and submitted a quote before the scheme was scrapped and also my son is disabled so we are able to claim the higher amount of £10K. I will still have to pay £5-6K on top of that.  I'm not sure I really want an ASHP but before ruling out a grant of £10K (not to be sniffed at) I would investigate further.

My reasons for not wanting are as follows

1. I am already carbon neutral with my domestic energy consumption 

2. Concerns re Global Warming Potential of the refrigerants 

3. The upheaval of a retro fit

4. Cost - £5k+ extra above the grant - I'd have to do some magic to find it

5. Energy consumption, will I actually use less Kwh per annum than my existing set up?

6. Having to deal with frozen condensate pipes etc when really cold. We had a lot of days sub zero all day this past winter. The contractor has spec'd the ASHP to go on my flat roof. Don't fancy having to get on the roof when its icy.

7. Contractor has spec'd massive rads not sure I want all the pipes and massive rads everywhere

I would like to hear from other users of ASHP about icing up of the unit in cold weather

Also I 'd like to hear from anyone who has changed from night storage heaters to ASHP

Night storage heaters have a bad rep, however for me they work a treat. I keep the setting on the lowest and it keeps the upstairs warm all day and night. Down stairs I have 2x wood burning stoves which due to the layout of the house heat the whole of the downstairs warm and top up the night storage heaters in the evenings when they are starting to lose their stored heat. My annual energy KWh consumption is below average for the size and style of my property including the briquettes. Only bad thing is per Kwh it is very expensive. 

If it aint broke don't fix it? Complete guesstimate here but for example: If I had to pay £5k on top of the grant for an ASHP, and it saved me £500 per annum in fuel bill it would take 10 years to pay for itself. I'm not sure it would be worth it?

@twirl, I moved from NSHs to ASHP at the beginning of April.  I am very pleased so far.  It's cheaper to run, we have heat throughout the house when we want it and we don't have to top up with our two solid fuel heaters to be warm in the evenings.  Having said that, my house sounds very different to yours, being a quite well insulated bungalow of 165 sq m.  You'd have to look at your heat loss, draught proofing, etc. to decide how well an ASHP would work for you.  Also, I haven't had experience of really cold weather. 

In terms of disruption, ours took 2 days to install everything.  We do have radiators and pipework where we didn't before but it's worth it.  

What size of ASHP and how many radiators have you been quoted for?  Your quote sounds slightly expensive compared to mine.  I went through RHI rather than GHG though.

I'm not sure where you are but in my area Bulb is one of the most expensive suppliers.  You might be able to find a cheaper one.  

@twirl, I can address the icing up of units. It's not really a big deal. When it's humid and cold, the evaporator ices over and the heat pump goes into defrost mode. When this happens, the heating goes off - in our case, a defrost typically takes a few minutes and after a compressor timeout the pump comes back on to heat the house. During the defrost the pump does consume electricity, but it's not something that's hampered our system. 

Not sure if that answers your question or concern. If there was something else you had in mind, please let me know.