The Story
There have been several upgrades completed to the home prior to the Heat Pump Plus retrofit. These include an attic conversion completed in the 1990’s and since then many other upgrades throughout the years such as external and attic insulation, triple glazed windows and new doors. These changes results in a C2 BER rating, however John and family wanted to remove the fossil fuel heating and add solar PV to his home.
The Measures
The existing solid fuel oil burner was removed and a new air to water heat pump and system was installed and 12 (410W) solar PV panels on roof. In addition, the chimney was sealed to improve airtightness levels.
John describes the new heating system ‘With the installation of the Heat Pump the heating system was totally replaced, all of the radiators were sized according to room size and living space, all of the pipes supplying the heating system were insulated. The domestic water system was pressurized which was a great improvement and we now have power showers which have replaced the electric showers. Effectively l now have a totally new super efficient heating and domestic water system.’
John was recently interviewed by Joanne Hunt of the Irish Times about his move to fossil fuel free heating and the addition of solar PV to his home. By looking at his Solar PV app, he knows when it is the best time to use appliances such as the dishwasher and washing machine. ‘With the addition of the Solar Panels l have become a Micro Generator and I receive the value of the excess unused units which is offset against my electricity bill which is a great bonus’ John says.
Speaking about his Heat Pump Plus retrofit John said ‘The house really came into its own when we got the heat pump and solar panels. Now we can monitor the heat, how much energy we are using, what hot water there is, it’s fairly amazing’.
The Results
John described the retrofitted A1 home as ‘toasty’ in the colder months of January, February and March of this year, 2023. ‘It’s a big investment. There is an SEAI grant for the heat pump and if there is something that is more efficient and it reduces your carbon footprint, I thought that’s where you should be going’.
Speaking about his experience John said ‘To have the installation project managed and guaranteed contracts signed with Electric Ireland Superhomes and their contractor Crystal Air was very important. This was a big investment that l wanted to be certain that it would go well and I did not want any surprises. The application for grants to the SEAI was another factor that made me opt for Electric Ireland Superhomes as they looked after this element of the installation.’
Photography and homeowner quotes – credit to Irish Times, Journalist Joanne Hunt and Photographer Alan Betson.
Contractor: Crystal Air
