Send us a textIn this eye-opening episode, we delve into the contrasting approaches to water treatment in European domestic heating systems for corrosion prevention. While the UK predominantly champions chemical inhibitor solutions under the EN BS 7593 standard, many European nations embrace a wider range of methods. Surprisingly, some UK chemical inhibitor manufacturers who exclusively promote their products domestically readily offer non-chemical alternatives on the continent. Host Nathan interviews Ricky Prescott from Thoroughflush, who sheds light on the shortcomings of the BS 7593 standard. Ricky argues that manufacturers of chemical inhibitors often fail to provide sufficient information to accurately test heating systems and determine if adequate inhibitor levels are present. Adding to the complexity, while some of the UK's leading heating engineers favor the German VDI 2035 standard, the chemical water treatment group within the Heating and Hot Water Industry Council (HHIC) appears resistant to discussing or acknowledging these alternative European approaches.This season is being sponsored by PrimaryPro a professional pipe insulation systemSupport the showLearn more about heat pump heating by followingNathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky

Send us a textEver wondered what connects the discipline of a three-time Oxford-Cambridge boat race rower with the intricacies of sustainable architecture and the practicalities of installing heat pumps? This week, Nathan Gambling sits down with Henry Pelly,  an extraordinary individual who seamlessly blends these worlds. Our guest is a Principal Sustainability Consultant at the renowned Max Fordham, a qualified architect holding Masters degrees in Environmental Design and Environmental Psychology – a powerful combination for understanding how buildings impact both our planet and our well-being. We explore his fascinating career journey, which has recently taken an exciting turn with the launch of his own MCS installation company, focused on bringing efficient and eco-friendly air-to-water and air-to-air heat pump systems to domestic properties. Discover Henry's incredible past representing Great Britain in rowing, the demands of building a wedding venue, and the heartwarming chaos of family life with three young daughters. Join us for a captivating conversation that proves passion and expertise can truly span diverse and impactful fields.This season is sponsored by Primary Pro, a professional pipe insulation systemSupport the showLearn more about heat pump heating by followingNathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky

Send us a textEver wondered how heat pump systems differ between the UK and the US? In this episode, Nathan chats with Shreyas Sudhakar, a leading heat pump installer and educator from California, to explore the contrasting approaches. Nathan, who has fond memories of his time in America, and his apprenticeship on a US airbase in the UK, emphasises the strong connection he feels to the country. He and Shreyas engage in a fun discussion, highlighting the strengths of both systems and gently suggesting areas where US installations might benefit from UK insights. They both strongly believe that sharing knowledge and best practices is key to maximising heat pump efficiency and sustainability. Join us for a conversation that celebrates innovation and the potential for transatlantic collaboration!This season is sponsored by Primary Pro a professional outdoor pipe insulation system used by top engineers in the UKSupport the showLearn more about heat pump heating by followingNathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky

Send us a textDamon Blackmore is a massive favourite among other competent heat pump installation engineers. He uses social media to help other heating engineers become interested in heat pump systems and has some of the highest performing heat pumps in the country.Unfortunately, the voices of good engineers are being drowned out by the comms pieces from much larger entities involved in the sector. Take a listen to someone actually at the coal face of industry...day in day out.  This episode is sponsored by Primary Pro a professional pipe insulation system used by Damon and other great engineers.Support the showLearn more about heat pump heating by followingNathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky

In this intriguing discussion, Adam Bell, Director of Policy at Stonehaven and an energy policy expert, dives into the criticisms surrounding Ofgem's regulation and the impact of energy network charges on consumers. He highlights the urgent need for infrastructure upgrades to accommodate heat pumps and electric vehicles. Adam also addresses the environmental considerations of pylons versus underground cables and the evolving Contracts for Difference auction process. Finally, he outlines the significant challenges currently facing the heat pump sector and the need for better regulatory support.

Send us a textHeat pump owners around the UK have joined the Nesta scheme whereby they allow visitors to come visit them and ask questions about their heating system. Nathan chats to Codrina Cretu and Andy Marsden about the benefits of this free scheme to people thinking of having a heat pump as well as the benefits to installation engineers who can use it as a marketing tool.Support the showLearn more about heat pump heating by followingNathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky

Send us a textEpisode 3 of the Heat Pump Ready programme.Nathan chats toIan Rose arPassiv UK,Casey Cole at Guru,and Mark Lufkin at WondrwallSupport the showLearn more about heat pump heating by followingNathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky

Send us a textNathan talks with Katrina from Energy Systems Catapult and Trysten Lee from Open Energy Monitor about a key question surrounding the Electrification of Heat (EoH) trial: why did the heat pumps perform so poorly? The trial, involving aprox. 740 heat pumps, showed an average Seasonal Performance Factor (SPF) of just 2.81 for air source.This contrasts sharply with the performance of heat pumps monitored by Trysten at HeatPumpMonitor.org (HPM). Interestingly, many of the installers whose systems are tracked on HPM are relatively new to the field, some with only a few years of heat pump experience. Yet, they consistently achieve high-performing heat pump installations, a stark difference from the results of the large-scale trials. This success likely stems from their adherence to the two BetaTeach principles, their approach to self-directed learning, and their use of peer-to-peer learning. They also tend to pursue different training paths, rather than relying solely on the standard 3-day BPEC and LCL Award courses.The trial, conducted in partnership with Warmworks, OVO, and E-ON, involved 19 MCS contractors installing approximately 750 free heat pump systems.  Beyond heat pump performance, the trial has provided valuable insights that are informing policy development in areas such as planning permission and Distribution Network Operator (DNO) applications.  Trystan and his team have managed to visualise the data captured from the trial at eoh.heatpumpmonitor.orgFor information on the Air to Air trial and to see if you can have a free A2A heat pump system click hereThis season is sponsored by PrimaryProPrimary Pro, a pipe insulation system developed by Dave Smith, is gaining popularity among engineers for use in heat pump installations.Support the showLearn more about heat pump heating by followingNathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky

Send us a textMechanical Ventilation Heat Recovery systems are discussed with Nathan's guests Duncan and Barry Sharp.Regular listeners will know Barry from previous episodes of BetaTalk and is one of Nathan's favourite heat pump engineers based in Scotland.Duncan is Barry's dad and has been specialising in MVHR systems since around 2010.The discussion looks at how effective MVHR is and the problems with design, installation and commissioning. Duncan spends a lot of his time helping others understand MVHR and is involved in surveying the systems in social housing as well as designing and installing systems. Support the showLearn more about heat pump heating by followingNathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky

Send us a textNathan interviews Mick Wall, a self-proclaimed 'heating nerd,' about his experiences with a heat pump expertly installed by Damon Blackmore, a renowned engineer. Mick's story, like those of Trystan and Glyn featured on episode 10 of BetaTalk's 10th season (who run heatpumpmonitor.org), exemplifies a fascinating shift: the rise of informed heat pump consumers. Their deep understanding around the "science of heat" surpasses that of many professionals in the industry's marketing, media, and PR sectors.Mick's heat pump heating system is being monitored hereMick also runs Energy Stats which tracks agile electricity prices and can be found here Mick runs a blog and can be found on these social media sites:https://twitter.com/Zarch1972https://bsky.app/profile/zarch1972.bsky.socialThis is a great episode and start to a new season being sponsored byPrimary ProSupport the showLearn more about heat pump heating by followingNathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky