In this episode of Homeowners’ Q&A, we explore one of the most common concerns for homeowners considering heat pumps – running costs. With energy prices continuing to rise, understanding how to manage and optimise the costs of running an air source heat pump is essential.
Our expert panel includes Lee Brown from IMS Heat Pumps, Max Waddingham from Good Energy, and heat pump enthusiast Graham Hendra. Together, they dive deep into how homeowners can make informed decisions on keeping costs low while maintaining comfort.
A key takeaway from this episode is the importance of system efficiency. As Lee explains, factors such as heat load, proper equipment sizing and system efficiency play crucial roles in determining the running costs. Max further elaborates on efficiency by linking it to the Coefficient of Performance (COP), which indicates how much heat you get for the energy you put in. The higher the COP, the more efficient – and cost-effective – your heat pump will be. However, as Graham points out, the key to cost savings is not necessarily chasing the highest COP, but optimising your system to run efficiently under real-world conditions.
One of the most effective strategies discussed was weather compensation. This feature allows your heat pump to adjust the flow temperature based on outdoor conditions, ensuring it only works as hard as necessary. Max highlights the fact that many homeowners are unaware their systems may already have this feature, and activating it could bring significant savings.
Max also shared his personal strategy of using a time-of-use tariff, heating water overnight when energy costs are lower. This allows him to maintain comfort while keeping costs down, a perfect example of how smart energy tariffs can benefit homeowners.
Special thanks to Good Energy, our sponsor for this episode. Good Energy has been a pioneer in renewable energy for over 25 years and offers a range of services including heat pump, solar, and battery installations, as well as smart energy tariffs. For more information, visit goodenergy.co.uk.
Don’t miss out on more practical tips in this episode of Homeowners’ Q&A – whether you’re a current heat pump owner or considering making the switch, there’s valuable advice for everyone.
I read a lot about Flow temperatures on various threads on here.
Are they crucial to get it right.
How do I know what the flow temperature should be and is it adjustable,
I have virtually no one locally that is able to help me run this system(Samsung16kw) as the installers went into liquidation and it been a nightmare getting the system running efficiently as far as I am able . .