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What back up should you expect from a heat pump manufacturer?

As a nation, we spend a staggering £13.5 billion a year on heating our homes and this is only going to increase as we see the price of gas and oil continue to rise.

This means we are seeing more people struggle to pay the bills, with too many left with the choice between heating and eating.

Housing providers across the land have already realised that finding ways to help tenants reduce the amount they spend on heating is a good move all round.  This has been one of the main drivers of the adoption of air source heat pumps in social housing – especially in off-gas areas.

There are now thousands of examples where helping tenants transition from solid fuel, oil or LPG has led to happier homes with smaller heating bills.

George is so passionate about housing sustainability that he’s had an Ecodan fitted in his London home

Max Halliwell NEW Max Halliwell Communications Manager for Mitsubishi Electric’s Heating & Ventilation Systems

The benefits don’t stop there

In addition to providing tenants with reliable, renewable heating through a heat pump, Housing Associations can also notice other benefits, such as a reduction in the number of late payments or tenant complaints, as warmer tenants are more likely to be happier (and healthier).

There are other longer term savings and benefits, such as a better corporate image because of the reduction in carbon emissions, and heat pumps can actually help reduce maintenance costs.

The use of inefficient heating systems over prolonged periods of time can cause extensive damage to a property. Mould and damp is unhealthy, unsightly and damages furnishings; at its worst it can render a house entirely uninhabitable and unprofitable.

Repairing its damage is a time-consuming and needless expense, because without addressing the underlying cause of the damp, you only serve to lay hard work and money to waste.

And if the problems are left unchecked for long enough, damp can actually damage the structural integrity of a house. The house can then be condemned until it is fit once more to be inhabited.

Because heat pumps are best suited to continuous running, they provide a more constant level of comfort for tenants when the house is occupied and can help reduce mould, damp and damage occurring within the property when it is vacated.

By allowing tenants to heat all of their homes cost-effectively, rather than just one or two rooms, the property incurs less damage and requires less maintenance. This reduces the risk of it falling into a state of disrepair.

Watch George Clarke's investigation into heat pump support TV presenter George Clarke looks at the support available for Ecodan users

Now what?

So, once you’ve had the heat pump installed, what next?

Well you need to make sure that your tenants have received the proper training for the system so that they understand the differences between their old system and the new one, and can ensure they get the best out of their heat pump.

And then you need to look at what support the manufacturer offers, just in case of any issues.

Ecodan ambassador

That’s where a video from TV presenter and architect George Clarke can help.

He spent the day with us in our Manchester training facility discovering there is far more to the Ecodan product offering than meets the eye.

George is so passionate about housing sustainability that he’s had one fitted in his London home and is now enjoying renewable heating and hot water from his very own Ultra Quiet Ecodan.

The video shows the support available to homeowners and tenants and includes interviews with our own dedicated experts.

George talks to people on our homeowner helpline that tenants can call themselves.  The person at the end of the phone is often able to resolve any initial query such as changing settings or temperatures.

If that doesn’t solve the issue then our expert technical support team can also interrogate systems, and can make changes remotely, after checking the system.

If that doesn’t solve the problem, then a field visit can be arranged, so that social housing providers have absolute confidence that their tenants systems will work as planned.

For us, it’s all part of the service that tenants and housing associations should be able to expect when they buy into renewable heating.

Max Halliwell is Communications Manager for Mitsubishi Electric’s Heating & Ventilation Systems