Sureserve Compliance Central has recently marked its 1,000th Vaillant aroTHERM plus heat pump installation.

The company reported that it has been working closely with the Vaillant team to ensure the effective rollout of its home heating transformation programme.

Sureserve Compliance Central partners with housing associations and local authorities nationwide to specify and install low carbon heating solutions. The 1,000th heat pump was installed in a social housing property.

Jon Posey, technical director at Sureserve Compliance Central, said: “Many social housing providers are targeting EPC Band C by 2030, and have been using funding from the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund (formerly SHDF) alongside other support under the wider Warm Homes Plan to help finance the energy efficiency upgrades needed to reach that goal.

“As old gas boilers come to the end of their working lives, heat pumps are a natural and proven alternative technology when upgrading the heating system in properties. They are suitable for a wide variety of settings and Sureserve Compliance Central has retrofitted within flats as well as larger four bedroom homes.

“As we move to technologies like heat pumps, it’s vital we support households through the change, to make sure they feel comfortable with what (for many) is a new way of heating their home.”

To support this aim, Sureserve Compliance Central and Vaillant collaborate before an installation project gets underway and work to ensure that residents understand what is to come.

Jon added: “Before we commence any project, we work with Vaillant to ensure a working model of the heat pump is brought to site. This means the residents can see and hear a heat pump in action – often for the first time.

“Experts from both Sureserve Compliance Central and Vaillant are available to answer any questions or concerns from residents, and we work hard to alleviate any worries before we start. Education of this type is essential to gain acceptance and tackle any previously held views around issues such as heat pump noise and ease of use.”

Customer information brochures are provided to all affected residents. The communication covers how the air source heat pump works, how they are controlled, what to expect during and after the installation phase, as well as useful contacts for future reference.

Jon said: “Following completion of the installation, we also visit each tenant to make sure they are happy with the new heating system and how to control it to suit their needs. For instance, with an air source heat pump, we explain that the system is consistently running for best efficiency, whereas a boiler could tolerate the on/off usage many people are so used to.”