SEAI Grant for Heat Pump REPLACEMENT?

Lovely

We built our house in 2002, 2 storey rural detached in Co. Donegal. For home heating at that time we decided to install a Geothermal Ground Source Water to Water system. A company from North Donegal did the installation, a Dunstar Heat Pump was used. We did not receive a grant at that time, the decision to use electric as opposed to oil was based on environmental effects. The system worked well for almost 20 years, a little bit of maintenance here and there. It runs the underfloor heating in our house and heats the water. Recently the pump has ceased to function efficiently, we had it inspected and it is due to the refrigerant gas in the system needing replacement. The type of gas used 20 years ago is illegal now and cannot be supplied. During the winter months now our house is cold and the pump can be running continuously day and night, but it does not supply the required heat. What it does supply is very expensive bills.

Anyway about 3 years ago we installed a 6.2kw solar system with battery and as part of this a BER cert was issued. The solar panels help to slightly alleviate the bills, and to charge the little second hand electric car that we also bought.

Today I made enquiries about replacing the Heat Pump, I had been made aware that the SEAI offer a €6500 grant for the installation of new Heat Pumps. I was informed however, that as we have an existing Heat Pump registered at our property, that we do not qualify for the SEAi Grant. The proposed cost of replacement is €15000, and quite honestly I don't think we can afford it without the grant. I was wondering if anyone on here has had any similar experience? We were early adopters of this technology, and genuinely strive to 'do the right thing' as regards greenhouse emissions, and reducing our carbon footprint. I am wondering now if we might be just better off installing an oil burner, although it is absolutely the last thing we want to do.

Sorry for the long 'woe is me' post, but if anyone has any experience or suggestions I would be most grateful.

Cheers.

Sleeper12

Change to gas boiler is my suggestion.

Only homes without a heat pump qualifies for the grant. The grant is to encourage people to to change from fossil fuel to electricity. You already use electricity.

ednwireland

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121677634#Comment_121677634

no gas in donegal

Sleeper12

Gas or oil boilers with storage tank installation would still be cheaper than the heat pump you have been quoted for

monseiur

Replace with oil boiler - one of those self contained units that 'live' outside total cost with oil tank supplied & fitted should be under €4k

Or alternatively, if you are dead set on saving the planet😁, you could fit a second hand oil boiler & oil tank (Done Deal is your friend) and after, say a year, apply to SEAI for grant assistance to replace your planet polluting oil boiler with a heat pump 😉 Your application will tick all the boxes, they'll have no grounds to refuse you..... nod nod wink wink

denismc

Are you sure that your Heat pump is a dead duck? Would it work with an alternative refrigerant?

stiophan

Are you sure that the current ground source unit could not be somehow retained? What does the manufacturer say (assuming they are still around). As noted an LPG based smaller boiler (for the winter months) is one idea. Thermal heating is another - that uses infrared heating (you can use your solar to part power that in the daytime). If the Groundsource heat is from a borehole- that hole (and the most expensive part of the any ground source install) is still there. You'd still be able to source a green loan for a HP install- even if no grant. If you had availed of the grant back then, the answer would still be the same - no new grant to replace the old HP -as there is but one grant option given per upgrade. Assuming no unique set up and well insulated home then perhaps a cheaper air to water heat pump install (vs heat from the ground) might be an option and integrate with the current set up. The pipework may well be much the same....

Vic_08

A 20 year old system should be using R134a refrigerant which is not illegal and you can walk into a shop tomorrow and buy a can of it for less than €100.

If needed, a replacement unit should cost closer to €1500 than €15000.

I think you are being taken for a massive ride there.

Lovely

The refrigerant is R22 - 2.1kg. Can't be supplied. Also the compressor and electronics have been water damaged. The unit no longer works and the only source of heat we have is a small solid fuel stove.

I wonder where I might source a replacement unit for €1500? I would be very interested.

Thanks again.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121727522#Comment_121727522

I woukd not touch LPG it's an extremely expensive heat source. Woodpecker boiler is an option but they are expensive and you still need to plumb them in. Oil is probably the cheapest older tech option.