Octopus Energy Heat Pump Install Day 1 and Prep Work

Whoop! It's finally time for Octopus Energy to install my heat pump. I've got a bit of prep-work to do first before they turn up. Let's see how far the installation can get by the end of day 1.
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[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

£50 for free! Octopus Energy referral code: crisp-moth-619 share.octopus.energy/crisp-moth-619 If you use my referral code to sign up for Octopus Energy as your energy supplier then we both get £50 of credit for free. Innovative energy tariffs and excellent customer service, I've been with them for well over 2 years now and have no complaints. Buy me a coffee: www.buymeacoffee.com/speaktothegeek paypal.me/speaktothegeek

[@GaryDoesSolar]

As someone who's looking to have a similar system installed next year, I'm watching this series with great interest! I love the way you present, clear, concise and funny, all at the same time 😃 Keep up the great work, Oliver!

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

Thank you :)

[@deanchapple1]

Make sure you go with a HeatGeek engineer. You’ll more than likely get better results.

[@erinthecat4206]

It will be great to see how the Octopus team work. They have an amazing reputation to uphold, so lots of pressure to not only impress but achieve good scops, etc! With Heet Geeks setting such a high standard in training and installations, and seeing so many great installations done by the likes of urban plumbers on this channel, there is a lot to learn from seeing these actual installation videos.

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

Honestly I hate having people working in my house and I can't relax until it's all done, but these guys were really considerate and professional and made the experience a lot easier on me. Their workmanship looks to be to a high standard, it's certainly very neat and everything appears to be working as designed right now.

[@erinthecat4206]

That's very reassuring to know. As an autistic adult, I find it very stressful having folks in especially if there is disruption. I shall look forwards to your remaining videos and to when I get mine installed via Octopus. @@SpeakToTheGeekTech

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

Yes, they were extremely considerate of those needs and it's worth it for all the data you can collect and play with at the end :) Oh, and heating.

[@eddyd8745]

Looking forward with interest to see how the rest of it goes. I hope to follow you at some point! Thanks for posting.

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

I'm posting this to encourage others so please do follow if you can!

[@spikemonster95]

Make sure that the esbe valve is installed correctly. Mine wasn't and the hot water cylinder was constantly losing heat. It was actually me that notified them of the issue and the potential solution after reading online forums!

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

Thanks for the tip, I'll keep an eye on it. I'm sure it is working fine because it's heated up a couple of times so far.

[@spikemonster95]

@@SpeakToTheGeekTechmy cylinder only lost heat when the central heating was running. The cylinder was acting like a thermal store. My heat pump was installed for a few weeks before I needed the heating on. Therefore, it wasn't until later tha the issue first became apparent.

[@simoncanfer5030]

Octopus installed ours a year ago during the snowy week and -8c. That was chilly! Went well and haven't looked back.

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

Ha, yeah you win!

[@JOOI525]

Very informative, a good reference point for people nicely done. Thanks.

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

Thank you

[@steviebye1]

Can't wait to see this. I am at the beginning of my journey, solar and batteries in March then I have to decide what to replace the gas boiler with. Not 100% sold on heat pumps, but heat geek and videos like this are slowly changing my mind 😊

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

Well I hope this helps you make your decision. I did a lot of research and watched many videos but it still took seeing other people's in real life to convince me. I think it's the right solution for my home.

[@eggchaser]

Octopus installed our system in the Summer, it’s been working really well COP over 4 at -3, great install team and service.

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

Good to hear. I have their care plan too which will give me a service but hopefully I won't need their emergency care! You never know though.

[@chriss4949]

Helpful video. My Octopus install is first week in May. Its “just” a pump….cylinder and rads all compatible. Cant wait to get off gas

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

Good luck!

[@philipbroggio9315]

Brings back memories of our install by Octopus in June 22. Install took four days with 4/5 installers and although disruptive was good with loads of banter and tea and cake !! We are getting good results with sCOP of around 3.7 heat and 2.5 DHW. Interesting to see how yours goes but very happy with ours. This morning with temp 10 degrees outside got a COP of 5 so far !!

