Heat pumps slammed as ‘inefficient’ technology – YOU VOTED

What is the £5000 boiler heat pump payment?

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The majority of Express.co.uk readers would not install a heat pump to improve the energy efficiency of their homes, a new poll has found. Property designer Kevin McCloud has encouraged British households to save on their energy bills by replacing gas boilers.

The presenter of Channel 4’s Grand Designs told The Telegraph last month: “[Heat pumps] are getting more efficient, but I’d say get one now. 

“They’re still a little expensive but the point is that it’s not complex technology and it’s not really going to change in terms of the offer.

“All that is going to happen over the next 10 years is that they’ll come down in price because they will be produced in vast volumes.”

In response to Mr McCloud’s comments, Express.co.uk ran a poll from 2pm on Saturday, September 24, to midday on Monday, October 3, askingreaders: “Would you install a heat pump to improve the energy efficiency of your home?”

Overall, 4,997 people responded with the overwhelming majority, 92 percent (4,575 people) answering “no”, they would not install a heat pump to improve their home’s energy efficiency.

Meanwhile, seven percent (359 people) said “yes” they would, and one percent (63 people) said they did not know either way.

Hundreds of comments were left below the accompanying article as readers took part in a lively debate on the effectiveness of heat pumps.

Most readers argued against installing a heat pump over a gas boiler in their homes, with username sleepythemackem commenting: “I’m after warmth and affordability, not energy efficiency.”

Username Made in Britain said: “Expensive to install, expensive to run, inefficient, noisy pieces of scrap metal and most houses are not suitable for them.”

Meanwhile, username Syndicalism wrote: “Not in a million years!”

And username Made in Britain said: “I wouldn’t have one if they were free!”

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Some readers commented that there were better investments to improve energy efficiency.

Username uncivilservant said: “There are far more impactful improvements on which I could spend the cost of installing a heat pump.”

Likewise, username Nosirrah wrote: “Air source heat pumps are efficient in warmer temperatures but when it’s cold, they are very inefficient. Cheaper and more energy efficient to insulate!”

And username BackfromtheFuture said: “As a chartered engineer I can confirm for space and hot water heating a heat pump is not more efficient than a modern condensing gas boiler.”

However, other readers were more positive towards heat pump installation, with username Viking4 writing: “I had a heat pump installed two-and-a-half years ago and we are happy with it. Efficient and even temperature year round. “

While username turqoisenoise said: “Yes, in a few years once the price comes down and the technology improves as it invariably does with new products.”

Heat pump installation costs between £10,000 and £14,000 – up to 10 times more than the average £1,500 gas boiler.

The UK Government aims to have 600,000 heat pumps installed annually by 2028.

Ministers also want the cost of buying and running a heat pump to be the same as fossil fuel boilers by 2030 at the latest.

To help Britons make the switch, the Government set up the Boiler Upgrade Scheme in March, which offers a £5,000 subsidy to homeowners to put towards the cost of a heat pump.

Households also face a zero rate of VAT for installing clean heating measures.

Business and energy minister Lord Callanan said: “In light of rising global gas and oil prices, getting low-carbon heating technology into homes is a priority for this government as it will help households ditch the costly fossil fuels that are driving up bills.

“Heat pumps are a proven, reliable technology that uses cheaper renewable energy produced in the UK.”

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