Retro fitting Heat Pump to a traditional Oil Central Heating System

Road-Hog · 22-02-2017 12:11AM #1

Hi there, looking for some advice on the above. Moving house shortly, existing heating system is oil fired with rads and is circa 17-18 years old all single zone, house has a BER of D1.

Firstly is it possible/practical to install an air to water heat pump that will adequately heat the rads and hot water.

I've done some 'google based' research which gives mixed views but a common comment is that rads and hot water with an the air/water heat pump will not reach the same temps as conventional oil/gas systems, also heat pumps are more suitable to under floor systems as opposed to conventional radiators.

Secondly what sort of capital costs would I be looking at, house is approx. 2,300 sq ft and has eleven 17-18 year old radiators?

Finally, are there grants still available if it proved practical to carry out the above

drunkmonkey · 22-02-2017 12:36AM

Came across that dilema when our oil boiler packed up a year after buying a house about the same size but with 26 rads, it's now 30 rads as we converted upstairs.
Is the boiler broke, it's getting near its end but worth maybe getting serviced won't cost much if it's still ok.
We totted up all the costs and couldn't make the heat pump work, I think it would have become cost neutral after maybe 7/8 years just wasn't worth it.

Is it definitely just the one system can't be zoned out at all?

You can make 2 zones with the hot water on 1 and rads on another with something like a google nest, you get wireless radiator thermostat valves and control the rads that way but it's expensive and probably not worth it.
I'd to change the hot water tank when doing upstairs put in a solar one so when solar gets a lot cheaper can heat the water that way, the tank has 2 coils one for oil and one for solar but we just linked the 2 coils to the oil for now which helps the water heat quicker as it's a large tank.

Personally I'd plough the money into getting the house well insulated, if there's an attic think about insulating it for the future just in case you decide to use it. It's not as simple as just throwing down insulation and will cost a good bit to do right.

I've just finished the job literally, heating the water and rads and keeping the house both floors at or close to 20 (were letting the nest do most of the heating automatically using home and away assist etc). Averaging heating on about 2hrs a day at the moment, not sure if that good but it's a fraction of what it used to be 2 weeks ago.

Next job is air quality indoors, humidity is nearly a constant 55% at the moment, not sure if that's good or bad but feel the air could be fresher. No nothing about it so that's my next learning curve.
That's it then, plumbing, heating, insulation all done.

Loads of places to spend money, spending €1k on a new efficient oil boiler might leave you with a good bit of change over going the air to water route to spend on other things which you haven't thought of yet.

newacc2015 · 22-02-2017 12:40AM

My understanding is that heat pumps aren't effective in a house unless there is pretty good insulation. Heat pumps dont heat up rads as much as a normal boiler, so your house needs to be pretty good at retaining heat to be warm. I doubt your house is capable of that.

An oil condenser boiler will help with your bills.

Retro fitting Heat Pump to a traditional Oil Central Heating System

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