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

That's good!

[@bryanhindle8307]

They installed mine mid October but I was not impressed with some of the work. Lagging on the outside pipe work was appalling and they connected the new domestic water pipes behind the service valves to the utility sink. I kid you not. However I'm pleased with how it's running now. I was getting a SCOP of 4.8 until the sub zero temperature a couple of weeks ago that knocked it back to 4.4. This is because I managed to get a designed flow temp of about 40° . Octopus had planed to change 6 rad's but I noticed if I moved 3 of the lager ones to the position of the other three and add a rad in our living room the overall heat output in house was 200w short of the 9800w needed at 40° flow. They were happy for me to do this work as long as I got it all done before they started.

[@stevesteve6365]

Interesting series on your Heat Pump saga, very well prepared and presented. I am particulatly interested as my gas boiler is the same as yours so its 25+ years old ! I have had the first estimate from Octopus and with the updated grant it would be cheaper than a new gas boiler. Keep up the good work.

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

Thank you!

[@joshuam5826]

Really appreciate & love how informative your videos are. Thank you for the great content you create. Know how you feel about moving things😂. I'm due to begin my retrofit project in late Jan from Oil along with a raft of other energy measures, needing to have a upgraded new three phase supply fitted from the roadside by the DNO to a new meter box externally (32m in total) a smart meter with isolator, consumer unit/tails, smoke alarms, Heat Pump with a wireless controller for auto Adaption function & concrete foundation for it to stand on, hot water cylinder, 12 new rads, pipework, insulation/Plastering in the loft room, solar panels, inverter, battery storage system, Zappi EV charger point, loft boarding, lighting & lastly a new concrete path round the exsternal of the house. So going to have a house full of contractors

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

Wow... that's a lot of work!

[@BenCos2018]

Good luck with it

[@joshuam5826]

@@BenCos2018 thank you very much

[@BenCos2018]

@@joshuam5826 np

[@David-bl1bt]

Wow! Hold in to your hat, I envisage a challenging ride! Why not do a vlog so we can all come along on your journey?

[@Bond2025]

I can't wait to see what you think of it once installed. I hear lots of nightmare stories and people saying they cost far more to run than a gas boiler. Can you give an example of a gas bill and electric bill for a few months in winter and summer, then give us the electric bill for when the heat pump is in use for water and heating? What was the total cost of installation of this new system? I am tempted, but nothing comes close to the low cost of running a gas boiler or the overall control of it. The heatpump would need to cost a lot less to run than a gas boiler for the same amount of heat and water, plus less than the £6000 of replacing my gas boiler and a couple of radiators or it's not worth it.

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

All of that information will be forthcoming in other videos. I'm pretty certain that the running costs will be ballpark the same as gas, maybe even less because of my batteries, so I'm not concerned about that. I know from other people's experiences (family and friends) with heat pumps that their costs are not really any different. From an install cost perspective it's not that far different from a boiler installation when you include the BUS grant. It is more expensive, but not massively at all. It was never about it being 'worth the money' for me though, I needed to replace my boiler because it was on its last legs, and I didn't want to carry on using gas. The cost of the heat pump was within my means therefore it was the right product to choose morally.

[@andyt1048]

From what I’ve read heat pumps cost a similar amount to run as gas boilers, the gas cost is going up Renewables cost is coming down unless we let the oil companies own them all and then we’re done for. Have you paid the government back for the super cheap gas you used last year?

[@Jaw0lf]

I had an ASHP fitted 21 months ago and initially our homes cavity had equivalent of no insulation. Our 5 bedroom detatched house used 3333kWh for the first winter to maintain 18c with a small drop to 16c overnight for 7 hours. Old broken down cavity wall insulation removed and replaced after first year and now saving about 1/3rd in use. Also, I have kept the evohome sensors attached as it still can keep each room at the temperature, rather than the guessing game of the TRV's. There was a small change to configuration in the EVO home and I swapped all rooms to the same plan. This way I have maintained the ability to still have control whilst away from home and to ensure all rooms are heating correctly.

