This project came to Prof Heat Services from a homeowner in Crewe running an old direct electric boiler, looking to move to a more efficient way of heating their home with a heat pump. The result was a full heat pump installation, a neatly hidden cylinder, and a customer who was able to claim the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant towards the cost.
Why an Electric Boiler Is the Perfect Candidate for a Heat Pump
A direct electric boiler is already about as efficient as it can be at turning electricity into heat, typically rated around 100 percent efficiency, since almost none of the energy is lost in the process. The problem is not efficiency in the strict sense, it is that a heat pump can do dramatically better using the exact same electricity supply. Rather than generating heat directly, a heat pump moves existing heat from the outside air into the home, and this particular installation is now running at between 350 and 400 percent efficiency, meaning three and a half to four times more heat is produced for the same unit of electricity that the old electric boiler was using.
Because both the old system and the new one run on electricity rather than comparing electricity against gas, this is about as clear a before and after as it gets. Nothing changed about how the home is heated, only how efficiently the electricity going into it is being used.
Fitting the Cylinder Into a Kitchen Cupboard
Space was tight for this installation, and rather than losing a section of floor space to a stand-alone cylinder, the hot water cylinder was fitted into an existing kitchen cupboard. Getting the sizing and pipework right to make this fit properly meant the finished installation is barely noticeable day to day, with the cupboard door closing exactly as it did before.
Running the Pipework Through the Loft
With the cylinder position decided, the primary pipework connecting it to the outdoor unit was run through the loft space rather than being exposed through the living areas of the home. This kept the installation tidy and out of sight, with no visible pipework disrupting any of the finished rooms.
The Outdoor Unit
The heat pump’s outdoor unit was positioned to work efficiently while keeping noise and visual impact to a minimum, drawing heat from the outside air even in cold weather. You can find out more about how this efficiency figure is calculated and what it means in practice.
Simple Controls for the Homeowner
The finished system was handed over with a clear control panel, giving the homeowner straightforward control over heating and hot water without needing to understand the technical detail behind how the heat pump actually works.
Claiming the Boiler Upgrade Scheme Grant
As part of this project, the homeowner was able to claim the government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant towards the cost of moving from an electric boiler to a heat pump. If you are considering a similar switch, our guide to heat pump grants in Crewe and Nantwich covers what is currently available and how the grant works.
What This Project Involved
- Removal of an old direct electric boiler
- Full heat pump installation, improving efficiency from around 100% to between 350% and 400%
- Hot water cylinder fitted discreetly into an existing kitchen cupboard
- Primary pipework routed through the loft to keep the installation out of sight
- Outdoor unit sited for efficient, low-impact operation
- Simple handover with a clear, easy to use control panel
- Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant successfully claimed towards the cost
Considering a Heat Pump for Your Home in Crewe?
If you are currently heating your home with an electric boiler, a heat pump can offer a genuinely significant efficiency improvement using the same electricity supply you already have. Prof Heat Services can talk through whether a heat pump is the right fit for your property and what the Boiler Upgrade Scheme could mean for the cost.
Get in touch for an honest assessment and a free no-obligation quote, covering Crewe, Nantwich, Sandbach and the surrounding Cheshire area. Full details on the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant used on this project are available directly from Ofgem’s guidance for property owners.
Need some additional advice or help?
Call us today for a free no-obligation quote. Gas Safe registered, locally based, and serving Crewe, Nantwich and the surrounding Cheshire area.
