More than 25 million homeowners have gas boilers but Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants us to scrap them in favor of electric heat pumps, as part of his “net zero” climate change plan.
Green campaigners are urging him to step up his campaign, but installing heat pumps could cost tens of thousands of pounds. [bold, links added]
Reports that the government may BAN gas boilers have sparked a furious backlash from readers, some of whom have been quoted £30,000 to install an air-source heat pump.
Heating experts have also warned that installing heat pumps can QUADRUPLE energy bills, as electricity now costs four times as much as gas.
Another concern is that they will be inefficient in older homes with poor insulation.
It could even involve ripping out every radiator in your home and installing new ones. Electric heat pumps can also be noisy and run all day long.
Homeowners want to play their part in cutting carbon emissions but the government should not embark on a rush for expensive heat pumps, said Kevin Mcguane at property maintenance specialist DMA Group.
“The capital costs involved in replacing a conventional gas boiler with a heat pump are huge. Even with a Government grant, the cost is typically twice that of a conventional gas boiler.”
Mcguane said this will be unaffordable at a time when energy bills and other household expenses are going through the roof.
He called for simpler, cheaper methods of cutting emissions, such as “grants towards better insulation, double glazing, LED lighting, and better heating controls”.
Heating expert Myles Robinson from Boiler Central said installing heat pumps is unrealistic for a lot of UK homes.
“The costs are immense, and can multiply if some parts of your existing heating system are incompatible with the heat pump system, such as radiators, emitters, or any pipework.”
Ground-source heat pump installation costs can add up to an eye-watering £35,000, Robinson said, but the government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives grants of £6,000 towards a ground-source heat pump or £5,000 towards an air source heat pump.
Robinson added: “The reality is that most homeowners are looking for immediate solutions to cutting their gas bills because of the cost-of-living crisis. They most certainly do not have tens of thousands of pounds to spare.”
Read rest at Daily Express
Johnson is just another Globalists and useful idiot
Currently the all of the political parties in the UK serve only the interests of the radical greens and the liberal elite. The UK desperately needs a party that represents the best interest of the common citizen.