Welwyn Garden City, UK, November 2024 – A stone-built property in rural Wales has been installed with a Panasonic Aquarea T-CAP J Series 9kW monobloc air-to-water heat pump to replace an oil-fired boiler. Specialist heat pump installer, Paul Thorney of Air2Heat, specified the Panasonic heat pump to provide the three-bedroom stone wall converted barn property with sustainable heating and domestic hot water. The Panasonic system was purchased and delivered to site through distributors Farr and Harris in Shropshire.
Homeowner, Roger May explained the choice to convert from an oil-fired boiler to an air-source heat pump. He said, “We’ve had oil-fired central heating since we moved in as this was our only option given the property’s rural location. It started off as no problem at all, 7p a litre when we first came, but it’s since peaked at between 80-90p a litre. When we first started to investigate alternatives, we didn’t know a great deal about heat pumps, but sought the advice of heating specialist, Paul Thorney from Air2Heat, who is very knowledgeable and has experience of retrofitting older properties.”
Looking for a simple solution that would provide efficient heating, reduce energy consumption and keep energy bills to a minimum, the homeowners turned to the installer, Air2Heat, who after visiting the property and reviewing the heat loss calculations, recommended the Panasonic Aquarea J Series 9kW monobloc heat pump, along with the Panasonic Smart and Service Cloud controls to be the best solution. The Panasonic units can provide the high energy efficiencies required and can be further monitored with the Panasonic Aquarea smart cloud controls to achieve optimum benefit.
The owners of the property were advised that the installation would be eligible for the UK government BUS grant. With this scheme, installing a heat pump, the homeowner receives a grant of £7,500 from the government.
The new system will also cost them less to run, be more energy efficient and a more environmentally friendly solution.
Paul said, “By specifying the Panasonic Aquarea J Series T-CAP unit it really boiled down to the excellent efficiencies it can deliver, with high performance, and a CoP of up to 5.4. I have been involved in heat pumps since 2015, and from what I have witnessed so far, when it comes down to efficiencies, Panasonic come out best. If other oil users around rural Britain knew how low-cost heat pumps were, we would very quickly expedite the swap. It is reducing their carbon footprint and reducing their bills. In addition, the ongoing support from not only the distributors but also Panasonic, the manufacturer themselves is an excellent bonus.”
Ensuring the temperature remained constant was an important part of the homeowner’s decision, as they wanted to move away from the fluctuating temperatures of the oil-fired system. Homeowner, Sarah May, seeks to dispel the myths of heat pumps. She commented, “It’s absolutely amazing, we’ve got a lovely constantly warm house, it’s not that intense heat when you put your oil-fired central heating on, and your radiators are not scorching hot but more of a milder warmth. A lot of people ask if our heat pump is noisy, no, it is not and surprisingly quiet. We couldn’t be more satisfied with our new Panasonic heat pump system.”
Panasonic Aquarea T-CAP J Series air-to-water heat pump
The Panasonic J Series High Performance heat pump boasts an A+++ Energy Class, available in a range of sizes from 9 to 16 kW, and can be attached to the internal domestic hot water tank (DHW) for ease of installation. With the added benefit of Panasonic Smart Cloud and Service Cloud, that enable remote control and monitoring of the heating system, homeowners are empowered to track energy consumption and control output. Furthermore, installers are given access to remote monitoring capabilities for swift diagnosis and resolution of the system’s operation, reducing wait time and cost.
Paul Thorney complimented Panasonic’s support, stating, “Panasonic’s customer support is amongst the best I have seen in the UK, they are really proactive and offer lots of support throughout, during and after an install. Plus, they are striving to do better all the time, it is not just about the products. As an installer I can see the effort they put into their back up assistance and know there is support in place if anything goes wrong. People are really starting to recognise Panasonic for their heating and cooling solutions like never before in the UK. They really do put the effort in to make these market changes a positive experience. The Panasonic Service Cloud offers even more peace of mind and is free of charge, I know no other manufacturer in the UK that offers this kind of service.”
To find out more, please visit: https://www.aircon.panasonic.eu or visit https://www.air2heat.co.uk/, https://farrharris.co.uk/