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

Do you use Evohome as a TPI thermostat then or just as fancy TRVs? I’m planning on putting temperature sensors in each room (I have them in most already) to keep an eye on balancing them. I didn’t like the idea of each room being able to call for heat because that would really hamper the efficiency over all

[@Jaw0lf]

@@SpeakToTheGeekTech I run the whole of my old evohome setup but no hot water control as that is fully dealt with by the ASHP. I have a "standard heating setting" for the whole house, so all rooms are the same temps at the same time. I have not seen too much extra use, but my system doesn't provide ledss than whole numbers. A setting within EVOHome is used to stop fluctations in calls for heat being on/off rapidly. This is from Honeywell, " change the Cycle Rate to 3 and the Minimum On Time to 5."

[@robwinfield-chislett6881]

Enjoyed this. Very informative. When is part 2?

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

Next Saturday (23rd)

[@markkunes9711]

Very useful vid. From memory these water tanks lose 40 W. Put your cat shelf on top they will love the warmth. When we had an ancient Philips CRT TV with a big flat top, our two cats would sleep there and we had to constantly jump up and move their tails out of the way. Our Octopus survey is still a week away.

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

I've put them next to it... I can't feel any heat coming off it, but it might too gentle to perceive.

[@BenCos2018]

@@SpeakToTheGeekTech It depends tbh I've found the unit we have gets fairly warm after a while

[@CrashUK28]

B rated hot water tank

[@SyeniticOne]

Nice concise video, shows what I have to expect in January, so thanks very much. You mentioned it made your house very warm so obviously you're underway with it, was that during the recent cold weather?

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

The install has been happening this week and I've split the filming into three parts - this video today covered just Monday this week and yes, as of yesterday the heat pump is installed and working well.

[@laserjim]

Watching with interest. My survey isn't until next year, and looking towards June/July for install.

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

So far I have to say they've done a really neat by-the-book job and its first night made the house very warm.

[@AllElectricLiving]

Look forward to this , my octopus heatpump install is due in spring ,

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

Good luck!

[@AllElectricLiving]

@@SpeakToTheGeekTech I also had planning issues in England , that’s despite it being 4 metres away

[@David-bl1bt]

​@@AllElectricLivinghaven't the government recently relaxed the planning red tape relating g to heatpump installation?

[@AllElectricLiving]

@@David-bl1bt not yet , buts it’s being considered

[@jacko101]

You said the radiator has fins on the back but does it also have an extra panel?

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

Not that specific one, no, but some of them are K2 and even K3 models with 2 or 3 panels respectively.

[@CC_FPV]

Is that a thermostat tap on the radiator only just in shot at the end?

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

Yes, TRVs everywhere but fully open. I think TRVs are mandatory under the MCS guidelines. I may set them to a temperature if necessary but at least for now they’re all remaining fully open

[@symonchester]

Looks like the same model as mine, will be interesting to see what heat curve you use and what COP you get, ive averaged 4.3 over the last 12 months but would like more!

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

It's looking good so far but really too early to get a decent average. Need some proper cold weather to test it.

[@ice4142]

New to the channel. Are you having all your radiators replaced? Is this to achieve a particularly low flow temp or where they very old type 11 rads? Probably with mentioning most people don't need to have this done. I guess you were unlucky. I have wiser smart trvs so if i get a heat pump i will have to stomach the pain getting rid.

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

About 10 of my radiators were replaced. 3 because I requested them extra, the rest because their output was too low in the heat loss calculations.

[@mattdomm4251]

@@SpeakToTheGeekTech Have my survey on Tuesday so interested to see the recommendations for how many need replacing - all decades old, single-panel ones. Do you mean here that you asked for 3 additional radiators? Presumably that was an extra cost?

