Is Your Heat Pump Underperforming? The Hidden Cost of a Poorly Installed System — and How We Can Fix It

A heat pump is one of the most energy-efficient heating and cooling solutions available today — but only when it's installed and maintained correctly. Unfortunately, poor installation is more common than you might think, and it can leave homeowners with a system that's noisy, inefficient, unreliable, and costly to run.

At Reliable Renewables, we regularly attend call-outs across Nottingham, the East Midlands, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and North England where heat pump systems have been incorrectly sized, poorly commissioned, or left without a proper heat pump service since installation. The good news? In most cases, we can put things right — and significantly improve your system's performance and efficiency.

Signs Your Heat Pump Was Poorly Installed

Many homeowners don't realise their heat pump system has issues until their energy bills spike or the system breaks down entirely. Here are the most common warning signs of a poor installation:

• High energy bills despite the system running constantly — a sign of poor heat pump efficiency or incorrect refrigerant charge

• Inadequate heating or hot water — often caused by incorrect heat pump sizing or a poorly designed underfloor heating or radiator circuit

• Excessive noise from the outdoor unit or indoor heat pump unit — can indicate refrigerant issues, loose components, or incorrect placement

• Frequent fault codes or system lockouts — often a result of incorrect flow temperatures, poor pipework design, or a lack of heat pump commissioning

• Low COP (Coefficient of Performance) — meaning your heat pump is consuming far more electricity than it should to produce heat

• No annual heat pump service has ever been carried out — leaving the system running without essential checks and maintenance

Common Installation Mistakes We See

With over 25 years of experience in heating, ventilation, and plumbing — and more than 2,000 projects completed — our team has seen it all. The most frequent installation errors we encounter include:

• Incorrect heat pump sizing — an oversized or undersized air source heat pump (ASHP) or ground source heat pump (GSHP) will never operate efficiently

• Poor refrigerant pipework — incorrect pipe sizing, inadequate insulation, or refrigerant leaks reduce system performance and can cause compressor damage

• Incorrect flow temperature settings — heat pumps are designed to run at low flow temperatures; setting them too high destroys efficiency and increases running costs

• Inadequate buffer tanks or hot water cylinders — without the correct thermal store or buffer vessel, the heat pump short-cycles and wears out prematurely

• No weather compensation or smart controls — without proper heat pump controls, the system cannot adapt to outdoor temperatures and runs inefficiently

• Incorrect placement of the outdoor unit — poor airflow around the heat pump unit reduces performance and can cause icing issues in winter

How Reliable Renewables Can Help

Our heat pump engineers are fully qualified with an NVQ Level 3 in heating and ventilation. We carry out thorough heat pump diagnostics to identify exactly what's wrong with your system — and then we fix it properly.

Our remedial and optimisation services include:

• Full heat pump system assessment and diagnostics

• Heat pump recommissioning — resetting flow temperatures, pressure checks, and refrigerant verification

• Annual heat pump service — a comprehensive check of all electrical, mechanical, and refrigerant components

• Heat pump efficiency optimisation — adjusting controls, weather compensation curves, and system settings to maximise your COP

• Refrigerant leak detection and recharge

• Heat pump repair and component replacement — compressors, expansion valves, pumps, and more

• Ongoing heat pump maintenance packages — regular servicing to keep your system running at peak performance year-round

The Difference a Proper Service Makes

A well-maintained air source heat pump or ground source heat pump can achieve a COP of 3 or higher — meaning for every 1 kW of electricity used, you get 3 kW or more of heat. A poorly installed or neglected system may struggle to reach a COP of 1.5, effectively doubling your running costs.

Regular heat pump servicing also protects your manufacturer's warranty, ensures your system remains eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) grant requirements, and extends the operational lifespan of your heat pump — typically to 20+ years with proper care.

Don't Let a Bad Installation Cost You More

If you're in Nottingham, the East Midlands, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, or North England and you suspect your heat pump isn't performing as it should, don't wait. The longer a poorly installed or unmaintained system runs, the more damage it can cause — and the more it costs you in wasted energy.

Get in touch with Reliable Renewables today. We'll carry out a full heat pump health check, identify any issues, and give you a clear, honest assessment of what's needed to get your system running efficiently.

📞 07775071761 ✉️ reliablerenewables@outlook.com

Heat pump underperforming — hidden costs of poor installation