Shropshire Council upgraded the heating and hot water systems in numerous properties throughout Shropshire, swapping old inefficient heating systems and hot water cylinders for Thermino heat batteries and Glen Dimplex high heat retention storage heaters. These improvements were made through the Sustainable Warmth Shropshire scheme.
The challenge
The existing cylinders and heating systems didn’t heat the properties effectively and it was difficult for residents to control the heating and hot water, not to mention costly.
The direct electric hot water cylinders were poorly insulated, noisy, and had poor flow rates, meaning tenants had to wait up to six minutes for hot water to come through. The cylinders were poorly designed, meaning that a large amount of water was being heated, stored and not used.
The solution
Shropshire Council worked with local contractor RJW Electrical to upgrade the heating and hot water systems in several pilot properties.
Funding from the UK Government’s Home Upgrade Grant was used to replace the inefficient heating systems with Glen Dimplex Quantum high heat retention storage heaters, a more modern and efficient option.
The direct electric hot water cylinder in each property was replaced by a compact and efficient Thermino ePlus heat battery. The Thermino and the storage heaters were wired to an Economy 7 timer to allow them to be charged on a cheaper off-peak rate.
The benefits
The residents have seen significant benefits since the install. Their new high heat retention storage heaters are easy to control through an app and give better warmth than the old underfloor heating. They can even set different temperatures in different rooms, something that older storage heaters struggle to achieve.
The new Thermino heat battery in each property is much smaller than the old direct hot water cylinder, as the heat is stored in a phase change material which is more energy-dense than water. This frees up space without compromising on hot water performance – instead, the residents have reported better water pressure and no longer have to wait for the water in the cylinder to heat up.
As a result, residents are enjoying lower energy bills thanks to the efficiency of the new systems and the fact that the Thermino and storage heaters can be charged off-peak. One resident reported an impressive energy bill reduction from £450 to £89 in the summer, and expected to see further savings in the winter heating season.
Shropshire Council’s Affordable Warmth & Energy Efficiency Team are delighted with the outcome of the trials. Principal Affordable Warmth & Energy Efficiency Officer Oliver Rothwell said, “The feedback from residents and our installer has been fantastic. Reduced running costs and improved home comfort are key aims of our Sustainable Warmth Shropshire programme. We believe heat battery technology will play a key role in upgrading outdated and expensive heating and hot water systems, particularly in smaller homes such as flats and bungalows. We will continue to monitor their performance, but the early signs are very promising. We hope many more residents can benefit from the technology in future.”
Elaine, a resident near Gobowen commented, “Absolutely fantastic – we used to have to wait six minutes for the shower to get to temperature. We couldn’t be happier with the solution. The water pressure is better and we have hot water in seconds. My husband is now able to have a shower straight after me, which he couldn’t before. The Thermino is really quiet compared to the old cylinder and we’ve got lots of space back in the bedroom cupboard.”
Asked about the Sustainable Warmth Shropshire programme in general, Elaine added, “I saw an advert on Facebook and emailed the team. The grant application process was very easy and well explained. Extremely impressive really. The installers were outstanding.”
The feedback from residents and our installer has been fantastic. Reduced running costs and improved home comfort are key aims of our Sustainable Warmth Shropshire programme. We believe heat battery technology will play a key role in upgrading outdated and expensive heating and hot water systems, particularly in smaller homes such as flats and bungalows.
Oliver Rothwell, Principal Affordable Warmth & Energy Efficiency Officer, Shropshire Council