Heat pump/ solar panels

[newandconfused5]

We have recently been accepted for a fully funded installation of a heat pump with solar panels.

I live in a 400 year old cottage that is electric only. We have double glazed windows and modern electric heaters. We have a very old Emerson water tank that we were due to get replaced.

Is a heat pump in a property like this old a good idea?

As part of the installation they would be insulating the walls of the house too.

Would a heat pump be efficient? And would it add value to the house do you think?

It's a huge amount of work and at a large coast which would be government funded.

Is this a no brainier? Or a bad idea?

Currently the heaters we have were installed about four years ago (replacing storage heaters). Our electric bills are high due to heating the water twice a day.

It's is a three bed semi cottage ( family of 5 with three you children).

Thanks in advance

Thanks @JustCuriousASHP it sounds a great opportunity for people who would be unable to upgrade their heating to this level otherwise.

Makes a change from "only people on benefits". Of course we had to get the landlord onside, but we already knew he's tight interested in renewable energy. I just wish he's get round to the new door we desperately need... 😁

I should also point out that another qualifying condition was not being on the gas grid and using oil for heating and hot water.

Maybe part of insulating your house will include getting a new front door, hopefully that will be highlighted to him in the survey 🤞

The work has been done, and I've been mentioning the door issue for literally years, so I just need to nag the office more. He's a pretty good landlord most of the time, but he's also a working farmer so I see his pov.

I thought I'd update this thread despite it not being my own thread as it could be of interest. Hope this isn't too much of a hijack but it could help.

Insulation downstairs is finally sorted so after 3 days of work on that, we should be able to actually be in the living room now. If the plaster dries soon, I might get to spend my Saturday painting. Yippeeeee.
They've ripped off the fitted wardrobe doors (and have also ripped out wooden cabinets beyond repair in the living room) to get to the wall in my bedroom to start putting up the frame for the insulation there.
The company have had the heat pump guy out today and it should all be going on next week. So another week or so without hot water or heating.
Not sure how long I'm going to have to wait around for them to take out the old boiler and move my electric meter to do the insulation upstairs. They can't insulate around it apparently.

If the work finishes when we're told it'll finish (late next week), this entire situation would be two months from start to finish.
We got full funding (because of my health and the fact we used gas bottles for the heating previously) for:
Solar panels
Loft insulation
Internal insulation on external walls of the property
Air source heat pump

It's not for the faint of heart and hasn't been fun. Keeping warm hasn't been that bad because we already have an electric fire, an oil heater, one of those energy saving radiators on the landing that looks like a sheet of plastic (only way I can describe it), electric blanket etc.
Have also had to have a few washing up bowl baths, and it takes about six kettles to wash my dishes. Have been eating and showering at my mother's a lot.

Yes the eco4 grant.
There's a few different criteria, but we have qualified because we are all electric (no mains gas). Evergy rating of E I think. Not in receipt of benefits but qualify because of children having respiratory disease (being asthma)..

We're waiting for the report To come back.
Apparently once it gets the green light they start work very quickly. So likely will be in the dead of winter for us unfortunately.

I really don't know how I will cope with the massive upheaval of work.. that is something I am dreading.

Thank you all for your helpful posts!

This is a really helpful thread. We’re currently buying an EPC F property with no gas connection. Is there an income limit to apply via the medical route? 3 people in household have asthma! We receive child benefit but are above the income threshold for claiming through this. Thank you for posting, sounds like a very helpful scheme.

Check the link I posted upthread and see if you meet the criteria. Good luck.

Thank you. I’ve done a bit of reading around it. From what I can see if you apply via the healthcare grounds there is no income limit which doesn’t quite make sense. I feel I’ve missed something and was clarifying!

I don't think there is a limit?

We are not mega high earners (I am currently part time) but we are above any benefits threshold.
There wasn't anything about how much you earn. I think there is the benefits route or the medical route.

Maybe your local council can help? I don't know how they're involved, but I was told at one point they were waiting for mine to roll out the programme, and I received a letter from the "Energy Agency" (with logos from three different Councils) afterwards. It mentions "Flexible Eligibility" so maybe different Councils choose different criteria from an approved list? Ours definitely has a £31k household income limit.

Just to update.. if anyone was interested!

We have had the heat pump fitted this week. Everything was fitted in three days, all radiators, water system and pump.

We haven't had anything running yet but the fit has gone well.

The heat pump itself however is HUGE!!! We're not really happy with the size of the machine but there is no way to change it.

No insulation was needed so that made things smoother. Solar panels being fitted soon.

I hope you don't mind me bumping this. I'm starting looking into an ASHP and solar panels too. What's your experience now 8 months down the line?

My install was halted due to bats roosting in the loft!

Can be restarted so also keen to know how it worked out for OP.

Just a little update..

We are happy with the heat pump in our house.

Hot water is amazing! Previously we had an old water tank so would run out. We can have multiple showers and baths in a row and the hot water is great!

Solar is lovey to have. We only have 9 panels so not loads. It's great to see the smart meter on £0 when you have the washing machine on etc. we have received a payment from the grid (only around £60) for a quarter.. but this is energy we haven't used so the grid pays us back.

Heating has been on for a few months now. We keep it at 18 in the day and 16 at night.
If you want to turn the heating up, it takes a little while for the system to respond. This is I guess because it's an eco system?

The house is plenty warm enough. No problems there. We have a log burner anyway so tend to use this every evening.

Energy bills we haven't seen a difference yet. But this is probably because the rates keep going up!!

We're very happy with the heat pump.

That all sounds great but I would find it too cold to have the hosue set at 18, I don’t think that is an average temp for a house to be kept at and wonder how well the system would work if it were set at 20.
I am genuinely interested as we have just lived and are starting to look into solar and heat pumps etc.

We’ve now had a heat pump for about 2 years. Older house, moved from oil. It’s cheaper than the oil, the house is a lovely temp and we all love it!

@LizzieSiddal I suspect you might find it cool to start off with but would adjust over time as you got used to it.
Looking up the stats - over my lifetime (I'm 45) the average temperature of a U.K. home has jumped 6 degrees and even in 2011 the average was 17.5 degrees which is perfectly comfortable, but if you have higher temps you get used to them

We have put it on to 20 a few times in the colder days. We find that a bit too warm.
It takes a little while to heat from 18-20 but I would say maybe 30 minutes?..

I'm pretty impressed with the heatpump and water as a whole.