Case Study: Fitting a Samsung heat pump and Sunamp Thermino as part of a major renovation of a 1930s house
The customer had lived in their home for nearly 20 years but wished to fully renovate and extend the house, while replacing the aging boiler and cylinder with a modern, efficient air-source heat pump.
Home Type
1930s Semi-Detached
Location
Wembley - North West London
Project Specifics
-
Samsung 12kW air-to-water heat pump
-
Sunamp Thermino xPlus 300L for domestic hot water
-
Monarch Midi HE Water Softener
-
Support in selecting designer radiators
-
Close coordination with master builder
The Challenge: Fitting a heat pump during a major renovation
One of the hardest things about renovations is coordinating all the different tradespeople. We made a point to keep in regular contact with the customer’s lead builder to coordinate the installation in stages, and aiming to avoid blocking anyone else’s progress.
Step 2: Fitting concealed primary pipework under the side path
The side path was narrow and the homeowner needed to keep enough space to take out the wheelie bins. As they were having a new path laid anyway, we proposed to conceal the heat pump pipework under the path, rather than attaching them to the side wall of the house. The pipes would be well insulated to avoid losing heat to the ground and protected by strong plastic trunking.
A 32mm pipe with minimal bends and corners was used to maximise the flow rate from the heat pump to the house, helping to increase efficiency.
Step 3: Fitting the heat pump
We placed the heat pump at the left side of the garden, so that it was out of eyeshot from the extension’s new full-width bifold doors. We carefully planned the location so that the quietness of the Samsung unit, the distance from the neighbour’s and the post-installation addition of a new fence (not shown in the photos) would ensure that the sound output of the heat pump fell comfortably within permitted development rights. This meant that the customer did not need planning permission for the heat pump, despite living in a conservation area.
Step 4: Fitting the Sunamp Thermino heat battery
A space saving alternative to a hot water cylinder
Heat pumps can’t heat water as fast as a gas boiler can, so they need a hot water cylinder or heat battery to provide hot water to taps, baths and showers. In this case, we fitted a space-saving Sunamp Thermino which stores energy from the heat pump and then uses it to instantly heat hot water on demand.
The Sunamp took up about half the space of an equivalent domestic hot water cylinder. This meant that it and all the other components for the heat pump could fit into a single cupboard in a corner of the customer’s home office.
For every Sunamp Thermino, we install a thermostatic temperature control so that you can adjust the maximum temperature of hot water reaching your taps and showers to a safe and comfortable level. Although the Sunamp can provide water up to (a scalding!) 65ºC, most people find 38ºC to be a comfortable shower temperature. This means that a 210 litre-equivalent Thermino actually provides significantly more than 210L of water at a normal shower temperature.
Step 5: Fitting a Monarch Midi HE Water Softener
Most of the South East has hard water, which can cause limescale build-up on taps, showers. We fitted a Monarch Midi HE water softener, to provide soft water to the whole house. A separate pipe provides unsoftened water to a drinking tap in the kitchen, and to the garden tap. (Although softened water is safe to drink, it’s not recommended for people on a low sodium diet or for preparing baby formula milk.)
Unlike some water softeners, the Monarch Midi HE monitors your exact water usage to make sure it only uses the minimum amount of salt necessary.
After the Installation
To fully optimise a heat pump, you really need to live in the house through some hot and cold days to see how comfortable you are. We showed the customer how to manage and optimise the heat pump throughout the winter to get the best tradeoff of comfort and running costs.
After we had finished, the homeowner had a custom cupboard built around the Sunamp Thermino and plumbing, as well as the adjoining UFH manifold and electrical cupboard.
Ongoing support – why we’re different: Our work doesn’t stop the day we leave your home. We’ll be in contact over the next few days and weeks to check how it’s going and answer any questions you have. We’ll also set up a WhatsApp group with you, our lead installer and our lead designer so that any questions or issues can be dealt with quickly. If we install in Spring or Summer, we’ll also get in touch when the temperature drops in Autumn and see if we can further optimise your heat pump.
Ready to start the switch?
Want to discuss it first? Give us a call on 02080 50 40 30.