Heating insights, advice and case studies

BUS grant approvals

Record BUS Grant Applications and Oil/LPG Approval Delays

The original government figures, the extra Ofgem checks and what six-to-eight-week voucher waits mean for our customers.

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Older homes

Heat Pumps for Old Houses: When They Work, When I Say No

My Newark and Spalding examples: proper surveys, draughts, radiator space and knowing when a boiler is the better answer.

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Vaillant faults

Vaillant F9998: Communication Fault and 2026 Restart

Turning the indoor and outdoor units on together, plus loose connections and intermittent communication faults.

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Viessmann

Viessmann Vitocal 200-A ie 2026: Technical Guide & Manuals

Model outputs, hydraulics, clearances, electrical requirements and my installation notes, with the manuals to download.

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Samsung controls

Samsung Screed Drying: Gen 5, 6 and 7

The 23-day temperature profile, DIP-switch instructions and checks before heating a newly laid floor.

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Samsung controls

Samsung Immersion Heater: Normal and Emergency Use

Hot-water modes, booster-heater checks and the separate emergency-hot-water procedure.

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Heat pumps

Best Air Source Heat Pump: What I Recommend and Why

My Vaillant, Viessmann and Stiebel Eltron shortlist, and how I choose the right equipment for your home.

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Heat pumps

Air Source Heat Pumps: How Are They More Than 100% Efficient?

How heat transfer works, what 400% efficiency means and why energy savings and bill savings are different.

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Heat pumps

High Temperature Heat Pumps: Are They Still a Thing?

Why newer heat pumps can make hotter water as standard, and when using it makes sense.

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Heat pumps

Would I Still Fit Ecodan in 2026?

My experience of Mitsubishi reliability, repairs, controls and more complicated heating systems.

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Heat pumps

Heat Pump Flow Temperature: How Low Should You Go?

Radiator output, weather compensation and trying a lower heating curve without losing comfort.

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Heat pumps

Heat Pump Controls: Which Thermostat Should You Use?

Manufacturer controllers, weather compensation, room feedback and practical heating schedules.

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Heat pumps

Heat Pumps and Solar Panels

How I would use solar for hot water, plan around batteries and compare using electricity with exporting it.

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Heat pumps

Ground Source Heat Pump: Is It Worth the Extra Cost?

My real air-source and ground-source quote comparison, predicted savings and when ground source deserves a closer look.

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Heat pumps

Samsung Heat Pump: When I Recommend the 16kW

Higher heat losses on single phase, with a real 43°C design example, radiator sizing and cylinder choices.

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Vaillant controls

Vaillant Outdoor Temperature Switch-Off

What temperature to start with, where the sensor belongs, and when to look at solar gain or the heating curve.

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Vaillant controls

Vaillant Screed Drying

The sensoCOMFORT and older interface routes, the fixed 29-day profile and the Series 8.1 difference.

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Heat pumps

Do Heat Pumps Work in Cold Weather?

Winter performance, defrost and heating settings, with practical checks if your home isn't reaching temperature.

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Heat pumps

Air Source Heat Pump Disadvantages

Space, disruption, heating routines and specialist aftercare. The compromises I discuss before recommending a heat pump.

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Heat pumps

Heat Pump Running Costs

Gas, oil, LPG, electric and storage heating compared, with the prices, tariff hours and calculations behind the figures.

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Heat pumps

Heat Pump Underfloor Heating vs Radiators

New build, refurbishment or keeping your home as it is? Liam compares UFH, radiators and using both at the same flow temperature.

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Heat pumps

Heat Pump Hot Water: Which Cylinder Should You Choose?

Keep your cylinder, fit a standard heat-pump cylinder, or choose a Super Cylinder or Mini Store? Liam compares space, cost and backup.

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Heat pumps

Your Heat Pump Survey: What to Expect

Booked with Vector Heat? What Liam needs to see, the questions he will ask and how to prepare for the visit.

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Heat Geek

Your Heat Geek Heat Pump Survey

Getting ready for your Design Consultation: room scans, radiator checks, hot water and the choices we will discuss.

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Heat pumps

Heat Pump Installation: What to Expect

From the survey to commissioning and handover: time on site, heating and hot-water interruptions, and preparing your home.

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Heat pumps

Are Heat Pumps Noisy?

What a working heat pump sounds like, why positioning and vibration matter, and how to hear one before buying.

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Heat pumps

What Size Heat Pump Do I Need?

Heat loss, cold-weather output and minimum modulation. Why bigger is not always better, and how heating zones affect sizing.

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Heat pumps

How Does a Heat Pump Work?

Follow the four-stage refrigerant cycle, see how it heats your home in winter and find out what equipment goes indoors.

