The ownership cost of a ground source heat pump for Heat the Streets customers in Stithians is lower than remaining on oil, by almost £300 a year. We are immensely pleased that Heat the Streets customers will be able to benefit from this saving, even with oil currently being at a lower cost. However, we have already seen oil price rise in Northern Ireland this Autumn and expect, as per previous trends, for UK oil prices to follow suit, making the saving margin for Heat the Streets customers even greater!
Additionally, customers will not have the inconvenience of the annual servicing of an oil boiler and will benefit from the extended lifespan of a GSHP, of approximately 25 years, compared to 12 years for an oil boiler. Furthermore, with the Government’s target to be net zero carbon by 2050 and ongoing open consultation into the phasing out of fossil fuel boilers, Heat the Streets customers are contributing to a cleaner, greener environment, benefitting from improved air quality and future proofing their homes.
Ground source heat pumps currently provide the lowest carbon heat and further reductions in the planned carbon intensity of electricity generation mean further savings are expected. Alongside these environmental and immediate financial savings a report entitled Better Homes, Cooling Planet, produced by WWF and Scottish Power claims installing low carbon technologies could increase property values by an average of £10,000.
In Hendra Close eleven boreholes have now been drilled to up 150 meters deep and are hidden below the ground. Heat will be continuously captured by this underground infrastructure for more than one hundred years, ensuring residents remain warm throughout the year with minimal maintenance.
Now that the first heat pumps have recently been installed inside private homes in Stithians, we spoke with a couple of residents about their new systems, our first install was in a home that was previously heated with a multi-burner:
“I was prepared for the disruption, but you don’t get this all singing and dancing new system without some disruption.
I had a multi-burner before and this is going to make things so much easier, I don’t have to worry about bringing the coal in.
The team were very nice and accommodating and happy to answer questions through the whole process. I felt comfortable leaving the house to let them get on with it, and they left the house clean and tidy when they were done.
I am definitely going to be saving money, we’re happy, happy.” Julie, Hendra Close.
There are a variety of heating systems that are being replaced within the village and the second property that was retrofitted had an air source heat pump:
“We’ve put up with a poorly installed air source for 9 years, it’s good to have a system that works.
Our water pressure has got a lot better; everything has improved and we have heat in every room.
When the air source is removed it will give me more space in the garden.
I couldn’t believe how quick everybody worked, it all happened so fast. I would speak to them in the morning before going to work, they’d tell me what they would be doing, and they would be tidying up when I got home.” Lowenna, Hendra Close.
The retrofitting of heating systems in Hendra Close will continue over the next few weeks, whilst the drill rig has now moved to Rose Meadow. We expect to start installing heat pumps in properties in Rose Meadow week commencing 21st November.