Thinking of installing a heat pump?

Premier Solutions Blogger
Sep 9
4 min read

Updated: Sep 10

Hear from homeowner, James Doherty from Letterkenny, about his experience

One of the most common topics we get asked about at Premier Solutions is heat pumps.

Figures published by the Climate Change Advisory Council for last year (2024) show that 14,194 homes in Ireland had heat pumps installed and that is expected to jump to 45,000 by the end of this year (2025). About 95% of homeowners in Donegal who come through us at Premier Solutions for their retrofit, install a heat pump. The same goes for Defective Concrete Block re-builds. But we still get a lot of homeowners who are unsure about whether they should install a heat pump or not and they ring us with a lot of questions. We're here to answer your questions. One of the ways we can do that is to show you the experience of one homeowner who came through our one stop shop service and availed of the grants available. This is James Doherty from Letterkenny. Last year he and his wife took a 1980s bungalow and transformed it into a beautiful, modern A-Rated home for their family. They ripped up their floors and installed under floor heating, they got new windows and doors and they installed a heat pump. James sat down with us this week to explain why he chose to install a heat pump, what his concerns were and the benefits he is now enjoying. Q. 1. Why did you decide to install a heat pump in your home?

At first I didn't know much about heat pumps so decided to do some research. I discovered a lot of confusion and misinformation about how they work, especially on Facebook groups. I soon realised that many of the grants were actually tied to installing a heat pump, which made it more attractive, so we started to consider the benefits. Though it did take a lot of consideration before I decided it would be worth it

Q.2 What were the concerns that made you hesitate?

My initial concerns were that there would be runaway costs since it's a new technology and maybe because it was so new that it was almost experimental, so I didn't have confidence. But the more I looked into it I discovered that they are very commonplace in lots of European countries and that they are not as complicated as they first seemed. Looking at the big picture of what we were doing, renovating an old property, it made sense for us.

Q. 3 How was the installation process itself – was it straightforward?

Ours was a major project. We ripped out floors, got underfloor heating in as well as new windows and doors. But we decided that we would do this once and do it well. Our plumber was brilliant so the process was very straightforward. We replaced our radiators upstairs and put underfloor heating in downstairs. The installation of the heat pump itself and pipes was quite short, it only took a few days. The heat pump is two units; one outside and one inside which sits in the hotpress, with pipes that connect the two. The outside unit has a fan and is significantly smaller than an oil tank. We placed it at the side of the house.

Q.4 How has the heat pump changed things in terms of comfort and running costs?

We're in the house about 18 months now with the heat pump running. One of the best things is that I rarely have to think about it. We tweaked it at the beginning but it's now set at a comfortable and constant 21 degrees. We got up one morning last winter and were up for hours with the kids before we opened the blinds and realised it was snowing. The house was no colder, it's comfortable all the time.

Q. 5 Were there any surprises after it was installed – anything better than you expected?

We were pleasantly surprised by our energy bills. They are higher in the winter, however overall our bills are a lot lower than what they were when we had oil. It's great not having to think about re-filling the oil tank and finding the lump sum to do that. We know where we stand with our bills now.

Q. 7 What would you say to someone who’s considering a heat pump but isn’t sure if it’s the right choice?

For anyone building a new and modern home that will be well insulated, a heat pump is the natural choice. Homeowners should be aware that their home should be heat pump ready before they install one, meaning it's well insulated through their doors, windows, floors, walls and attic. This is how to get the best out of a heat pump, it would essentially be a waste otherwise. So they should think about it as part of a whole package. I also recommend shopping around for the right tariffs. Q. 8 What are the top 3 benefits for you of having a heat pump? 1. Constant comfort - you just set it and forget it.

2.Reduced bills 3.Convenience

Q. 9 Would you recommend Premier Solutions to others – and if so, why? Absolutely I would recommend them. They helped me understand the process and guided me through it. It was reassuring to have Terence there along the way helping me deal with tradespeople and the paper work in getting the grant. They made the process straightforward and stress-free. Thanks to James for sitting down and explaining his experience. We hope it will come in useful to you if you are thinking of installing a heat pump and would like to know what it involves. You can also watch this short, animated video by ESB: Everything you wanted to know about Heat Pumps (but were afraid to ask).