Page 5 - HGS Suburb News 151 - Autumn 2022

kept toasty warm on cold January We at HGS REACH don’t have substantial refurb – adding a heat
nights. This myth is busted. firm data but reckon most Suburb pump at this stage is more
Unreliable? Early heat pumps had homes may need an insulation straightforward and will ensure
problems, yes. But so did the first upgrade if they get a heat pump – that your beautiful refurbished
combi boilers. A new, well- maybe reducing heat loss from home is truly future-proof.
maintained unit should be very windows and improving loft The Trust’s guidelines (on their
reliable. Would the Swedes risk insulation. They’re a good idea website) may appear daunting.
freezing to death by installing tech anyhow. But it does underline that But the reality is that applications
that would break down in their installing a heat pump for the first are not only rising fast – but the
near-arctic winters? No. Another time isn’t just a straight swap for a Trust is also taking a constructive
myth busted. combi boiler. The engineer needs approach, and they are being
Noisy? The noise issue requires to assess heat loss in the home overwhelmingly approved.
more careful attention. Their fans and find an appropriate place for Want to know more? Email
hum, so to avoid problems with the external unit which extracts reach@hgsra.org. We can connect
neighbours, they should be sited the heat from the air. Small you to people in the Suburb with
away from a boundary, as noted cottages in HGS may struggle to a heat pump (and nice warm
in the Trust’s guidelines. The find a good place to house the houses). We are also looking at
Heat pumps on the noise, such as it is, is most external heat exchange unit; a few ways to drive down the costs by
using our collective buying power
houses may need some rework to
noticeable when they are running
their heating pipework.
– remember, all 5,000 homes in
hard, heating a home on a cold
winter’s night. It’s unlikely your It’s important to note that heat the Suburb will need a heat pump
Suburb myths and reality neighbours will be enjoying dinner pumps require electric power. So, by 2035. We are looking at street-
in their garden at that time. If
your gas bill for heating and hot
level schemes so installers can
you’re concerned about noise, water will drop to zero, but your create standard installations for
JONATHAN WAXMAN heat our homes. That is 30,000 contact us below, you can visit a electric bill will rise. However, by similar houses to drive down
& GREN MANUEL tonnes of carbon dioxide added house with heat pumps and test if 2021 UK’s electric power supply costs further. Stay tuned for this.
to our atmosphere and way above you can hear a few metres away. was already 50% carbon-free, and If you’ve got a heat pump,
magine scientists invented a the average UK home per square Expensive? The picture here is more by 2035 the target is 100%. we’d also like to hear from you.
machine that could generate foot. Indeed, we live in HGGS – complex and changing. Cost And change is going to come. We’d like to know which firms are
I renewable energy from nothing the High Greenhouse Gas Suburb. depends on the house size, which The government has banned gas doing a good job so we can help
more than air. Imagine it could We must bring those figures affects the unit size. (Here, for boilers from new houses from others to a trouble-free installation.
provide hot water and central down and eliminate them – get simplicity, we will talk only about 2025, and existing gas boilers We will also help people
heating for a whole house – and it them to zero! The UK government heat pumps that collect heat from cannot be replaced after 2035. No improve their energy efficiency by
was no larger than a garden wants to do that by 2050; we at the air, which are the cheapest technology can take their place at loaning a thermal camera that
barbeque. Imagine no more. HGS REACH think the Suburb and most common). Installing present other than heat pumps. helps identify draughts, poor
That invention is the heat pump should aim for 2040. your first heat pump may cost two If you’re installing a new gas insulation, and other ways heat
and houses across the Suburb are After all, we don’t want to or even three times a new combi boiler before the winter, it’s likely (and your money!) is escaping
installing them, making a massive regularly bake as we did this boiler. One reason is that they are to be your last. Better yet, start your home. The RA has generously
cut to their CO2 emissions. The summer (triggering further mechanically more complex than fact-finding on heat pumps. funded the purchase of this
Trust is seeing a sharp rise in subsidence problems as our clay a combi boiler – that is slowly Nothing can slash your carbon technology, and it will be free for
applications to install one, and dries); we also don’t want to improving. The other is a shortage footprint as effectively. This HGSRA members. Stay tuned for
they are getting approved. repeat the flooding of Summer of qualified fitters, keeping fitting applies even more if you plan a this also.
The gas boilers that heat most 2021. We also don’t want Vladimir costs high. The government is
homes in the Suburb are on their Putin to have the power to raise attempting to fix this by offering HGS REACH HACKATHON*
way out. Government policy will our household energy bills, like grants that cut the price of new
see them banned for sale in 2035. the 54% coming in October. installations of air source heat HGS REACH would like to get residents started on their own heat
And quite right too. They’re a Heat pumps work because, pumps by £5,000 to stimulate pump journey! We will be running a hackathon this winter to gather
20th-century solution to our even on the coldest days, there is increased demand and training. as much information as we can about HGS homes – so that we can all
heating problems, belching out still plenty of thermal energy in (Search ‘boiler upgrade scheme’ start to think about replacing our gas boilers with a clean heat pump.
greenhouse gases, their emissions the air or ground. They function online for more info.) With this We will send out more info by email - please get in touch with us
made worse by the poor like a reverse fridge, pumping this grant, the cost of an air source at reach@hgsra.uk – and we will share with you some simple steps to
insulation of many Suburb homes. heat (hence the name) into the heat pump will be close to that of get heat-pumping! Also, keep an eye on the RA website...
Using energy data for two home to run central heating or a new combi boiler. The REACH team
archetypal Suburb properties – a provide hot water. But there is another issue very
* Hackathon: a usually competitive event in which people work in groups on software or
modest cottage in Oakwood Road You’ve probably read about relevant to HGS: the heat output hardware projects, with the goal of creating a functioning product by the end of the event.
and a larger home in Litchfield them in the papers, some of is different. Combi boilers pump
Way – we analyse that both have which delight in running articles water at up to 75 degrees C. Heat
energy use around twice the size labelling them as useless, unreliable, pumps are more efficient at 45 or Hall and Randall Plumbers
of comparable homes elsewhere noisy, or expensive. We’ll examine 55 degrees – still hot enough for
in the UK. each of these in turn: a shower but potentially not
That’s twice the cost, of Useless? They heat more than half enough to fully heat a badly
course. And also, twice the the houses in Sweden. If they can insulated house with small or Plumbing and Heating Services • Property Maintenance
carbon emissions. In HGS, we heat homes in Sweden, they can inefficient radiators. Unfortunately,
burn approximately 160,000,000 heat homes in London. A handful many of the Suburb’s 5,000
kilowatt hours of gas yearly to of Suburb homes are using them, homes fit that description.

