Roger speaks to Adam Chapman from Heat Geek after viewers raised concerns about finding reliable heat pump installers through the Heat Geek network.
For many homeowners, choosing the right installer is one of the biggest challenges when considering a heat pump. The technology itself is becoming increasingly popular, but the quality of the installation can have a major impact on how well the system performs.
Adam explains how Heat Geek has changed over time, including the difference between older certified installers and today’s vetted Heat Geek network of installers. Certification alone does not necessarily tell a homeowner how experienced an installer is, how well they understand heat loss calculations, or whether they can design and commission a system properly.
That is why the Heat Geek process of checking installers has become so important.
Heat Geek: How Are Heat Pump Installers Checked?
Adam explains how installers within the Heat Geek network are assessed and what customers should look for when choosing someone to carry out a heat pump installation.
The discussion looks at the difference between simply being qualified to install a heat pump and having the practical knowledge required to design a system correctly. A successful Heat Geek installation involves much more than fitting an outdoor unit to the side of a house.
The Heat Geek approach focuses on understanding the building as a complete system. The installer needs to understand the heat loss of the building, the requirements of each room, the existing heating system and the way the heat pump will operate throughout the year.
This is particularly important with retrofit installations. Unlike a new build, an existing home may have poor insulation, complicated pipework, undersized radiators or a layout that was never designed around a low-temperature heating system.
A Heat Geek heat pump installer may therefore need to make decisions about radiators, pipe sizes, hot water cylinders, controls and insulation before the system is installed.
These decisions can have a significant impact on the finished system. A radiator that was perfectly adequate when connected to a gas boiler may not provide enough heat when operating at lower flow temperatures. A Heat Geek installer may therefore need to assess whether existing radiators are suitable or whether some need to be replaced with larger units.
Pipework can also become an important consideration. If the system cannot move enough water around the property, the heat pump may not be able to deliver heat effectively to every room. This is one of the reasons why the Heat Geek approach looks beyond the location of the existing boiler.
The location of the heat pump itself also needs to be considered. The outdoor unit requires suitable airflow and must be positioned with consideration for noise, maintenance access, pipe runs and the surrounding property. The indoor components, including the hot water cylinder and controls, also need to be properly integrated into the home.
This is where the difference between simply installing equipment and designing a complete heating system becomes particularly important. It is also why Heat Geek places such importance on installer knowledge and system design.
Adam also explains what guarantees are now offered to customers and how these can provide greater confidence when choosing an installer. For homeowners, the reassurance of knowing what happens if something goes wrong can be just as important as the initial installation itself.
A heat pump is a significant investment, and homeowners may understandably want to know who is responsible if a problem occurs after the installation has been completed. Clear guarantees and aftercare can therefore provide an important level of reassurance when choosing a Heat Geek installer.
The conversation also explores the reality of installer coverage. Even if a homeowner wants to install a heat pump, finding a suitable installer nearby can still be difficult. There are areas where demand is increasing faster than the number of experienced installers available.
That can create long waiting times and, in some cases, leave homeowners comparing quotes from companies with very different levels of experience.
This creates another challenge for consumers. Two companies may both be able to offer a heat pump installation, but that does not necessarily mean they are offering the same level of design, preparation or workmanship.
One Heat Geek installer may carry out a detailed assessment of the property and produce a room-by-room heat loss calculation. Another installer may base the system design on the size of the existing boiler or make assumptions based on the property’s total floor area.
For a homeowner comparing quotes, these differences may not always be obvious.
The discussion then moves beyond traditional air-to-water heat pumps and looks at air-to-air heating. This type of system can provide both heating and cooling, which raises an interesting question about how UK homes may be heated in the future.
As summers become hotter, cooling is becoming a more important consideration for homeowners. An air-to-air heat pump can potentially provide heating in winter and cooling in summer, although the right solution will depend on the property and the homeowner’s requirements.
The choice between different types of heat pump technology will depend on a number of factors. The existing heating system, the layout of the property, the homeowner’s hot water requirements and the available space can all influence which system is most suitable.
There is no single solution that works for every building, which is why the Heat Geek approach focuses on assessing the individual property rather than applying the same solution to every home.
Another important issue is cost. Some homeowners are surprised when a heat pump installation quote comes back far higher than expected. However, the price can vary significantly depending on the property.
A straightforward installation may be relatively simple, while a difficult retrofit could involve upgrading radiators, replacing pipework, improving insulation, altering electrical supplies and installing a new hot water cylinder.
In some properties, the work required before the heat pump is installed may be just as important as the heat pump itself. The building may need improvements to reduce heat loss, while the heating system may need to be altered to operate effectively at lower temperatures.
This is why homeowners should be cautious about comparing installations based purely on the price of the outdoor unit.
The problem is that homeowners may not always understand what they are comparing when they receive several quotes. One installer may be proposing a complete system designed properly for the building, while another may be offering a cheaper installation with a very different specification.
Adam discusses why some jobs can become significantly more expensive and why homeowners should look beyond the headline price.
A lower quote is not necessarily better value if important work has been left out of the design. Equally, a higher quote is not automatically better simply because it includes more equipment.
The key question is what the homeowner is actually receiving for the money.
The specification should be clear, including the proposed heat pump, the expected system design, the work required to the existing heating system, any changes to radiators or pipework and the controls that will be installed.
Homeowners should also understand what assumptions have been made about the property. If insulation improvements are recommended, it should be clear whether those improvements are included in the installation price or whether they are additional work that the homeowner will need to arrange separately.
The Heat Geek network is designed to help address some of these concerns by placing greater emphasis on installer knowledge, assessment and practical understanding.
The conversation provides a useful insight into the challenges facing the heat pump industry. As demand grows, the quality and experience of installers will remain crucial.
The industry is still developing, and homeowners are increasingly being asked to make decisions about technology that may be unfamiliar to them. This makes clear information and competent Heat Geek installers particularly important.
For homeowners considering a heat pump, the key message is to do your research, understand what is included in the quote and ask detailed questions about the design of the system.
It is worth asking how the heat loss of the property has been calculated, whether the existing radiators have been assessed, whether the pipework is suitable and what happens if the system does not perform as expected.
A heat pump is not simply a boiler replacement. It is a different way of heating a building, and the installation needs to be designed around the property.
Finding the right Heat Geek installer can therefore make the difference between a system that performs well and one that leaves the homeowner disappointed.
The technology may be changing rapidly, but the fundamentals remain the same: understand the building, calculate the heat loss, design the system properly and install it correctly.
For homeowners, that may be the most important part of the entire Heat Geek process.
SKILLBUILDER RECOMENDS – https://www.heatgeek.com/find-a-heat-geek
MORE FROM SKILLBUILDER – https://skill-builder.uk/heat-geeks-heat-pump-one-year-later-the-verdict
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