PHAM NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2025 26 Renewable Energy


Good way to boost your low carbon confi dence


With the aim of encouraging more installers to talk to their customers about the benefi ts of heat pumps, a new scheme is providing an opportunity for heating engineers to fi t the technology in their own homes. Anna Wakefi eld from Grant UK looks at how it should help to boost installer confi dence.


D


espite the proven nature of the technology, heat pumps continue to generate debate


with some householders who view heat pumps with scepticism, infl uenced in part by stories in the national media. Although heat pump installations continue at a good rate, one persistent challenge remains – installer engagement. Many installers are being asked to fi t systems they’ve never personally lived with, which can contribute towards an installer not feeling confi dent about promoting heat pumps and providing the detailed answers and personal reassurances that some homeowners require. The Start at Home initiative,


originally developed by the charitable organisation Nesta, set out to bridge that gap, not with theory, but with lived experience. The idea is simple but eff ective: support fossil fuel installers to install a heat pump in their own home, fully funded, with technical guidance every step of the way. Not only does this boost installer confi dence, it lays a solid foundation for future business in low carbon heating. At Grant UK we’re proud to be


one of the fi rst manufacturers to adapt Nesta’s initiative into a programme of our


own, called Start with Grant. Through the scheme, eligible installers in England and Wales can experience installing a complete Grant air source heat pump system in their own property, using funding from the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), backed by end-to-end support from Grant, from product training to set-up and commissioning and even MCS certifi cation via our partner, Heat Pump Go.


Anna Wakefield Head of internal sales and marketing at Grant UK


It is not just about getting installers on board, it is about empowering them with the knowledge, tools and confidence to lead the transition to low carbon heating


 Grant’s Aerona 290 air source heat pump is available to fi rst time installers as part of the Start with Grant scheme


Better insight The real value of the scheme lies in its long-term impact on the installer community and their customers. If you are an installer who is new to heat pumps, Start with Grant provides you with an opportunity to understand these systems in real-world conditions in your own home with the hope that this will equip you with the knowledge and insight to work with this low carbon technology in your customers’ homes. Gaining lived experience


with a heat pump is the ethos behind the initiative. A boiler engineer who has never owned a heat pump may be confi dent in plumbing and wiring but may be unsure about how a heat pump system feels day- to-day for the end-user. Do they take longer to heat


up rooms? How do smart controls work? What’s the performance like in sub-zero temperatures? These are questions that customers are already asking. When an installer can answer based on their own household experience, that conversation can be transformed. At Grant UK, we regularly


speak to heating engineers who are on diff erent stages of their heat pump journey. The ones who have installed heat pumps in their own homes consistently tell us it has changed how they talk about the technology. Being able to share their advice and knowledge based on fi rst-hand experience goes a long way with their customers.


As well as the free product


off ering (see panel), the package also includes bespoke system design support, training on the Grant Aerona


R290 heat pump range and heat pump installation, and on-site set-up assistance and commissioning to ensure everything runs as it should. In addition, installers do not need to be MCS certifi ed to take part as our partner, Heat Pump Go, handles MCS certifi cation of the installation. It is important to note


that radiators and standard plumbing/heating equipment are not provided as part of the Start with Grant scheme. However, once the system is installed and signed off , we


also provide a £1,500 towards installation costs from the remaining BUS funding. There are some Terms and Conditions to be aware of, so it is worth speaking with your local Grant Area Sales Manager if you’re interested in signing up.


Installers who complete the programme are invited to


join our G1 Scheme, gaining a seven-year guarantee on their heat pump and benefi tting from being able to activate seven-year guarantees on future customer installations of Grant heat pumps. They’ll also be able to install MCS certifi ed Grant heat pumps installations through Heat Pump Go (provided the installer fulfi ls their specifi c requirements), making it easier to start off ering funded installations to homeowners in the future. For many, this becomes the springboard into low carbon heating as a viable part of their business.


Who can apply? At the moment, Start with Grant is open to fossil fuel boiler installers based in England and Wales who have not previously fi tted a heat pump. Due to the structure of funding in Scotland, the scheme is not currently available north of the border,


but we are looking at ways we can adapt Start with Grant so that it can be rolled out in Scotland in the future. We’re keen to support


installers through Start with Grant by providing fi nancial and technical support with their fi rst air source heat pump installation and in their own home. For installers who are interested in heat pumps but who have not yet made the move, this scheme could be for you. Government targets and


policy headlines often speak in the abstract with targets for 600,000 heat pump installations a year by 2028, or talk of ‘net zero by 2050’. But for the people doing the work on the ground, these numbers only mean something when they translate into real opportunities. The Start with Grant


initiative turns that policy ambition into personal experience. It is not just about getting installers on board, it is about empowering them with the knowledge, tools and confi dence to lead the transition to low carbon heating. We know that not every


installer will become a heat pump specialist overnight. But by starting at home, they can start their heat pump journey with confi dence. ◼ phamnews.co.uk/925/40


START WITH GRANT


Installers who meet the eligibility criteria and are accepted onto the programme receive a fully funded heat pump system delivered directly to their property, which includes:


 A Grant Aerona 290 air source heat pump (up to 12kW)


 A QR Hot Water Cylinder (up to 210L)


 A 50L volumiser


 A Grant heat pump installation kit, including a smart controller


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