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Heating an ancient barn using a heat pump
Can a heat pump keep a converted 400-year-old barn warm? Yes, it can.
That’s one of the interesting facts in an article in the Nov 20 Sunday Times article on heat pumps. The upbeat article Everything you need to know about heat pumps highlights the case of John Taylor, 71, who installed a heat pump in his historic converted barn in Matlock, Derbyshire.
No cavity walls here! The walls are solid stone (like in our dear Suburb). However, he did top up the loft insulation and paid £1,600 to install some larger radiators.
Mr Taylor is quoted saying that many people say heat pumps don’t work. His response:
“They do if you get the right people to install it. Plumbers are not the right people. You need a specialist heating company.”
His 7kw heat pump is made by Vaillant - interestingly, one of the largest brands of gas boilers in the UK. Clearly, Vaillant are hedging their bets.
The link to the article is here, but NB it is a paid site.
The article also includes a photo of Mr Taylor's heat pump wrapped in stone-pattern vinyl to make it less conspicuous.
At the HGS RA meeting on heat pumps on November 10, one of the speakers, Aaron Ware of heat pump installers CB Heating, said his firm offered this wrapping services but no one ever took them up on the service.
You can look at the photo of Mr Taylor and his camouflaged heat pump by clicking on this link. Judge for yourself whether it blends in.
Note: the article wrongly states that planning permission is not required for a heat pump. That's the case in much of the UK but in HGS the approval of the Trust is required.
For more on this important way of cutting your CO2 footprint read the HGS RA guide Heat pumps on the Suburb: myths and realities
Article created:21st November 2022 Last updated:21st November 2022