When Geoff Shepherd was quoted a highly competitive price to install a heat pump in his home – courtesy of the Government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme – he couldn’t quite believe it. He had been looking for a way to keep his house warm all day, but didn’t realise it would be so straightforward.
In fact, the 59-year-old from Atherton, Greater Manchester, was so pleased with the service from Octopus Energy that he later decided to install solar panels and a battery, slashing his reliance on the grid to almost zero. He’s managed to keep his home cosy and warm, even during winter’s coldest snap, only drawing from the grid in peak times over three days.
An easy installation
A self-confessed early adopter of green tech, Geoff had been researching heat pumps and had previously contacted his gas and electricity provider, Octopus, for a quote.
“At age 59, I wanted to protect myself from any future price increases and I didn’t want to be scared to put the heating on day and night,” he explains. “My initial quote request was quite some time before the BUS (Boiler Upgrade Scheme) grant. Then Octopus contacted me back to say the grant had gone up to £7,500.”
Geoff lives in a modern home, but even he was surprised at the final bill for his heating system once the grant was applied. The whole installation took just four days.
“They let me know a date and a delivery van turned up at 7.30am with all the equipment and the guys,” he says. “They had to knock the heating off, but gave me temporary heating. They told me it would just be four days and it was, and the guys were always keeping me updated.”
Early adopter Geoff Shepherd, from Greater Manchester, secured a £7,500 grant to help future-proof his home against energy price hikesA home transformed
Having a heat pump has changed the way Geoff heats his house and he can manage everything from the Octopus app on his phone.
“Now I just leave my heat pump on 24/7. It’s a constant temperature and feels warm all the time,” he explains. “There’s none of those peaks and troughs you get with a gas boiler. It’s dead quiet as well because the unit is outside. I don’t hear the boiler firing up in the middle of the night like before.”
Geoff went on to invest in more green technology: “I decided to install solar panels and a battery, as well. I had money just sitting in the bank earning three per cent interest.” With the heat pump, solar panels and battery, the Octopus app provides a simple way to check in on everything.
“It’s simple to keep track and manage everything from the app. I’ve got a whole ecosystem here, I feel quite smug with myself,” he says. “The app is so easy to use. I was shown how to use it by the guys who installed it.”
The financial benefits
When Geoff first opted for the heat pump, he expected it to cost about the same amount per month as gas. But for him, it was important to feel he could keep his house warm all day, without worrying about turning the boiler on and off.
“If you’ve just got the heat pump, Octopus Energy has smart tariffs so that you can make it pay for you by using energy when it is at a lower rate,” he explains.
Octopus Energy’s Cosy Octopus tariff provides eight hours of cheaper electricity every day, helping to keep the costs of heating your home down.
Adding solar panels and a battery to the heat pump created a highly efficient system for Geoff’s home – and it made all the difference: “My monthly bill from November to January was just £20 per month. And I hadn’t paid any bills from March to September and was actually £500 in credit. I’ve only had three days pulling energy from the grid at peak rate.”
Geoff says he can leave his heat pump on 24 hours a day to create a constant temperature. ‘It’s dead quiet as well, because the unit is outside,’ he addsAdvice from a heat pump convert
For anyone wondering whether to take the next step and install a heat pump, Geoff says it’s all about looking beyond the headlines and asking people for their personal experience.
“There’s quite a bit of negativity about heat pumps,” he says. “But there’s actually a scheme called Visit a Heat Pump where people invite you round so you can find out more about it. I’m thinking of doing it myself.”
Geoff has become quite the heat pump influencer himself. He points out that he is conducting the interview in shorts in the depths of winter. And he’s had friends ask him about whether they should make the most of the government grant.
“I feel like I’m spreading the word,” he says. “My friends are eager to get themselves a heat pump. A couple are in the process of moving and want to get one installed in their next house.”
His set-up has brought him a better quality of life: “I’m sat here in my shorts and T-shirt,” he laughs.
To find out more and fill out your details for a free heat pump estimate, or to verify claims, visit Octopus Energy
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