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

@@mattdomm4251 Yeah you might be interested in my costs video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ipTCZoaioLOen80

[@MrDickey]

Hi, how does the heat pump work with your GivEnergy battery system? I have one and concerned it will drain my battery quickly.

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

It will drain it much more quickly because it's pulling power, so I am running out of battery earlier in the day. That's not a problem though because it's kind of one of the reasons I have so much battery capacity installed. I anticipated that I would be running from the grid most evenings in winter because of the heat pump draining the batteries more quickly than before but it's not a concern, it's intentional. You can set a reserve on the inverter if you need to save a bit for power cuts.

[@MrDickey]

@@SpeakToTheGeekTech ok thanks!

[@colingoode3702]

Interesting that Octopus are supplying a Daikin unit & not one of their new Cosy models with vertical air discharge which can be a real advantage for narrow side alley locations. I couldn't see from the video but what size pipes did your rads have & did they have to upsize any pipework? Trust me, that's not a messy garage!! I've got a single attached garage that's far worse & only just enough space to walk down the middle. It's where I would also have to put a new hot water tank (or in the loft - but the hatch is too small). A garage clear out re-jenga is needed every so often. Good luck with part 2 & looking forward to the update.

[@BenCos2018]

Daiken units are nice ones tbh still a bit odd to use that style for a alley though

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

There's plenty of space where it's located, it's not an alley, just a cut-out corner of the garden. Pipework to radiators is 10mm microbore and none of it was changed.

[@BenCos2018]

​@@SpeakToTheGeekTechah not bad then

[@jezmac8324]

Are you sure it's 10mm copper microbore and not 10mm plastic?

[@colingoode3702]

@@SpeakToTheGeekTech OK. I've also got 10mm microbore (copper) so hence why I'm interested to see how you get on without any pipe diameter changes. Would almost impossible to upsize pipes in my house as the ground floor rad pipes are buried in the walls behind the dot & dab plasterboard & 1st floor is all T&G chipboard floors. Doable no doubt but not without a lot of mess & upheaval which I would not want. Waiting to see what SCOP numbers you get.

[@geoffreycoan]

Great to see it actually happening at last Oliver. The noise test results will be interesting given all the planning trouble you had. Our ASHP install (non Octopus) was much the same, 3 blokes for 3-5 days, and ours was in January so cold as well except we’d not had any heating from the preceding November after oil tank failed 😩 Be interesting to see your experiences as you learn about using a heat pump. Low and slow - the lowest temperature for both hot water and heating you can manage with, and run it all the time (with nighttime temperature setback). But what about the cats, how are they coping with their relocation?

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

The cats are really p*ssed off, especially with the installers being here all week. My plan this weekend is to build them a new living area though so hopefully they'll forgive me.

[@confusedofhinckley5294]

Dogs forgive and forget. Cats will hold this over you for the rest of their lives

[@1240Connor]

Watching with interest as our install is booked with Octopus in February! Be interested to see if there is a way to automate hot water heating / boost with heat pump during excess solar. Will depend as well on draw from heat pump during hot water heating - maybe you can measure that? Thanks

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

So far there’s no way I can see to modulate the power it uses to heat the home or water, it just does what it does. There is a smart solar option according to the manual but I think that requires additional hardware. If I can figure out what that option actually is then I’ll report back! To be honest with an offpeak tariff my plan is to heat the water then and hope it lasts

[@1240Connor]

@@SpeakToTheGeekTech Ah I haven't come across the smart solar option, will have a look into that. How many people are in your house to serve from that 250l tank? We got quoted a smaller one in our survey and I wonder if it should be larger, as ideally I want it to heat off peak and last all day too

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

The surveyor told me MCS guidelines say 50L per bedroom plus 50L. Therefore a 4 bed house = 250L. I haven’t looked into that but Octopus have done everything else by the book so I’ve no reason to doubt them on that. Might be worth double checking though!

