As we enter spring and the weather starts becoming warmer (finally!) you may find yourself turning down, or even turning off, your heating. Replacing your boiler or switching to a greener heating solution is probably not at the forefront of your mind right now as you’re relying on it less during the warmer months. However, now is actually the perfect time of year to ditch your boiler and switch to a heat pump. Here’s why.
Waiting until a boiler is on its last legs before replacing it is something many of us are guilty of. Putting your boiler to the back of your mind until you really have to deal with it - there is water leaking out or your heating has packed in - is not uncommon. However, if you’re considering switching to a heat pump then thinking ahead could be beneficial in the long-run.
Waiting until your boiler stops working means that you will then be under pressure to replace it as quickly as possible, particularly if you rely on it for hot water and aren’t keen on cold showers! You won’t have as much time to thoroughly research a replacement and find the perfect greener alternative heating system for your home.
At Thermly, we make installing a heat pump super simple. Our trusted installers do much of the work for you to support you through the process and significantly speed it up. However, it can take more time to switch to a heat pump than replace a gas boiler with a new one. Deciding now to make that switch gives you time to use Thermly’s platform to find out if your home is heat pump ready; learn what you need to do if it’s not; apply for up to £7,500 government funding towards the installation cost; and choose the right heat pump and installer for your home.
When it comes to installing a heat pump, the process can take a few days depending on your home and the work required. During this time, the heating needs to be switched off. Therefore, having a heat pump installed when the weather is warmer might be the better option.
You’ll thank yourself come the winter months when you have a lovely and cosy all-round warmth in your home thanks to your new heat pump. Plus, doing your bit to protect the environment by switching to an energy efficient, low carbon heat pump will no doubt give you a warm and fuzzy feeling too.
Jennifer Armstrong, who had a heat pump installed via Thermly, said: “I think we should all not be using fossil fuels so having a heat pump installed is our effort to decarbonise.
“Gas boilers don’t go on forever and the moment will come when you have to make a decision what to do and I don’t think, morally, we would have been comfortable replacing ours with another gas boiler. It will make us feel much better knowing we have taken this step to decarbonise our home.”
If you care about the environment, you may have already made changes to your home to make it more energy efficient, such as installing solar panels or insulating your property. Installing a heat pump could be the final piece of your green energy jigsaw to futureproof your home and make it more environmentally friendly. But don’t wait until the winter.
Recent figures show that there was a huge surge in heat pump installations in UK homes last year, with record numbers recorded (link to BBC article https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3e4nlxlq08o). As the government has a target to install hundreds of thousands every year as part of its Net Zero plan to tackle climate change, there is likely to be another surge in demand this winter. Now is the time to get ahead of that expected rush. By installing a heat pump in spring, you can avoid the peak demand during the winter, making it easier to schedule survey and installation time with your preferred installer (Thermly will help you with this as well, by the way!).
Spring is also a great time to test the performance of your new heat pump and ensure that it is working efficiently and effectively before the colder winter months arrive.
So, if you’re considering making the switch to a heat pump, don’t wait until the winter. Take some time now to read up about them on Thermly’s website. You may just end up thanking yourself later in the year.
Our short Heat Pump Readiness Assessment is free, and only takes a few minutes. Sometimes a bit longer with a cup of tea...
