Just over a year ago we were lucky to install an air source heat pump for a kitchen extension, combined with solar panels.

The design and installation experience was a bit bumpy and success partly driven by my energy knowledge.

Looking back on our first winter, here are some non-technical reasons why I love the new additions to our family.

1. The change has driven down our demand for both gas and electricity despite the increase in space, with a resulting reduction in our energy bill.
   
   

2. The heated space (underfloor heating) is incredibly comfortable. The floor stays warm for a long time after the heat pump is switched off. This keeps the rest of the house warm as well, which means that even in the colder parts of the winter we had no need to fire up the gas boiler in the middle of the day.
   
   

3. The system is extremely quiet, even the pump itself. By comparison, the gas boiler (retained for other parts of the house) is an attention seeker.

The next step will be to ditch the gas boiler completely!!