Home Energy Upgrade

Heat pump systems are at their most efficient and effective when generating heat at a lower temperature. On this basis, one of the requirements for a dwelling to qualify for an SEAI Home Energy grant for a heat pump system is that the dwelling has low heat loss. Some of the measures that can help achieve this are insulation upgrades such roof and wall insulation upgrades, which are grant aided under SEAI’s Home Energy Grants programme. Good insulation is needed to reduce draughts in the home and eliminate heat losses through open chimneys, which will affect the performance of your heat pump system.

To help achieve this in your home, you must engage an independent SEAI registered Technical Advisor before applying for the heat pump system grant. They will carry out a technical assessment and Building Energy Rating on the house before guiding you on the energy performance of the dwelling, particularly on the suitability of the dwelling for a heat pump system, based on the dwelling’s heat loss. They will provide you with independent guidance on measures that may be necessary to ensure that the dwelling fabric heat loss is lowered to an acceptable level for a heat pump system to perform at its best.

A dwelling with poor insulation and single glazing could cost substantially more to upgrade to the necessary level than, say, a well-insulated dwelling with newer double glazing. The Technical Advisor can also help you understand the types of heat pump systems available and the options most suitable for your dwelling, before you talk in more depth to a heat pump contractor. It is worth discussing home upgrades with friends and family who may have already carried out the measures to give you a better insight into the advantages, improvements and possible issues they experienced when upgrading their own homes. You should visit an existing heat pump system before proceeding with the installation.