A prominent sector expert is advising against ‘improvised’ installations for so-called ‘remote’ heat pump installations, in order to avoid low-quality installations. This message, from polymer pipework manufacturer REHAU, comes amid a nationwide push on the technology, with the Government targeting 600,000 installations per year by 2028.
In order to help drive uptake, the flagship Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) was introduced in April 2022, offering homeowners grants of between £5,000 and £6,000 off the total cost of installation.
Remote heat pump installations
Steve Richmond is calling attention to the unique needs of ‘remote’ heat pump installations
However, Steve Richmond, Head of Marketing & Technical at REHAU Building Solutions, is calling attention to the unique needs of ‘remote’ heat pump installations, wherein the unit cannot be placed directly next to the property.
He said, “With the Government setting an ambitious target of 600,000 heat pump installations per year by 2028, ensuring that all eligible properties are able to benefit from this technology will be key to achieving this goal."
Extra specification criteria
Steve Richmond adds, “This includes homes where heat pumps cannot be installed directly next to the property. This can be for a variety of reasons, including noise reasons, lack of space, or poor air circulation."
He continues, "Whatever the reason may be, there are extra specification criteria for these projects that must be considered to ensure they remain efficient.”
need for underground pre-insulated pipework
Specifically, Steve is referring to the need for underground pre-insulated pipework to carry heat and hot water between the heat pump and the property without heat losses.
He stated, “As you’d expect, the greater the distance between the heat source and the property, the higher the heat losses are going to be. For this reason, if a heat pump is situated at the end of the garden for example, it is necessary for the heat and hot water to be transported via pre-insulated pipework in order to minimize these losses."
Benefits of direct installation
There may be a temptation to improvise using standard plumbing pipework wrapped in some insulation"
Steve Richmond continues, “There may be a temptation to improvise using standard plumbing pipework wrapped in some insulation and bury it underground, but this will not be a watertight or thermally efficient solution."
He further said, "In turn, this would likely lead to inefficient operation of the heat pump itself, and much higher energy bills for the homeowner. For this reason, we’re calling attention to the needs of these projects to ensure they are able to draw the same benefits as heat pumps installed directly next to the property.”
RAUVITHERM
REHAU’s RAUVITHERM is a flexible twin pre-insulated PE-Xa pipework in a robust outer polyethylene jacket, designed for underground use, and with low heat losses from its PEX foam layers. For heat pump applications, no specialist tools are required for the installation.
RAUVITHERM is also manufactured in the UK and is available cut to length to avoid any wastage and to ensure short lead times and high stock availability.
