Our baby now sleeps through the night

Replacing an unreliable system

The Corlett family live in a three-bedroom bungalow in a small hamlet just outside Dundee. Their home was built in 2000, and when they moved into the house in 2017, they inherited the original oil-fired heating and hot water system.

Magazine journalist Alex says: “It was noisy, smelly and there was an ugly oil tank in the garden. The system had become unreliable and we were needing to call an engineer up to five times a year. We decided it was time for a better solution.”

Making an eco-friendly choice

“We were conscious of the need to be as environmentally friendly as possible, so we turned to the Energy Saving Trust for advice. They ran through a number of options before recommending that we should fit an air source heat pump. We liked the sound of this, and looked for possible installers.”

The Corletts chose Daikin heating system specialists, Natural Energy Company, based nearby in Newport-on-Tay, who came to assess their home.

Assessing the requirements

NEC director Richard McLaren says: “Even though there was a 35kW oil boiler, it was not heating the house properly. And the old boiler was a combi type, but no longer providing a satisfactory supply of hot water to the kitchen and bathrooms.”

The NEC team calculated that with new radiators and plumbing, the family’s heating and hot water needs could be met by a 16kW Daikin Altherma 3 H high temperature heat pump.

Installing the new heating system

Richard McLaren says: “The wall-mounted indoor unit, which contains the controls and hydraulic components for the heating system, is installed in the attic above the utility room. The indoor temperature controller is in the hallway.

“We also installed a 300-litre Daikin unvented cylinder in the utility room. So now the family can rely on a constant supply of hot water in all weathers.”

An unexpected happy outcome

Not only do the Corletts now have a warm and cosy home with hot water on demand, but they are also enjoying blissfully quiet nights. Seven-month-old baby Daniel, previously a fitful sleeper, started sleeping through the night. 

“This was because the new system was quietly maintaining a steady 21°C, which is the optimal temperature for babies’ sleep, we’re told,” says Alex. “What we have now is a much more subtle heat throughout the house.”

A constant temperature for perfect sleep

This is one of the often-overlooked benefits of a heat pump. The system operates most efficiently by maintaining a cosy and constant temperature throughout your home.

Unlike a boiler, it’s best to leave your heat pump on all the time. But that doesn’t mean it’s using electricity constantly. The heat pump only starts drawing power when the space needs heating. So, it’s saving energy and keeping your home at the perfect temperature. 

And hopefully, giving everyone a quiet night’s sleep.