Installer, Roseland Plumbing & Heat Pumps

Ground source review: Roseland Plumbing & Heat Pumps

How did you find out about Kensa?

“Having kept a close eye on ground source heat pump manufacturers over the years, it was hard to miss the momentum Kensa has created by developing quality products and releasing them to the market.”

When did you first start working with Kensa and how did that relationship begin?

“Roseland Plumbing and Heat Pumps started working with Kensa in early 2022. I reached out to Kensa as DNO conformity issues were affecting a high-end development of six dwellings, with the German brand heat pumps specified at the time. Kensa introduced us to the Evo model and the rest is history…”

How has Kensa helped you?

“Kensa has proven invaluable to work with. The support from initial specification to final commissioning and beyond really is second to none. Quality service seems to be frustratingly a dying art nowadays and Kensa really has their A-to-B relationship polished.”

What do you think about Kensa’s products and why do you specify them?

“Supporting a local UK-based company that makes high-quality, well-performing and robust products is a no-brainer. Given the supply chain issues we’ve encountered previously with other big-name manufacturers, together with significant price increases, it seems Kensa has positioned itself well in providing consumers with well-priced heat pumps, but not at the expense of quality or efficiency.”

How would you rate Kensa’s staff and support services and why?

“100% and that rating doesn’t come lightly. Response times to enquiries often need to be fast and Kensa is very slick in ensuring we meet our customer’s needs as effectively as possible. After all, it’s both ours and Kensa’s reputation on the line.”

What is your opinion about ground source heat pump technology?

“The landscape of heat pumps has changed steadily over the years. Changes in refrigerants and updates in both compressor technology and controls methodology seem ongoing. With the recent investment Kensa Group has received, I’m certain that Kensa will continue to grow its range of quality heat pump offerings.”

What type of properties do you install GSHPs into?

“Being based in the predominantly rural and mostly ‘off mains gas’ county of Cornwall, we’ve installed Kensa heat pumps in buildings ranging from high-end new-build coastal retreats, manor houses and barn conversions, to cutting-edge architectural masterpieces and more modest houses, in a retrofit capacity.”

What common myths about GSHPs do you encounter and how do you address them?

“We get told that GSHPs cannot heat pools, but this is not a problem with careful design and oversizing of the ground array. Often people say there’s not enough space, although slinky pipes and boreholes are space-saving alternatives to linear ground arrays. Some believe GSHPs are not suitable for old properties; granted, not all houses are suitable, but with careful consideration of system design and heat emitters, many buildings can be effectively heated.”

How has ground source helped your business grow?

“GSHPs are often seen as a ‘dark art’ to get right, especially when many heating and plumbing engineers are struggling to gain support and access effective training to cut their teeth on more straight-forward to install ASHP systems. Our proven experience in ground source heat pumps and our relationships with our drillers and architects means we have a constant supply of projects to keep Roseland Plumbing & Heat Pumps busy in our ‘happy place’.”

Where do you see the market heading and what is the future of your business?

“With continually improving Building Regulations standards, together with government funding assisting the take-up of heat pumps within both the new build and retrofit sectors, I do not see Roseland Plumbing & Heat Pumps getting quiet anytime soon!”

What advice would you give individuals wanting to install GSHPs?

“Review the fabric of the building to ensure it is properly insulated and if it is deemed suitable, then do it! Before committing to a heat pump system, be sure a detailed MCS heat loss calculation has been conducted and that the heat emitter scenarios are accurately modelled. Go and see a previously installed system that your chosen installer has completed and ask for feedback on what the system is like to live with and its performance.

You won’t regret making the move to low-carbon GSHP-derived heating!”