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Training
Don’t take the heat pump road alone
Chris Easton, training manager for NIBE, discusses the important role manufacturers must play in supporting installers in their delivery of heat pumps
T
he heat pump roll out should be a joint, cross- industry effort, and with installers at the front-line, it’s only right that the makers of
the models they choose to fit do their best to ensure a smooth and successful process. Confident heat pump engineers and happy heat pump owners are crucial to the UK’s transition away from fossil fuels.
While heat pump popularity continues to grow and their position as a key technology in our path to Net Zero is firmly cemented, there is still some reticence amongst the installer base. For sole traders in particular, investing in the training and in some cases, MCS certification, required to deliver this technology is not only a question of money: it’s time off the tools, away from the bread-and-butter work that still has a very significant role in our heating landscape. Even after training, making the first heat pump
move is not always straightforward. Unlike gas boilers, which consumers accept will work and don’t ask too many questions about, heat pumps have been shrouded in uncertainty, largely fuelled by a media keen to politicise and polarise with whatever means they can. Unfortunately, we love a bad news story and
it’s the poor installs that make the headlines. You can’t blame some installers for being unsure about embarking on the heat pump journey. But this is why manufacturer product training is so crucial to the installer journey. The reality is, however, that heat pumps are here
to stay, and all heating and plumbing engineers should take advantage of the situation. It’s an exciting time in building services, with lots of opportunities and the promise of a future-proof career if the right steps are taken. So, how do you navigate this landscape with the most support and the least risk?
Look to the manufacturers
It’s in our interest to keep our products away from those negative headlines, we want end users to favour our technology and installers are our best salespeople and predominant route to market. In NIBE’s view this support should be there from the beginning to the end, providing would-be installers with the necessary training to build their knowledge and more importantly confidence on the latest technologies along with the required qualifications. We understand that the physical upskill is only one part of the process, however. Gaining an industry recognised Level 3 heat pump qualification is the first step on the ladder, rather than the end game. There’s the paperwork involved in the Boiler
Upgrade Scheme (BUS) and MCS Certification, finding customers, real-world experience and then feeling confident that once the job is complete, the end user will be happy. Should things go wrong, is it just you that shoulders this burden? The right product partner will help you with every element of being a heat pump installer, not just the fundamentals of installation.
Consider your business objectives
Apart from support, you also need to ensure you choose a heat pump partner with a product range
Left: Chris Easton, training manager for NIBE
that can meet the current and future demands of your business. The market is fast-paced and ever- changing, with technology coming on board all the time that challenges some of widely-held heat pump preconceptions – they don’t work in flats, for example, or they’re too noisy. Consumer demands are ever-changing too, with modern customers looking for smart technology that fits with their digital lifestyle. Range of versatility is key to access all levels of the market, from simple heating upgrades in standard houses, to hard-to- treat properties and more aspirational applications. One of the predominant heat pump
misconceptions has been that heat pumps ‘only’ work in certain homes. Most of us in the industry now realise that this isn’t true. Having the product options to convince consumers of this fact is key to heat pump success. Long warranties help too!
Support for all
We need more installers to fulfil heat pump targets, so it’s important that support is available across the board, whether that’s full end-to-end training and MCS certification, or filling in the gaps for installers who may have already completed a heat pump qualification and/or are using umbrella schemes. Sometimes specific product training and a step-up into the marketplace is all that’s required. What’s important is that at whatever level you partner with a manufacturer, the support they offer remains consistent. If you install a NIBE heat pump, whether you’re a one-man band or a national business, you will benefit from access to our in-house technical team, on the phone or by onsite support visits followed up by an installation assessment visit by a NIBE senior engineer, if needs be. If we can’t help, we look to the engineering team in Sweden. Ultimately, the buck never stops with the installer.
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