The use of the word ‘admits’ in a newspaper headline rather suggests that the confessor has hitherto engaged in some kind of coverup. That’s an unfortunate meta-message in this headline in the The Telegraph: British Gas admits heat pumps can leave your home colder than a gas boiler
It’s as if hitherto, British Gas has been misleading the public.
And the paywalled Telegraph article has a subhead: ‘Energy giant offers money-back guarantee to boost take-up of new technology.’
Is naughty British Gas serving penance by offering a money back guarantee? Alas, not really.
Basic UK heat pump facts:
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- Heat pumps need well-insulated buildings to be effective.
- Refurbishing a poorly insulated building may be expensive. One example: well-insulated buildings may trap moisture in the home and encourage mould if not properly ventilated.
- The UK has the lowest levels of insulation in Europe. Why? Read more in euronews.green: Europe’s energy crisis in data: Which countries have the best and worst insulated homes?
The current state of heat pump technology for social housing can be gauged by the following article in CITYA.M: Heat pumps too expensive to meet social housing needs, warns Sureserve
The pronouncement above comes from a business that installs heat pumps. Such installers evaluate the insulation issues before agreeing to install one. British Gas is no exception to this. In fact, depending on the definition of the ‘warming on the coldest day of the year’ promise, it is possible that British Gas may find few homes that it is prepared to insure with a money-back guarantee.
What exactly is on offer from British Gas? Read more in Bedford Today: British Gas gives heat pump warmth guarantee
