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Heat pump FAQ

Community groups in one of Project LEO’s Smart and Fair Neighbourhood trials has put together a list of commonly asked questions and answers around heat pumps.

To take action on climate change and reduce the carbon emissions from heating and cooling our homes, there has been a growing interest in heat pumps in the UK.

You might be considering if a heat pump could save you money, whether it can keep you warm and supplied with hot water, and whether it would be suitable for your home.

The concept may seem strange to us, but actually in all our homes we have fridges, and it’s very much like a fridge working back to front.

Geordie Stewart – Cosy Homes Oxfordshire

Low Carbon Hub, with help from Deddington Environment Network and Sustainable Duns Tew, and Cosy Homes Oxfordshire have put together some of the most frequently asked questions to help you find out the key information on cost, experience and suitability of heat pumps.

The resource has been put together as part of the Project LEO Smart and Fair Neighbourhood trial to help enable more homeowners to benefit from flexibility in the energy grid by adopting smart, low carbon technology.

Everyone’s home is different. Before purchasing a heat pump, we recommend researching installers and having an appropriate tradesperson check your home for suitability and assess additional measures. You may need to take to upgrade the fabric of your home (e.g. improve insulation).

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Here’s some useful links if you’d like to find out more:

Are you worried about fuel bills and keeping warm?

Low Carbon West Oxford has put together this list of resources, energy saving advice and sources of possible funding that could help.

Services for those ‘bigger actions’

If you’re ready to make improvements to your home to improve your energy efficiency, here are some services that could help.

  • Finding contractors in your area: If you’re looking to do work yourself and need help finding trusted building professionals, we’d recommend taking a look at Trustmark or searching on the Buy With Confidence website. You can also ask Better Housing Better Health.
  • Cosy Homes Oxfordshire is a whole house retrofit service, offering homeowners in Oxfordshire expertise on improving the energy efficiency of their homes. Go to their free Plan Builder to find out what energy saving measures you could benefit from and to register for the service. They also have free resources on their website about improving your home’s energy efficiency: www.cosyhomesoxfordshire.org

Renting?

For private renters, check your EPC. If your home is below ‘band E’, your landlord is obliged to make some changes to make your home more energy efficient. See here for more information.

In social housing? Contact your council for help.

Useful websites:

  • Find a 1.5-hour ‘How to improve your home to use less energy’ workshop video, links to information sheets and more at www.lowcarbonwestoxford.org.uk/energy-use-at-home/
  • www.bhbh.org.uk https://applyforleap.org.uk www.cse.org.uk/advice
  • www.bhbh.org.uk/household-energy-advice/
  • www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy www.moneysupermarket.com/gas-and-electricity
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