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Does anyone know a reputable installer of Heat Pumps who could help a friend of mine? She lives in Brighton, her gas boiler is effectively dead, and she's interested in replacing it with a heat pump but doesn't know where to start/ concerned about getting a Bodgit and Scarper installer...

If the gas boiler is coming out.

Type of property. ?

Has it got underfloor heating of enough volume in every room to supply heat when the heat pump runs at a lot lower temperature than the gas boiler.

Has it got radiators in every room much bigger than normal gas boiler size to warm each room because the heat pump flow temperature is a lot lower than the gas boiler.

Is the hot water supply temperature going to be hot enough.

A boiler works at a high flow temperature of around 75°C, but an air source heat pump operates at a lower temperature — around 35°C to 45°C

Because the system will run at a lot lower temperature. The whole house design needs looking into.



What's wrong with the gas boiler. ?

Yeah I know all that, and they are all the right considerations which I have already highlighted, but it's a friend's house and her boiler is on the blink (doesn't generate any hot water) and she's asked me if I know someone who actually puts these things in people's houses!

Gas boiler not working.

Is it a thermocouple that needs replacing. ( thermocouple cost 6£ )
Is the gas boiler Bloke having her over. ?

dan_b wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 5:52 pm......................, but it's a friend's house and her boiler is on the blink (doesn't generate any hot water)

3 way valve stuck ?, which is a very common and relatively easy fault to fix.

nowty wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 6:07 pm

dan_b wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2023 5:52 pm......................, but it's a friend's house and her boiler is on the blink (doesn't generate any hot water)

3 way valve stuck ?, which is a very common and relatively easy fault to fix.

Good point
The only thing that has ever gone wrong with our GCH (so far) is the motorised valves. 1 opens - used to open - when the water cylinder needs heating, the other when the house needs warmth.
The water one failed repeatedly (so it is now isolated and left open (once the [top of the] cylinder gets hot I have realised that it has no effect) and the GCH/house one gets changed occasionally as needed - once or maybe twice in 40 years.

I was alerted to this by one of my early bosses who told me how his system had failed and they had to take up carpets and floorboards to get at the culprit - a motorised valve. Maybe I was lucky or we put the heating in after this, but our 2 valves are in the airing cupboard and easily accessible.
Then when our CH valve actuator failed I was able to just twiddle the valve spindle and fit a new motor / electric bit.

Turned out well because a plumber was telling my dad the whole house would have to be drained down to change a valve on their C/H as the actuator had failed: Dad was able to show him the actuator alone at Screwfix or somewhere which the plumber claimed not to know about but it saved dad hundreds of pounds.

I'm not saying his system wasn't neglected, or wouldn't have benefited from draining, cleaning, purging and refilling with inhibitor, or that the valve itself wouldn't burn out another actuator in time, but it was a quick cheap fix.
A

Does anyone know a reputable installer of Heat Pumps who could help a friend of mine?

Maybe try the octopus online quote system ?

Moxi

A woman down the road here was told she needed a new boiler.

On arrival. The motorised valve was pushed open. Held in place by bending the lever arm.
Boiler was running within two minutes.
Motor was replaced next day.

Well if she's still interested, cool easy / heat easy, have teams in different areas..
No idea as to whether they are part of any over priced govt scheme nowadays, but I might start there.