[@oceanis373]

Sorry to ask but what is the total cost so far? Also what size solar would be necessary to run it in the average winter months?

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

I’ll be doing a cost video at some point but the final figures aren’t yet in. As for running from solar that’s a difficult question. Most of the time that you need heat will be when it’s dark so it’s more about being able to store solar energy in batteries and use that earlier or later in the day. You would need quite a lot more solar than I have to do that so I’m relying on off peak from the grid

[@MartinE63]

@@SpeakToTheGeekTechOctopus quote a cost upfront after supplying basic information and without even conducting a survey

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

Yes, based on information you supply about your house, current heating setup, and your EPC. Then you pay a deposit (refundable) and they come out and do a survey, after which they finalise the quote. If the information you provide is accurate then the quote won't change post-survey - mine didn't. It was very transparent.

[@GaryDoyle-bq2vd]

Hello how are you finding the noise levels?

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

I don’t notice it really, certainly never from in the house. Very occasionally if it happens to be running and I’m outside sorting the bins then I’ll notice it, but it’s just a bit of fan noise, nothing that carries far.

[@chrisf4lc0n]

You know that once installed you will have to play around with Daikin Home Assistant Integration... Power flow card similar to the Power Flow Card would be nice to have.

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

Already playing :) Shame it doesn't give heat energy produced data, just energy used. Would be great to get that and you could calculate a COP.

[@chrisf4lc0n]

I have not started to play with it yet as I am awaiting Octopus to get back to me and install it, but since Daikin provides such data in their controller it is the matter of pulling it correctly. I am not saying that it can be done via software by creating a template sensor, which would be preferable. It may have to be done via Tasmota or ESPHome connected directly to the BUS... @@SpeakToTheGeekTech

[@brianlawrence7986]

Any one notice the squirrel in the tree at about 5:15. Great video as usual. Thanks

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

Haha I hadn't noticed that. There are loads around here though and they have some sort of gang rivalry with the magpies and the cats.

[@e.r.f5803]

Nice video except you have omitted about if they had to replace any sub floor pipe work upstairs or used existing pipes.

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

No pipes replaced - existing has been used throughout

[@TobyNew]

Octopus sent us a quote - after the grant they think 2.5k ish to do the install, imclusing all work and radiators. Given that the other quotes we've had have been closer to 12k after the grant, im not sure i trust what Octopus will do. Did you get any other third party quotes as comparison? If so, what was the difference?

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

I didn't get any other quotes in, but £12k AFTER the grant is a lot... £19.5k?? I trust Octopus more than I'd trust most other companies, but I'd trust a Heat Geek approved company in a similar way. At least Octopus are in the public eye more, and have a national reputation to build and maintain.

[@TobyNew]

@@SpeakToTheGeekTech We asked a couple of firms, one of which installed our Aircon. The costs were mostly comparable with requirements to upgrade all of the piping (piping was too small for efficiency), most of the radiators, and routing the pipes around the house - new(ish) build with a less than useful layout for utilities. I guess my concerns with octopus are: 1- They didn't visit, they just produced a number, then promised they would honour it - this to me sounds like they have a bare minimum approach to the install. 2 - Given the other quotes I would be concerned that their solution, while I'm sure it would "work" is likely to be considerably sub-optimal for efficiency compared to a proper install, as I doubt they would grade the pump correctly, or be willing to redo all the pipework for the heating, and then make good afterwards. So, I guess I would be keen to find out how your doing with efficiency vs the old solution in 6 months once its all settled in.

[@lharris828]

We are still waiting for Octopus to return to fix the problem radiator. 4 weeks wait so far and not a word, so another email tomorrow 😮

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

What's the issue with the radiator?

[@lharris828]

@@SpeakToTheGeekTech They left the old single one in the large room. The result is that this room is 2 to 3 C cooler than everywhere else. When the engineer visited routinely some 4 weeks later he commented that the system should have been power flushed and the radiator replaced with a double type, like the rest. That was 2+ weeks back. No contact from them 🤔

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

Oh dear that's a shame. Ours is working ok - one radiator has poor flow to it which means it's slow to heat up but that is known by them and they're booking in to come back and fix that. Should have been done in the install but they ran out of time.

