Air source provides green heating for extended 1860s home

The owner of an 1860s house near Diss, South Norfolk, is enjoying the benefits of renewable heating installed by Finn Geotherm as part of a renovation project to make the property more sustainable.

Owned by Tim Clement, the four bedroom detached property is mainly brick with a pantile roof. Tim decided to extend the property while removing a previous extension and upgrading the heating system at the same time.

Tim explained: “The old oil boiler had to be moved to build the new extension, and we were advised that the heat exchanger might not survive this. We took the opportunity to rethink our heating system, with the aim of reducing our carbon footprint. Looking ahead, the 2030 date for phasing out fossil fuel boilers was around the time we expected we might be moving, and it seemed like a good idea to be able to offer a completed transition.”

Having chosen Finn Geotherm as an experienced local installer, the renewable heating experts installed a Panasonic air source heat pump with 250/90 litre combined cylinder/buffer in 2021. New double-glazed windows and additional insulation were also fitted in the original part of the house, plus a number of new radiators. Tim subsequently added a solar array and battery, which helps to provide electricity for the heat pump and the house in general.

Tim summed up: “We are happy with our air source heat pump – it’s hassle-free, environmentally-friendly heating. We no longer need to keep an eye on the level of oil in the tank or try and guess a good time to refill. It is very quiet in operation and keeps the living areas in our home warm, even in the winter when the temperature doesn’t rise above 0°C. There is also plenty of hot water at mains pressure.”CO2 savings:Since its installation, Tim Clement’s heat pump has saved approximately 14.80 tonnes of CO2.