When homeowners Rob and Diane Menhinick decided to upgrade their home’s heating system, they opted for a more sustainable solution. They replaced their aging gas boiler with a Daikin heat pump, seamlessly integrating it with their existing solar panels, solar battery and solar diverter. The result? A highly efficient, eco-friendly system that maximises renewable energy.
Living in a four-bedroom detached home built in 2004 on the outskirts of Attleborough, Norfolk, the Menhinicks were motivated by several factors: reducing energy costs, future-proofing their home, lowering their carbon footprint, and making better use of their existing solar energy setup.
While the upfront investment was significant, the long-term benefits made it worthwhile. “We plan to live at our current home for the rest of our lives and hope that the system will pay back the installation cost in our lifetime and probably within 10 years,” says Rob. “The government grant for heat pump installation also helped, allowing us to replace our inefficient gas boiler with a heat pump system for not much more than the cost of a new gas boiler.”
A smooth installation in just one week
The installation took place over a week in February 2024 during cold and wet conditions. Some modifications were necessary to ensure the system ran at peak efficiency, including installing new radiators, upgrading pipework for three radiators, and fitting a new hot water tank and thermostat.
The Menhinicks chose Octopus for the installation and were very pleased with the process and support. The Octopus quote, which included replacing most of the radiators and pressurised hot water cylinder, was lower than competitor quotes who had not priced for larger radiators but who had instead specified a larger wattage heat pump. “We were happy to be able to enjoy heat provided at a lower electrical running cost from a lower wattage Daikin heat pump and to have the benefit of newer and only marginally larger radiators,” says Rob.
The switch to a pressurised hot water cylinder significantly improved their hot water pressure, eliminating the need for an old plastic cold water storage tank in the loft. This not only freed up space but also removed the risk of a potential leak from the aging tank. The new system’s compatibility with a solar diverter allowed them to heat water using solar energy, reducing reliance on the heat pump for hot water.