Heating Trades Network UK
Expert advice on heating and heat pumps, straight from the source
Who we are
As plumbers, engineers, and installers, we speak to people daily about their heating. We know they want clarity on what heating system will work best for them.
Every house is different, but in our experience, installing a heat pump would make the vast majority of British homes warmer and cheaper to run.
We want to make it easier for people to find reliable, unbiased advice on heat pumps - that's why we set up the Heating Trades Network.
We believe heat pumps could become a great British industry, providing good jobs, lowering household bills and helping the UK switch from gas to electric.
We've formed the Heating Trades Network, a voice for heat pump installers providing expert advice on heating systems for the British public.
The experts
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I was a gas engineer in a previous life, but set-up the Energy Training Academy in Dalkeith, Scotland, to upskill the next generation of installers - there is no doubt we can make a difference to the lives of young people by inspiring them to have a career in renewables.
The Energy Training Academy is a social enterprise which reinvests in the local community - we’ve created the Net Zero Home project where engineers and tradespeople retrain with the technologies of the future, like heat pumps. It’s been a great success in educating the public about green skills and energy efficiency.
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At R A Brown Heating Services, we design and install 21st century heating systems for comfort, low running costs and to future proof homes. I’m extremely proud of the role renewable heating has had in growing the company from the micro-business it was to the thriving SME that it is today. We now want to create the next generation of installers through supporting the rollout of the Low Carbon Heating Technician Apprenticeship.
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I’ve been passionate about heating ever since my days as a gas engineer. Today, I cover heat pumps and system design at Heat Geek where we offer objective, expert advice on all aspects to consumers, businesses, and installers across the UK.
Heat Geek brings together energy engineering, business and technology expertise to empower people to revolutionise home energy at a national scale - putting community at the heart of everything we do. We work with a network of thousands of engineers in the UK. We also provide training for heat pump installers throughout the UK, ensuring they're equipped with the skills we need to upgrade our homes.
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After a career in IT, I worked for a company installing solar panels and heat pumps and this ignited my passion for helping people make the switch to low carbon heating. I set up Your Energy Your Way, which has grown into a successful female-led business that installs bespoke renewable energy systems for homes and businesses across the South-East.
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"Established in 1992, my family business initially focused on gas heating solutions. Recognising the shifting tides of energy efficiency and sustainability, I began steering us towards the future by embracing heat pumps. Now, involved in their installation daily, I'm committed to advancing this technology. The overwhelming evidence supports heat pumps as the premier choice for home heating”
Is a heat pump right for me?
Heat pumps lower your bills
Heat pumps are 100% powered by electricity, allowing you to cut out your gas bill. There are a number of factors that affect how much you’ll save, like the type of boiler you’re replacing, the size of your home, and your electricity tariff. Switching to a special heat pump tariff could save you up to 27% on bills annually. Speak to your installer and your energy provider to find the deal that’s right for you.
The upfront cost of buying and installing a heat pump can be significantly reduced by the government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which gives British households £7,500 to make the switch from fossil fuel heating.
As heat pumps are powered by electricity instead of fossil fuels, they help to protect us all from volatile gas prices. They last for up to 25 years – double the lifespan of a gas boiler.
Heat pumps make your home warmer
Unlike old-fashioned gas boilers, heat pumps keep the house at a stable temperature, and use less energy to do so. By heating the outside air to power radiators and hot water inside of your home. This makes heat pumps up to four times more efficient than a gas boiler, which has to power up from zero every time.
Heat pumps work in all climates - in fact, they’re most popular in Norway, Sweden, and Finland - while they're taking off in Britain, from schools and elderly care homes in Orkney, to entire communities in Cornwall.
Heat pump units essentially look like air conditioners from the outside, but inside it’s connected to your water tank and radiators. This requires no intrusive installation and, depending on your home, it can be connected to some pre-existing radiators - you might even make some room by removing your gas boiler.
A different, smaller type is the air-to-air heat pump. This works like an air conditioner that uses a compressor to spread hot and cool air within a room, but does not provide hot water. These are more popular in Europe than the UK, but can be suitable for smaller properties.
Heat pumps are better for the environment
An average household gas boiler emits the equivalent of 2.2 tonnes of CO2 per year. This is the same pollution as driving the length of the UK 13 times. Switching to a heat pump in the UK would result in a reduction in carbon emissions per household of 65%.
If every home made the switch from gas boilers to heat pumps, we’d save a quarter of all the UK’s fossil fuel emissions, which come from heating our homes from gas boilers, coal, and oil.
The heat pump rollout will create jobs
In the last few years, we’ve seen demand for heat pumps grow enormously as more and more people realise the benefits.
This presents a huge opportunity for our industry. With the right training and support from the Government, the roll-out of heat pumps could create thousands of good jobs across the country.
Our stories
