How Loud is Your Cat?
As the conversation around sustainable heating gathers pace, we invited Russell Juby of Juno Renewables to share his straight-talking expertise on heat pumps. With years of hands-on experience in renewable installations, Russell cuts through the jargon to explain how heat pumps really work, who they’re right for, and what homeowners should genuinely consider before making the switch.
“I have used the same motor mechanic for the last twenty years. He has never steered me wrong, but like it or not, he is not the guy to fix my EV. More importantly though, he’s probably not the best guy to advise me on which one to buy either.
Let’s move from the garage to the utility room. When we talk about ground source or air source heat pumps, there’s a lot of “old school” thinking surrounding the subject that doesn’t quite hold up with modern technology. Apply a few common misconceptions, add to the mix a sprinkle of media sensationalism, and very quickly the idea of sticking with the old boiler looks quite appealing. Despite it having the carbon footprint of a small volcano.
Trades that haven’t skilled up with renewable tech often refer to heat pump systems as “complicated” and approach the subject with a level of cynicism only afforded to an Englishman. Misadvising customers and deterring people from considering renewables. It wasn’t that long ago that gas fitters weren’t trusting these new “complicated combi boilers”.
Due to early (now defunct) Government schemes like the RHI. The concept of “Payback” has become synonymous with renewable technologies. There was a considerable period where “Renewables” just meant Solar panels, and payback was what you received per kW of electricity produced. This concept has been firmly cemented in people’s minds, and while it can still have relevance in solar terms. It’s unrealistic to apply the principal carte blanche. You don’t get payback on your toaster.
In my experience when we talk about heat pumps, the general understanding is inaccurate or at best well muddied for the average consumer.
Let’s clear some of that up:
1. “They Don’t Work in Freezing Temperatures.”
Cold-climate air source heat pumps have been used in Scandinavia for over 50 years. While they lose some of their efficiency as the temperature drops, they work just fine down to about minus 20*C. Ground source heat pumps are less affected by seasonal variation and as such are slightly more efficient overall, however if the temperature in the South East of England is dropping to minus double digits, then we have bigger problems than heat pumps!
2. “They Are Basically Just Electric Heaters.”
Actually, they are much more efficient. direct electric heating is without doubt the most expensive way to heat anything. It would be cheaper to run a generator on premium unleaded. Electric heating is five times more expensive to run than a Heat pump.
3. “They Are Too Noisy.”
They’re just not. The problem “hear” is that not many of us really know what 40 – 60 decibels actually represents. If a heat pump is noisy then there is generally something wrong with it. Hopefully our advert might give you some idea.
4. “You Have to Replace Your Entire Radiator System.”
Not necessarily. While heat pumps work best with underfloor heating or larger “low-temp” radiators, many homes can transition by simply upgrading a few key radiators to ensure there is enough surface area to warm certain rooms. This is identified by completing a full heat loss survey, which we do for you.
5. “They Cost a Fortune to Run.”
They really shouldn’t. A heat pump is, at worst, three times more efficient than its closest rival (natural gas boiler). Based on current energy prices, the cost of electricity can be up to three times more expensive than natural gas. If you have an off-network property running on Calor or oil then your savings should be nothing short of liberating.
6. “They’re All the Same”
This is not the case. manufactures will claim to have reinvented the wheel, but ask yourself this. Do they make heat pumps or televisions, and just because they make a decent Boiler doesn’t mean their heat pumps are any good.
Under the Clean Heat Market Mechanism (CHMM), brands selling large volumes of boilers must also meet heat pump targets or face penalties. As a result, some systems are simply rebranded units rather than heavily invested, purpose-built designs. As with most technology, quality varies and you generally get what you pay for.