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Detached property, hosted by Jane

Daikin air source heat pump in a 1983 - 2002 property

Jane

About me
I am a semi retired lecturer who works for Greensand Community Energy part time, co-ordinating volunteers. My partner and I live in the house with a guest from Ukraine and our Springer Spaniel. We have family locally and like to entertain and enjoy living next to an ancient wood. We both feel we should try and cut carbon and reduce the effects of climate change for the sake of our children and their children. Being non technical people we read up on things, ask others and try and use a sensible company with sensible prices. We do like an offer - hence we used a local council offer when we obtained solar and the BUS this time for the air source heat pump. We serve good tea/coffee and cake.

Visiting my heat pump
Hi, I'm Jane Hooper and would be happy to share our experience of having an air source heat pump installed. We also have solar panels, a battery, car charger and use flexible tariffs. We are not very technical but keen to cut carbon and our costs.

Joined the network in 2025

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About this property

Bedford, MK45

4 bedrooms

Air source heat pump

EPC rating: B

Cost of energy bills per year: £2,000

Installing the system

We have a 4 bed detached property in a close. Over ten years, we changed the doors and windows, added an extension, added solar and a battery, then a car charger. Our latest addition has been to add an air source heat pump using the government grant of £7,500. Our section of the bill was under £4,000.
Our installation was exciting, we had 4 or 5 Octopus lads in the house and several electric vans outside for a week.  On day 3 we also had a pair of workers taking out asbestos from the airing cupboard.  We were given a new EPC as part of the deal.  It was bitterly cold, the Octopus workers were with us from 8 am to 5.45 pm and worked in a jolly but very focussed manner. They briefed us on what they were going to do and what they got done each day. By Thursday lunchtime the heat pump was working and they set it up and monitored it over night and until Friday afternoon when they left. We were given fan heaters to use during the installation which we got to keep at the end. They worked around us regards switching off internet and electricity and we were able to work from home throughout. They left it cleaner than when they arrived.

Living with a heat pump

We expected it to be a bit difficult to get warm and different to gas as it doesn't like shooting up and down quickly. The actual heat pump unit is bigger than expected. The empty cupboard where the gas boiler was is a plus, the lack of an airing cupboard means a bit of change of routine.
We have it set for 16 degrees at night and 20 degrees from 7 am to 11 pm.  We leave it like this except for warm sunny days when we can turn it down with the app from anywhere. We don't notice more noise than a gas boiler. The air in the whole house is warm and comfortable and as it is the same everywhere it actually feels warmer. We have had it a month and saved £40 on our bill. We had gas cut off so no gas bill or standing charge anymore. We are also running a car off the electric which saves a further 60 or 70 pounds a month. Once we have a full year of bills we will be able to really assess the financial differences.

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Accessing the venue

We live in a close and have a fairly large drive. 4 or 5 cars max.