Air source heat pumps are going to be a major part of the landscape as we look ahead to a future where homes are kept warm with low carbon heating systems. For installers and heating engineers yet to make the move to renewables, the heat pump sector is an exciting field to work in but it may appear daunting at first. In this blog, we will share some advice about how installers can develop their heat pump knowledge with training, online resources and more.
Air source heat pumps are low temperature heating systems which work differently to traditional, high temperature fossil fuel central heating systems such as gas or oil boilers. For heating engineers looking to work with heat pumps, not only must they learn how such units operate and how heat pump systems must be correctly designed, they also need to keep up to date with the latest legislation as well as any changes made in heat pump technology itself. It is therefore important for all engineers and installers, whether new to heat pumps or already established in the heat pump sector, to keep themselves informed with the latest updates and information and this is where product training, industry qualifications and general heat pump research can help.
Heat pump installer training
If you speak to an experienced heat pump installer and ask them what advice they would give to engineers wanting to enter the heat pump market, they will probably suggest product training as a good starting point. This could be manufacturer product training, to learn more about specific heat pump models, how they are built and how they operate, or more general renewables training to learn about how air source heat pump systems work and how to design heat pump systems. Heat pump training is not only relevant for installers and engineers new to heat pumps but it is also important for any installer, whatever their experience, to keep their heat pump knowledge current and up to date through refresher courses, such as free online heat pump training, or by further their skills with heat pump qualifications.
The NESTA survey report, published in June 2024, revealed that one of the largest challenges preventing companies from increasing their number of heat pump installations was an inability to find additional suitable staff. The demand in the market for trained heat pump installers is therefore there with 30% of respondents in the survey noting staffing as their biggest barrier (NESTA 2024). Whether you are an installer looking to upskill into heat pumps or a heating company wanting to expand more into heat pumps, training is incredibly important for you and your business.
What to expect from Grant UK’s Heat Pump Training Courses
The Grant UK Training Academy delivers a broad selection of heat pump installer training, from product specific courses through to qualifications and assessments. The Academy Headquarters are based in Swindon, Wiltshire, with regional training partners based at centres elsewhere in England, Scotland and Wales with their Trainers delivering heat pump training at facilities in Norfolk, Stafford, Hawes, Livingston and Inverness to give just a few locations.
Range of courses
Whether you are looking to learn more about Grant heat pumps or interested in becoming MCS accredited for air source heat pumps through OFTEC qualification, the Grant UK Training Academy course catalogue is diverse with a choice of courses available to suit your specific requirements. For example, if you would like to learn about the Aerona³ Heat Pump or the Aerona 290 Heat Pump, we have dedicated 1-day courses for each of these ranges, training which is free of charge. As an OFTEC Approved Centre, Grant UK’s Training Academy also delivers OFTEC heat pump qualification courses, including OFT21-504D for the design of heat pump systems and OFT21-504A for the installation, commissioning of air source heat pumps.
If you are wanting to install heat pump systems which are eligible for Government funding, such as the Boiler Upgrade Scheme in England or Wales or the Home Energy Scotland Funding in Scotland, you will need to be MCS accredited. Depending on whether you are wanting to become MCS certified for design or installation or both, you can complete one or more of the OFTEC heat pump qualification courses and assessments mentioned above to apply for OFTEC registration to go towards your MCS certification. To learn more about the OFTEC heat pump training, please contact our Training Team.
In-depth courses
Grant UK’s Trainers have a wealth of experience in the plumbing and heating industry having worked as installers and engineers for many years prior to joining our Training Academy (click here to meet our Trainers and read their bios). Heating professionals who step through the doors of the Grant UK Training Academy will therefore receive informative and engaging training from Trainers who can relate to the queries and scenarios that face installers out in the field. Experts in all Grant products, our Trainers thrive on sharing their knowledge and delivering in-depth face-to-face courses including air source heat pump installation training.
Depending on the course you complete, you can learn about heat pump construction, operation, electrical wiring, controller settings and commissioning or you can learn about how to carry out heat loss calculations, sizing heat pumps for new installations, heat emitter sizing and sound level calculations as well. As highlighted in the NESTA survey, installation companies want training to have a deeper focus on practical skills specifically in heat pump installation. Each of Grant’s heat pump product courses, on the Aerona³ and Aerona 290 ranges, combine both theory learning with practical sessions to give installers the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with heat pumps.
State-of-the-art training facility
Grant UK’s Academy HQ in Swindon is a modern training facility which has been designed to be a welcoming learning environment for delegates. Its extensive facilities include an air source heat pump and underfloor heating training workshop, a solar thermal training workshop which has a training roof, an unvented hot water training and assessment area, air-conditioned lecture rooms, an oil boiler training workshop, renewables training and assessment area and interactive screens within each workshop and lecture room. These first-class facilities combined with the high quality of training courses delivered have been recognised with the Grant UK Training Academy being a finalist for ‘Training Provider of the Year’ at the National ACR & Heat Pump Awards in 2024. View our full list of awards for product, services and training here.
Stay informed about heat pump technology
As mentioned at the start of this blog, staying up to date with the latest changes in legislation and evolving heat pump technology is a key part of the continued personal development of heat pump installers. For example, the development of R290 heat pumps is a significant milestone in the sector with more air source heat pumps now using this refrigerant which has an incredibly low Global Warming Potential of 3, such as the Aerona 290 heat pump range. You can keep informed about changes in the heat pump sector by attending industry events and seminars or by attending trade days at your local merchant. Manufacturers will also share regular updates about their products via their social media channels, websites or by email – for example, to hear about new products or innovations from Grant UK, please sign up to our mailing list.
Grant UK also have a range of other resources which are available to you to help you keep in touch with the latest developments in the heating sector, including:
- The Net Zero Heating Show Podcast – listen to our podcast which is dedicated to heating professionals with guests talking about all things sustainable in home heating
- Case Studies – read our case studies which showcase installations of Grant products in action, demonstrating their versatility to suit different installation scenarios and featuring installer comments, sharing information about how they approached the installation
- Grant Home Heating Blog – read blogs shared by the Grant Team about legislation, Government funding, renewable heating systems and more with dedicated articles for heating professionals and homeowners.
Troubleshooting & problem solving
As with any type of central heating system, issues can arise with heat pumps and on the wider system so it is useful for heat pump engineers to know about potential problems and how these can be resolved. On the Grant heat pump product training courses, fault finding is a topic covered during each course. Engineers can also refer to the installation manual supplied with heat pumps to read the list of error codes, what they mean and potential solutions for resolving the issues. In addition, installers can also help their customers with heat pump troubleshooting advice to support homeowners if an issue arises with their heat pump. Grant UK have dedicated online hubs to help homeowners and installers with after-sales product support – simply follow the links below to view the product support for heat pumps in each of our Homeowner and Professional Support Hubs:
Stay on top of Government updates
Government policy plays a significant role in shaping the heating sector, with legislation and funding schemes influencing the uptake of renewable energy and heating systems. This can include changes to Building Regulations or updates to Government funding schemes, such as the increase in grant levels applied to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme in October 2023. As a heat pump installer, it is important that you keep up to date with any announcements relating to Government policies, schemes and initiatives which will be shared in the news, via social media, in the trade press and through word of mouth amongst fellow heating professionals.
Train to be a heat pump installer with Grant UK
If this blog has ignited your interest and you want to train to be a heat pump installer, then start your journey with heat pump installation training with Grant UK’s Training Academy. From product training on the Aerona³ or Aerona 290 heat pump ranges through to OFTEC qualifications with one of our OFTEC training courses for heat pumps, view our course catalogue to browse upcoming training courses being held at a centre near you.