[@Andrew-mf7tq]

what happen to the follow on video?

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

They're coming, I'm a tease! I only publish once a week.

[@davidstorm4015]

I'm not sure a garage is the ideal place for a hot water cylinder, especially in the depths of Winter, as it will experience a high heat loss.

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

Perhaps not, but it’s the only location available really. It can’t be worse then the loss from my old tank and it seems to be holding up well so far

[@simonchampa9961]

46 dB is not noisy. But TBH those noise apps are generally pretty inaccurate.

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

Yeah, I don't think it's accurate, but hopefully consistent so when I check again with the heat pump it'll be comparable.

[@youngmark25]

WHAT'S HAPPENED DAY 2?

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

Episode 2 on Saturday coming! I've gotta spread this shiz out or I'll run out of video ideas!

[@jezmac8324]

Your boiler has a knackered fan that's why it's so noisy.

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

Yeah, and a corroded heat exchanger and a faulty main circuit board and a dodgy thermostat. It was basically shafted.

[@Chris-hy6jy]

Octopus must be raking it in now the grant has increased to £7500! 🤦‍♂️

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

The price hasn’t changed, they get the same amount whether it comes from the grant or the customer.

[@Saaj2]

​@@SpeakToTheGeekTechthey've adjusted their quotes to suit so they're pocketing the increase. My pre-increase quote was £3300, and I signed the contracts etc. but it dropped to £800 post increase. I ran a quote again on the website and they quoted £3450 for the exact same kit. Greedy!!

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

Are you certain the updated quote includes the higher rate of grant? I know that there have been a few issues with them updating their systems to use £7500 instead of £5000. My quote from them is still based on the old grant and they weren't able to issue me with updated financials based on the new grant, but assured me that the original quote (without the grant) still applied, and any extra deductions would be reflected in the final bill.

[@Chris-hy6jy]

@@Saaj2 yep sounds about right. Any scheme that's backed by government grants ends up going exactly the same way. Teams of low paid workers touring the country installing equipment paid for by tax payers. They'll milk the £7.5k grant for all it's worth. A quote of £5k six months back will almost certainly be £7.5k now. You can't blame them. Our ridiculous government allows them to get away with it.

[@Saaj2]

@@SpeakToTheGeekTech octopus were able to update my financials with the new grant, although via email as opposed to signing a new contract which is fine. I just think it's strange how their quoting system hasn't dropped the pricing, instead keeping it the same! They have changed their system since I initially quoted as well, so I don't think it's a case of it not being updated.

[@deanchapple1]

Shame they went for cheap crap Heatpump! The octopus way seems to be cheap and cheerful installs?….

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

Cheap and crap? Seems ok to me and is working ok so far. I know there are better models out there but the ones I’ve seen in real life all appear to be much alike. I am on a budget so a premium more expensive option would have been off the cards.

[@deanchapple1]

@@SpeakToTheGeekTech yes certainly the cheap end of the market that’s for sure. That’s the problem with octopus, they have adopted a ‘sell them cheap, stack them high’ ethos. It’s like they think they own the heatpump industry. I’d stick with HeatGeek engineers all day long. You pay extra, but you’ll probably get better long term results (higher scop).

[@Swwils]

Daikin invented a lot of the technology, cheap and simple is best. @@deanchapple1

[@BenCos2018]

@@deanchapple1 I thought daiken stuff was good?

[@deanchapple1]

@@BenCos2018middle of the road stuff. They can’t be that good if octopus have adopted them. Like I said, octopus have gone for the sell them cheap, stack them high approach. They are under cutting most other companies and have created a race to the bottom. lol that’s what happens when you have a 800 million pound budget.

