Argument over heat load

[kenneal - lagger]

I was just pointing out to people who might be looking at a heat pump installation that they should look at the quote given by the salesman very carefully. You were lucky with your salesman but others might not be. Heat pump salesmen have the same reputation as solar heating salesmen, double glazing salesmen and journalists: never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

It's very important to get the cost of the installation pinned down before signing as any alterations later on can add disproportionate costs as the company tries to bump up the profit margin on a job.

As to my statements about COP being rubbish, I thought I did a rather good job of describing your installation before you had told me about it. I was pleased about the high, moving water table bit which makes a huge difference to the running and costs of your installation.

I notice that you didn't criticise my comments about the continually increasing economic thickness of insulation though. The big advantage with insulation is that it has no running costs, no maintenance costs and no replacement costs after 15 to 20 years. My clients' external wall insulation is still saving them money after over thirty years and will continue to do so for another thirty years at least adding value to their house in the process.

I'm not the one getting cross but then I'm not the one who has spent 10 grand on system that is still costing him an arm and a leg to run, am I?

[An Inspector Calls]

Apart from the last para, where you still haven't grasped that my 'high running costs' are exactly the same as if I'd insulated.

Well, apart for the need to replace the heat pump every two/three decades - but then, does insulation last that long? We've just replaced all our loft insulation after ~30 years and it badly needed doing.

[extractorfan]

I wish I understood this argument..

[Bandidoz]

In a nutshell:

Both Inspector and Kenneal have reduced the "energy input to heat their homes" to something IRO 1 to 2 kW, but have taken different approaches:

* Ken has insulated and thermal-inertia-d his place to reduce its "heat load"
* Inspector has installed a ground-source heat pump to heat his home more efficiently

Ken prefers insulation and mass over GSHP
Inspector prefers his GSHP

And they're arguing a toss over how you define "heat load", as well as having some ego trips on the way.


(no offence intended to either party BTW)

[An Inspector Calls]

Non taken.