Detached property, hosted by Venkata

Daikin air source heat pump in a post 2003 property

Venkata

About me
I love technology and always on the look out for how technology can help save us money. I’m always telling my friends and neighbours the benefits of such greener energy schemes as there is no need to waste money

Joined the network in 2025

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About this property

Preston, PR4

5 bedrooms

Air source heat pump

Installed by Octopus Energy

See other installs

EPC rating: B

Cost of energy bills per year: Gas £760, Elec £800

Installing the system

We had solar panels and battery storage installed three years ago, and without a doubt, it was the best decision we made to cut down on our rising energy bills.

More recently, we decided to explore heat pump options. After receiving a wide range of quotes, Octopus stood out with a very competitive and appealing offer.

As part of the heat pump installation, several of our radiators were replaced, along with our Hive system and hot water tank. The team also removed our gas boiler and installed the air source heat pump.

From start to finish, Octopus looked after us. The onsite team was respectful, both to us and our home. On the first day, they clearly explained the plan for the 4–5 day installation, and they stuck to the schedule almost exactly. During the process, they provided portable heaters while the heating was off, and the hot water was only unavailable for a few hours.

The team was punctual, cleaned up as they went, and worked efficiently each day. At most, there were 4–5 Octopus vans on-site during the week, but usually just 2–3. There was a short, planned electricity outage that lasted about an hour, which was scheduled at a convenient time for us.

All in all, we’re very happy with the installation and the service provided.

Living with a heat pump

Overall, I’m really pleased with the system. Much like when we first installed solar panels, it required a bit of a mindset shift and some time to understand how it all works.

One thing we noticed early on was that the hot water temperature was set a little lower than what we were used to with our old gas system. A family member who prefers very hot showers pointed it out, but for me, the temperature felt normal. I’ve since adjusted it slightly through the control panel to suit everyone.

So far, it feels very similar to our previous setup, though it’s worth noting that the installation was done in April, when the weather is already warming up. That said, I’ve still seen the radiators heat up well. They don’t reach the high temperatures that a gas boiler does, but they don’t need to—because the system is constantly maintaining a comfortable temperature of 21°C during the day and 18°C at night.

There are a lot of myths out there about noise and vibrations from heat pumps, but I’ve experienced none of that. I can barely hear the fan running, and there are absolutely no vibrations.