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Heat pumps

Heat Pump Cost: What Does Your Quote Actually Include?

Compare equipment, installation details, design, warranties and aftercare before deciding which heat pump quote offers better value.

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Heat pumps

Heat Pump Radiators: Which Ones Really Need Replacing?

Existing radiators, selective upgrades and room comfort. Liam explains how to judge the benefit of each proposed change.

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Samsung faults

Samsung Heat Pump E911: Low Water Flow and What to Check

Start with pressure, trapped air, the pump, filters and valves. How to check circulation and recognise an inaccurate flow-sensor reading.

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Samsung faults

Samsung Heat Pump E912: Why the Water Pump Keeps Running

Fixed-speed and PWM pump wiring, B7/B8 terminals and Liam's Gen 7 installation, with the Samsung training diagram.

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Boilers

Should I Replace My Boiler or Repair It?

Liam's repair examples, model-specific advice and the checks to make before spending on a new boiler.

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Boilers

Boiler Not Firing Up? What to Check First

No response, no power or trying to light? Check the basics, record what happens and know when to book a repair.

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Funding

Boiler Upgrade Scheme Extended, but Not the £9,000 Grant

The scheme runs to 2030, but the £9,000 uplift is only confirmed until 31 March 2027. Check the dates and use our grant calculator.

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Boilers

Why Is My Boiler Not Heating Water?

No hot water at the taps? Combi fault clues, cylinder valves and immersion heater checks, including reset steps.

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Boilers

Why Is My Boiler Losing Pressure?

Expansion vessels, hidden leaks and normal gauge changes: what to check before topping up again.

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Boilers

Why Is My Boiler Making a Noise?

Banging, gurgling, vibration and kettling: what to check, what to record and when to turn the boiler off.

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Boilers

How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Boiler?

Our fitted gas, LPG and oil boiler guide prices, including VAT, conversion costs and what to compare in a quote.

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Heat Pumps

How to Pick a Heating Engineer for a New Build

Seven checks covering design, experience, quotations, installation stages and handover before you appoint an engineer.

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Boilers

What Temperature Should My Boiler Be Set At?

Start with your boiler type: a 45-50°C combi heating-flow test, cylinder temperatures and older-boiler limits.

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Heat Pumps

Vaillant aroTHERM Pro vs Plus: The Actual Differences

Minimum and maximum outputs, electrical inputs, equipment, noise and dimensions, with original manuals.

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Heat Geek

What Is a Heat Geek?

Heat Geek training, qualifications and heating-system design, plus how to book Vector Heat for advice or an installation.

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Heat Pumps

Heat Geek Super Cylinder: Manuals, Sizes and Coils

All 14 model sizes, coil options, original manual drawings and Newark's softened-water guidance.

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Heat Pumps

Heat Geek Mini Store: Manuals, Sizes and Performance

Manuals, dimensions, installation photos and customer feedback on showers and baths.

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Heat Pumps

Vaillant uniSTOR Pure vs Plus

Installation manuals, cylinder sizes, model suffixes and original connection drawings for engineers.

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Vaillant

Vaillant Heat Pump Controls Guide

Beginner and advanced guides to myVAILLANT and sensoCOMFORT, covering schedules, hot water, Room Temp Mod and heat curves.

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Boilers

What Size Boiler Do I Need?

Why hot-water demand, heat loss and minimum output matter more than a simple bedroom or radiator count.

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Boilers

Worcester Boiler Flashing Blue Light

What steady and flashing blue lights mean, what to record, and how the correct reset control changes by Worcester model.

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Heat Pumps

Should I Install Underfloor Heating Upstairs?

Why upstairs underfloor heating is a luxury rather than a heat-pump requirement, and when the extra work is worth it.

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Boilers

How Long Does a Boiler Last?

Practical gas, LPG and oil boiler lifespans, plus a clear repair-or-replace check based on condition and repair history.

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Boilers

How Long Does It Take to Replace a Boiler?

Most boiler replacements take one day. See when a straight swap is quicker and why conversions can take two or three days.

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Heat Pumps

Vaillant aroTHERM Plus 2026 Clearances

Series 8.1 dimensions, ordinary working clearances, R290 protection zones and Flexible Space Function explained with official diagrams.

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Boilers

What Type of Boiler Do I Have?

How to use the cylinder, loft tanks, pressure gauge and expansion vessel to identify combi, system, regular and oil boilers.

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Boilers

How Old Is My Boiler?

How to use data badges, serial numbers, Worcester FD codes and real label clues to estimate boiler age.

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Air Conditioning

Do You Need Planning Permission for Air Conditioning?

Current England rules for heat-and-cool systems, cooling-only units, MCS noise checks and protected properties.

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Heat Pumps

Are Heat Pumps Worth It?

