Helping residents stay warm and well in their homes - Dorothy & her new air source heat pump

As cities around the world work hard to address climate change, innovative solutions are being implemented to reduce carbon footprints and improve people’s homes. However, transitioning to new technologies can be daunting, especially for people who are unfamiliar with the latest advancements.

Earlier this year, Manchester City Council began to retrofit social houses across Manchester, in an effort to combat climate change and help people to stay warm and well in their homes. These installations included air source heat pumps, which absorbs heat from outside a building and releases it inside.

With Dorothy had a heat pump installed in her home, she found the new technology hard to understand, as she was only given a complicated manual by the installer. As a result, she was scared to use her new heating system and feared leaving the house in case something were to happen.

As part of Groundwork Greater Manchester’s work through In Our Nature, Dorothy met Shammy, one of Groundwork’s Green Doctors. Shammy helped Dot to feel more confident using her heat pump, collaborating with external installers to give Dorothy and her neighbours a proper run through of the controls and the best way to use the system. On average, according to Octopus Energy, Air Source Heat Pumps can save up to £264 per year when used properly.

“I was setting it to thirty, which I needn’t have done once it was explained to me, it was a great help”

Dorothy had also had her radiators changed from gas to electric, and as a result had let the gas board know about the change. Unfortunately, her gas company were still continuing to charge her the same prices and Dorothy didn’t know how to get the money back:

“Shammy got on the phone to British Gas, and asked them would they put that money back into my bank that I had in credit, so she did all that for me as well”

In the end, Dorothy received £400 of credit back into her bank account, as well as £70 of support from the Cadent Winter Support Fund which Shammy also helped her to access.

“Shammy has been a great help, and I feel more comfortable leaving the house now that I know how to use the new system.”

When asked what advice she’d give to others struggling to understand new retrofit measures, Dorothy said:

“The only thing I can say is to try and get in touch with somebody that does know about them and can explain it to you, because it’s just so different” 

If you’re struggling to navigate your bills, don’t understand how to use a new retrofit measure in your home, or want to see if you qualify for retrofit installations, get in touch with Groundwork’s Green Doctors.