[@AR-dn6kh]

All i see in regards to zet zero bollocks ,is you need a detached house ti charge an expensive electric car and a big house for all the gubbings of a heat pump. Net zero is a financial apartheid between people who have larger houses and driveways. Net zero os no use to me as im in a mid terrace with no driveway or extra rooms and garage. Hence why i got a new gas boiler and changed to another petrol car.

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

You’re probably not going to like my channel then to be honest!

[@ashtontechhelp]

I sense your frustration - however net zero is something that benefits us all, regardless of whether we can implement it directly in our own homes, or whether we benefit from reduced pollution in our environment. It's not bollocks. You can charge your car by running a cable in some temporary ducting over the pavement (this is legal, being a non-permanent adjustment and not a hazard), or sinking ducting in the pavement (with a flap - your council may permit you to do this) or having a swinging crane arm to bring your cable above head height over the pavement. Just need a longer cable. I don't have your issues but I did need a 10m cable to charge my car, I was able to purchase one online. You would need to ensure you can park within spitting distance of your house at least once a week - but it should be possible, if you just chat with your neighbours. It is possible to charge away from your house, when you're shopping, for example. It's not as cheap as charging at home of course, but it is possible. Hopefully the government will wise up and reduce VAT on charging publicly to 5%, rather than the 20% that it is presently, which will bring prices down. i can't speak for your house in particular, however most terraced houses do have a back yard in which a heat pump might be fitted. Most houses have a cupboard for the water cylinder, or there's always the loft.

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

And in terms of heat pumps for smaller / terraced homes then it's not a one-size-fits-all approach. There are smaller heat pumps than mine, or split units, or even air-to-air heat pumps. If there's no room for an internal tank then there are alternative solutions for hot water such as on-demand heaters and electric showers. All homes must transition to cleaner energy eventually - those of us able to move sooner rather than later should, but it's important to remember that just because this solution is right for my home does not mean it's the right solution for others. And for the EV, yes it was expensive to buy, but with my Corsa if compared to a petrol Corsa of the same spec it's essentially the same cost if you include running costs over a 4 year period, and the more miles I do the cheaper by comparison it is.

[@johncrispin2118]

Lucky you I have repeatedly asked octopus for a quote three or four times in the last year. Reminded them last week and have had the promise of an appointment via call back from them , nothing as yet.

[@steve_787]

Even in a mid-terrace you can still have solar panels installed. Many home batteries are weather proof so they can be installed outside on a rear wall. Currently that would likely be your best staring point rather than a heat pump. It'll save money in the long term and, depending on you usage, cover the vast majority of your elec. Typical UK house uses 2800kWh a year, with a modest 8 panel array (could be split front/back) you'd be looking at a 3.36kWp array based on 420w panels. That should produce around 3000kWh pa meaning your elec usage is "net Zero" with a little excess going back to offset some gas boiler emissions. Appreciate the charging issue, as mentioned by another there are systems and trials taking place for in path trunking. Issue there is if you are in an old Victorian style street you might not always get parked outside your house. If your current car works fine then maybe hold off until there is a better system for on street charging. Personally I think that we should be able to take our energy tariff with us and just pay a "connection fee" to use the chargers. Then we can be billed at our home rates. I'm yet to see a viable combi boiler replacement that's got the efficiency of a heat pump. Direct water heaters like elec boilers are very expensive to run. Can be a "net zero" heating system, but requires a lot of energy in to process. But technology is always moving forward and someone will be working on something to replace combi boilers, too much money to be had if they can get it working 😉

[@andrewarends2962]

Enjoy the huge electric bills !

[@SpeakToTheGeekTech]

Well perhaps, but my calculations show that it should cost the same as gas. I'll use about 1/3 of the energy compared to my old gas system, but at peak it's about 3x the cost which basically cancels itself out. However a lot of my energy can come from the batteries charged off-peak, meaning my running cost will be between 60-100% of the gas cost roughly on average over the season. I'll be tracking it closely especially as I have good data for my gas usage last winter for comparison.