Kim R.
5/5
Alex and his team installed our ASHP one a year ago and I have waited 12 months before posting my review. I rarely post reviews, but will make an exception in this case.
I had been considering solar panels and an ASHP for several years and took the plunge last year. I was fortunate enough to be directed to Element 5 as, during my research, I came to realise that there were many companies that were only keen to hard sell their systems, without fully understanding the needs of the client. Alex was different. He spent a considerable amount of time with me, explaining the pros and cons of ASHP systems as well as (and most importantly) the need to ensure that the property (1926 semi-detached) had the best insulation possible. He conducted a full heat-loss assessment of the entire property before submitting his report to me (£100), which was money well spent.
For context, we live in a four bedroom property in Surrey, with four adults and our supplier is Octopus Energy. We also have 14 x 410w solar panels and 9.5kw battery storage facility on our west-facing home, which were installed just prior to the ASHP.
We have also taken out a monthly service plan with Element 5 (£36/month), which provides an annual service and full report.
The ground floor of the property has underfloor heating and radiators/towel rails in the bedrooms, bathrooms and top landing.
The ASHP installation was carried out over a period of about 10 days (staggered by mutual agreement) by the most engaging and professional team of knowledgeable engineers I have known. The materials are of the highest quality, the pipework and routing were fully thought through and the finished set-up is fully insulated and aesthetically pleasing.
The pump itself is located just outside the back door and we rarely hear it operating - it is the equivalent of a heavy duty fridge freezer.
The total cost of the entire installation (including some radiator and towel rail upgrades) was £23k, but was offset by the government grant of £5k (recently increased to £7.5k).
Having just had the summary annual service report from Alex, we note that the fuel efficiency rating of the pump is 1:4, meaning that we get four times the amount of energy that we put into it.
Looking at the household energy bills, and bearing in mind that we can now utilise the solar panels for part of our electricity requirements, last years energy bills (gas and electricity for Jul '23 - Aug '24) was £3,800. The same period this year is £1,300.
Another major difference is that we have not had to monitor our thermostats and the house has maintained a steady 21 degrees downstairs and 19 degrees in the bedrooms, even during minus temperatures outside. We have sufficient hot water at all times and, should there be a sudden rush on the hot water, we always have an override so we can boost if required.
It is true that not every property or home would suit an ASHP system, but if you are considering it, I highly recommend contacting Alex. He is extremely knowledgeable and will not try to sell you something that is unsuitable. He will stress the benefits of good insulation, so, even if you do nothing else, heed those words!