Call for Residents Association

Trees & Open Spaces volunteers

Central Heating, Plumbing Repairs & Advisory Service
MARIA SCHLATTER Given the diminishing access help us? We need more residents
to nature in the built environment, to support the work of the RA’s Look no further... your local plumbers
ho among our residents we cannot take these green spaces Trees & Open Spaces Committee Emergency repairs, blocked pipes, drainage,
has not been persuaded for granted, and Hampstead and are calling for both practical
W to live in Hampstead Garden Suburb has active volunteers and potential guttering, roofing, central heating and boilers.
Garden Suburb, rather than any organisations that work to make committee members to help 12 months guarantee, 40 years experience
other London suburb, because of them better for everyone to enjoy. ensure that our magnificent public 132 Manor Way, Borehamwood, Herts, WD6 1QX
its life-enhancing green spaces? They include the HGS Horticultural green spaces and our existing
We are privileged to live in an area Society, Allotment Group, stock of street trees and iconic Web: www.hallandrandallplumbers.com
that, through a combination of Northway Gardens Organisation, veteran trees are monitored and
design and commitment, preserves Friends of Bigwood, Henrietta enhanced. We need volunteers to Email: office@hallandrandall.com
its beautiful public and private Community Orchard, and of help with our annual tree survey, Tel: 020 8953 2094 • Fax: 020 8905 1602
gardens, street trees, Hampstead course the long-standing Residents assisting in watering street trees,
Heath and Bigwood and Littlewood, Association’s Trees & Open Spaces and helping to undertake a local Evenings: Garry 020 8207 3286 • Greg 020 8953 9828
not to mention Northway Gardens Committee, which is now in need hedgehog count.
tended by local volunteers. They of new members and volunteers. If you would like to find out
are an everyday delight to both Do you have an interest in more about what we do, and make
HGS residents and visitors drawn nature, especially trees, and do new friends in the process, please
11495
to our restorative open spaces. you have some time available to email us at: trees@hgsra.uk.
SUBURB NEWS IS PRODUCED AND DELIVERED TO YOU BY RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION VOLUNTEERS 5