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Why the Boiler Upgrade Scheme isn’t fit for purpose

Ofgem has announced that the energy price cap will further rise from £1,971 to £2,800 in October this year, amid an ongoing cost of living crisis and a volatile gas market. 

Energy experts are critical of the government's newest programme  – the Boiler Upgrade Scheme – suggesting it is unfit for most UK consumers in helping ease the energy bill squeeze.

The government opened BUS applications recently, offering grants for switching to greener heating alternatives. Through BUS, applicants can get £6,000 off the cost and installation of a ground source heat pump, £5,000 for an air source heat pump, and £5,000 for a biomass boiler. The latter, however, only applies to rural areas and properties that are off the gas grid.

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On paper, the aim of the scheme is to reduce the UK’s CO2 footprint. It would also decrease the UK’s dependence on gas, which continues to be a volatile market. Moreover, a ground source heat pump, for example, increases the value of a property, is extremely energy efficient and may, in turn, reduce one’s council tax bill.

How realistic it is to have a heat pump installed is an entirely different story. Boiler Central believes that the two biggest downsides of heat pumps are incompatibility with most homes and, when compatible, still extremely high upfront costs, even with a government grant. 

The latter is an issue for at least 28 per cent of UK residents, who think that improving their home’s energy efficiency would cost too much, according to the most recent survey from the Office for National Statistics regarding energy efficiency in Great Britain.

 As you can tell from the name, the way in which ground source and air source heat pumps work is by collecting heat either from the ground or the air.

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Pros

If your home is suitable for ground source heat pumps, they are perfect especially for underfloor heating. Compared to air source ones, they provide more renewable heating, capable of drawing more heat for less effort and require little-to-no electricity to run. They are also far less dependent on the weather, compared to air source heat pumps which struggle to draw warmth from cooler air temperatures, just when you need the heating the most.

Conversely, considering the hot summers we have had in the past few years, if your home is suitable for either an air source or a ground source heat pump, you will be glad to know that both of them can double as cooling systems.

Once installed, ground source heat pumps can last up to 25 years, compared to weather-battered air source heat pumps that only last a decade. Gas boilers last around 15 years.

It seems counterintuitive, but ground source heat pumps generally do not require planning permissions, which may likely be the case for air source heat pumps. That is because the latter can change the exterior of a property and generate some noise pollution. Meanwhile, ground source heat pumps, though you will need to have a hole dug into the ground, do not change the exterior of a property.

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Cons

Now let’s dive into the cons, which sadly render installing heat pumps unrealistic for a lot of UK homes. First of all, the costs are immense, and these can multiply if some parts of your existing heating system are incompatible with the heat pump system, such as radiators, emitters or any pipework. Ground source heat pump installation costs can add up to an eye-watering £35,000, of which the government can slash £6,000 off through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. 

Compared to a £2,000 hydrogen-ready boiler and even £7,000 for an air source heat pump, this is clearly out of most people’s reach.

Assuming you have the funds, do not expect that you are in the clear. Unfortunately, not every home is suitable for heat pump installation. If you live in a flat above ground level, for example, you obviously have nowhere to dig a hole for the ground source heat pump, nor is it worth bothering to get planning permission for an air source heat pump that will last you less than a boiler, which you will need anyway for when it is cold outside and the pump struggles to extract heat.

Let’s say you have enough funds, you have the space and the planning permissions for either heat pump and you are committed to lowering your carbon footprint. You probably already have a combi boiler or a hydrogen-ready boiler which means that, unfortunately, you do not qualify for the BUS grant because the government deems those with already low-carbon heating systems ineligible. Nor are new build properties, unless you are building your own home.

The reality is that most homeowners are looking for immediate solutions to cutting their gas bills because of the cost-of-living crisis. They most certainly do not have tens of thousands of pounds to spare. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is not for them – it is for those who can already afford the significant upfront costs of a greener heating system.

Who is eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?

 BUS runs across England and Wales for owners of both domestic and small non-domestic properties. 

They need to be switching from a fossil fuel system, meaning those with an already low-carbon heating system do not qualify for the grant. Other requirements include having an insulation capacity of up to 45kWth and a valid Energy Performance Certificate without any outstanding recommendations for loft or cavity wall insulation, unless exempt.

Myles Robinson is a heating ecxpert from Boiler Central *

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    I installed a single room heat pump to replace a gas fire. Next time the EPC was done it was downgraded, as I had replaced a gas appliance with an electric one. Some incentive.

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    Seems a very good article.

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    Smoke and mirrors….. what about those houses (millions of them), built in to 30’s with either no cavity or a 2inch one, no insulation in the floor and a central heating system with 8mm pipes (very common)….. utter nonsense, this will not benefit the majority of Uk homes.

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    I have 8mm central heating pipework in my large 3 bed detached home.. It has performed perfectly for the last 47 years. No furring up, no blockages, nothing. Gone through 3 boilers though and 3 of the radiators are original as well.

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    Very true chaps.its aiming for Eutopia. British properties have been a fantastic development and investment. It's been cheaper to burn hydrocarbons instead of using them to insulate. It's basically communism, with the end result being the ultra rich get more powerful.

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    William I did use this micro bore nylon central heating pipe work about 50 years ago and it worked very well often plumbed using a manifold system where you could run individual rads separately or isolate if required, hence a bigger a diameter supply pipe was not necessary.

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    My system is copper with pipework to each radiator running from and returning to a central manifold.

     
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