Hybrid heating system provides constant comfort at cost-saving lower temperature

Hull homeowner Ben Andrew is watching his home energy bills carefully to measure the benefits of switching from an all-gas heating and hot water system to a combination of gas boiler and air source heat pump.

What was the previous system?

Our three-bedroomed 1970s semi had a gas combi boiler that provided hot water at 70oC on demand – either from the kitchen and bathroom taps or from the heating thermostat. This meant there was no need for hot water storage

Why did you decide to make the change?

I am a heat pump sales engineer, so was keen to explore for myself the latest technology’s opportunities for energy cost savings and improved comfort levels for our family of three.

What have you actually installed?

We now have a 4kW Daikin Altherma Hybrid Monobloc system. The heat pump is at the rear of the house, beneath the kitchen window. In the garage we’ve replaced the old boiler with a more efficient one. 

Have you made any other changes?

The heat pump delivers water at 50°c, so to enjoy the same feeling of warmth as before, we have changed three radiators downstairs for larger ones and installed a fourth.

Have you noticed any difference?

The systems is set to maintain 18°c by day and 17°c by night. But the biggest compliment is that my wife has not said she’s noticed any real difference.

What about the running costs?

The way to run a heat pump efficiently is to keep the house at a constant temperature. This is also good for the fabric of the building and its contents. It’s probably too early for cost comparisons, but I’ll certainly be looking for savings in the overall number of kilowatt hours consumed.