Electric combi boilers / solar panels / eco heating solutions

We've got our Octopus home survey today, any questions I should ask, or things I should know before hand from those who have gone down the same route?

For a heat pump or solar install? Definitely make sure they double check all the crucial dimensions and lengths for pipe work and also data cables. Brother’s had/having a nightmare with a heat pump install where the data cable was 1m to short as they didn’t account for the corners and just measured point to point, leading to a 4 month delay (over winter) and having to re-do the whole thing with a lower spec unit. They seem very rushed and trying to hit targets on massive demand so he was less than complementary about the quality of work but that will be down to the local installers as much as anything

This is for ASHP. That's good to know, this surveyor seems pretty on it, so I guess I'll wait to see what he comes back with.

I’d say be prepared to do a bit of your own work and sense check what they propose. No different to buying a car, sometimes it helps to have a little bit of knowledge on the area to know the common hiccups. Also check your local authority planning laws re location of the ASHP, that was another one they got missed in the survey…

Avoid Cosy 6 unit, and avoid any Daikin 9kW or above.

any Daikin 9kW or above

How come? I've got British Gas coming next month and that's what they'll most likely spec, I think.

The 9kW is actually a 16kW unit, with software-limited max output. Its minimum output is really high, meaning it’ll cycle loads for most of the year, unless your house’s heat loss is actually, genuinely above ~8kW then you’re better off with the 8kW unit, which can modulate down much lower and cycles less (and is identical to all lower-output units).

Heat Geek said I needed 12kw and that was after doing some more insulation. 16kw might not be too out of line

Ah, fair enough.

With British Gas, they sometimes also offer the option of Vaillant instead of Daikin. If so, and if it’s affordable, deffo go for it.

Ahh interesting, we're looking at a 6kw, and probably going to go for Daikin (mainly for its shape/size and where it will live). Whats your review of the Cosy 6?

Heatpump in place. Cylinder being drained now so no hot water / heating until tomorrow. Lucky we’ve got the aircon units for heating once power is back.

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Anyone with an upstairs flat in a Victorian terrace got a heat pump?

Do you get laughed at for even enquiring?