An honest UK answer on running costs, grants, carbon emissions, radiators, hot water and when a heat pump makes sense.

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Energy Bills

Electricity VAT Cut: Heat Pumps Save 2-4x More

Why the October-to-March VAT cut could save heat-pump owners two to four times more than the average household.

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Case Study

Oil to Vaillant Heat Pump with Solar

A Lincolnshire home combined a 35°C Vaillant heat pump design with underfloor heating, solar and battery storage.

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Air Conditioning

Aircon in Bedroom

Compare bedroom and landing positions, fixed and portable units, night noise, airflow, condensate and cost factors.

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Air Conditioning

Wall Hanging AC Units: UK Guide

Compare fixed high-wall systems, portable and concealed options, plus single vs multi split, sizing, drainage and grants.

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Heat Pumps

Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler

Current running-cost maths, grants, radiators, hot water, comfort and the property checks that decide the better fit.

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Heat Pumps

Air Source Heat Pump Servicing

What a £240, 1.5-hour Vector Heat service checks, from the outdoor unit and water quality to controls and running data.

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Heat Pumps

Future Homes Standard Explained

What the Future Homes Standard means for new-build homes, heat pumps, solar panels and future energy bills.

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Funding

Boiler Upgrade Scheme: 2026 Grants

Compare the £7,500, £9,000, £2,500 and £5,000 grants, eligibility rules and installer-led application.

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Heat Pumps

What Does MCS Certification Mean?

Why MCS certification matters for heat pump grants, consumer protection and installer standards.

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Heat Pumps

Zero Disrupt Heat Pump Design

How Heat Geek Zero Disrupt helps us survey homes, check radiators and design with less guesswork.

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Heat Pumps

Why Air Source Heat Pumps Are Taking The Lead

Why air source heat pumps are often the practical low-carbon heating option for UK homes.

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Heat Pumps

Heat Pumps Are Not the Problem

Why poor design, weak commissioning and bad system setup cause most underperforming heat pumps.

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Heat Pumps

Heat Pump Efficiency: COP, SCOP and SPF

How efficiency is measured and how flow temperature, emitters, controls and commissioning affect real performance.

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Boilers

Why Does My Boiler Keep Turning On and Off?

How to tell whether the boiler is doing its job, oversized for the heat load, or short cycling because of a fault.

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Boilers

Boiler Flue: Types and Warning Signs

How modern flues work, why white plumes appear, what affects the route and which signs need a Gas Safe engineer.

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Boilers

Boiler Leaking Water

What to check first, what the pressure gauge is telling you, and when to call a heating engineer.

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Boilers

Boiler Pressure Too High

Why pressure rises, what the expansion vessel does, and when topping up becomes a clue instead of a fix.

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Power Flushing

Power Flush Cost

What a power flush usually costs, when a full flush is worth it, and when a lighter clean may be enough.

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Boilers

Combi Boiler: Is It Right for Your Home?

How to decide whether a combi boiler, system boiler or cylinder setup fits the way your household uses hot water.

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Boilers

Electric Combi Boiler

When one suits a small flat, current running-cost maths, hot-water limits, electrical supply and better alternatives.

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Boilers

How Long Does a Boiler Service Take?

Real gas, LPG and oil service times, what faults add and why known problems need reporting before the visit.

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LPG Boilers

Why Do LPG Boilers Corrode Faster?

Why LPG boilers can look older inside, what the chemistry can explain and why sulphur is only part of the answer.

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Boilers

How Much Is a Boiler Service?

Vector Heat prices for gas, LPG and oil boiler servicing, plus what is included and what to do if the boiler has a fault.

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Boilers

Boiler Service vs Gas Safety Check

Compare the checks, paperwork and landlord duties, then see when you should book both.

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Boilers

Why Our Boiler Service Plan Is Different

How our boiler service plans are built around real condition, local support and clear terms.

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Boilers

Boiler Installation FAQ

Common questions about boiler costs, surveys, hot water, flushing, filters and installation quotes.

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Case Study

Village Hall Boiler Installation

How Vector Heat helped Ashby de la Launde Village Hall with a practical heating upgrade.

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Heat Pumps

I'm Liam Conneely, Heat Pump Expert

Meet Liam Conneely: 23 years in plumbing and heating, more than 5,000 property surveys and a design-first approach to heat pumps.

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Case Study

Back Boiler to Air Source Heat Pump

A Lincolnshire customer story about replacing an old back boiler with a designed heat pump system.

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Case Study

Fixing A Faulty Heat Pump Installation

How poor heat pump installations can be corrected with proper design and commissioning.

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Case Study

Storage Heaters to Heat Pump with Grant

A Langworth home moved from old electric storage heaters to a designed air source heat pump.

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