David Flannery, head of strategy and development at Electric Ireland Superhomes, says SEAI one-stop-shop suppliers offer the best counsel on heat pumps.
You can install a heat pump if the home is well insulated, the insulation meets the required standards, and it is certified accordingly.
You need to certify the ingredients that go into the unit. You will also get the best value from a BER assessment if you can supply certified details of all the works done.
Electric Ireland now has 15 years of heat pump data, durability, reliability, and how heat pumps actually perform in our climate. By increasing the volume of water and the size of the radiators, we have been better able to optimise the technologies.
The purpose of a one-stop-shop it offers more support, handover, and after-sales oversight and a higher level of trust, confidence, and insurance, as an intermediary.
We’re not salespeople. All of the team are heat pump specialists, have a background in heat pump design, and have spent two years training how to optimise and regulate them to work efficiently.
Is it sized correctly?
A heat pump has to be sized correctly to fit the property.
These are the figures that determine the heat loss calculations. Ceiling heights matter as the measurements are on a cubic metre basis.
This all dovetails into the work done by the BER assessor when measuring the property.
Document and photograph every home improvement
To ensure the optimum results, you need to know what sort of insulation is already in your walls, floor, and attic spaces, along with the U-value of the existing windows.
In the attic, the depth of insulation that has been is helpful to know -300 ml is optimum.
Where there are missing values for any of the above, a BER accessor will err on the side of caution. This could mean that your BER is lower than expected. Documentation or visual proof is essential to help make your case.
These details will be added based on the age of the property and any other evidence within its envelope.
Invest in a model with after-sales service nearby.
Panasonic, Mitsubishi Ireland, Saiin, and Samsung are the four main brands selling and offering after-sales service in Ireland.
In addition to getting good value in the model that you buy, you want to know that there is an after-sales team on the ground in Ireland, the brand has offices here, and back-up channels here.
Treat it well
Once a year, get it serviced. This can be done remotely in some instances.
Many of the suppliers can monitor it from their offices, go into the system, and advise.
How hard is it to operate?
You should have nothing to do but adjust the settings on the thermostat.
If you’re going away on holiday, there’s a setting you can push and another to shift to hot water heating only in summer.
Will I save money?
Your electricity bill will be higher. You’re moving from oil or gas.
Catch David and his team at the Electric Ireland Superhomes stands at the upcoming Ptsb Ideal Homes Show, which takes place at the RDS Simmonscourt, Ballsbridge, D4 from Friday, April 24th to Sunday, April 26th
Make sure it’s commissioned correctly.
Home of the Year 2026 contestant, architect Áine Nic an Riogh, of VCL Consultants, installed a heat pump in her own Dublin 3 home.
“Having an A-rated home has been a game-changer.
"It needs to be commissioned to operate correctly," she says.
She opted for an exhaust model, meaning it takes the damp air from the wet rooms in the house, the bathrooms, the kitchen, and the utility.
There’s no need for the large fan outside either. It’s all internally run.
“The supplier of the Nibe model, Unipipe, came out and tested the levels of air pressure.
"We got a certificate to say the system was commissioned. This is useful documentation, especially if selling the property.”
Similar due diligence is needed if you’re installing a mechanical heat recovery ventilation system. Get a commissioning certificate for it too, she counsels.
