Rural Oil-to-Heat Pump Retrofit in Beaminster | Ann’s Story
How Ann replaced her oil boiler and transformed her rural Beaminster home with a complete whole-house heating overhaul, including a Mitsubishi Ecodan, new pipework, radiators, and underfloor heating, with £7,500 towards the cost.
Beaminster, Dorset
Semi-Detached House
5-Day Complete Turnaround
Project Overview
Ann lives in a semi-detached house in Drimpton, near Beaminster—a rural West Dorset village with no mains gas supply. Like many homes across the West Dorset, South Somerset, and South Wiltshire borders, her property was heated by an older oil boiler, leaving her entirely dependent on fossil fuel deliveries and exposed to highly volatile oil prices.
Her property was rated D on its EPC and was producing 6.1 tonnes of CO2 per year—right at the national household average—with the potential to nearly halve that environmental footprint by switching to a renewable system.
We carried out a comprehensive engineering installation: completely removing the oil boiler, replacing it with a high-efficiency Mitsubishi Ecodan 8.5kW air source heat pump, fitting a new 170-litre hot water cylinder, renewing the pipework and radiators throughout the entire property, and designing and installing a custom underfloor heating system. The entire large-scale project was completed in just five days, and the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant made the financial transition straightforward.
Ann's Testimonial
“Excellent installation of an Ecodan air source heat pump, replacement pipework and radiators, and connection of underfloor heating. I am delighted with the great performance and economic benefits of this system. EcoFueled’s well-trained staff are courteous, efficient and tidy. Highly recommend.” — Ann, Beaminster
The Solution
Assessment
We assessed Ann's property in full and recommended a comprehensive upgrade. Because this was a complete fossil-fuel transition, we didn't just stop at a like-for-like heat source swap. We engineered a brand-new distribution network—replacing the old pipework and radiators and installing underfloor heating—to give the new heat pump the absolute best thermal conditions to operate at maximum efficiency for years to come.
System Design
A synchronized renewable heating solution featuring a Mitsubishi Ecodan 8.5kW air source heat pump with a 170-litre hot water cylinder, supported by a completely renewed heat distribution system to optimize low-flow temperatures throughout the home.
Oil boiler removed and decommissioned
Minimal disruption for residents
Mitsubishi Ecodan 8.5kW heat pump supplied and installed
Full system commissioning and customer handover on completion
Key Benefits Achieved
- Oil Dependency Eliminated Entirely: No more relying on erratic oil deliveries or fluctuating market prices in a rural, off-grid location.
- Complete Heating Transformation: This went far beyond a basic swap—every component of the home's heating infrastructure was modernized and optimized for low-carbon performance.
- Maximum Efficiency Overhaul: The combination of new pipework, low-temperature radiators, and underfloor heating ensures the heat pump runs at peak seasonal coefficient of performance (SCOP).
- Significant Carbon Reduction: Drastically lowered greenhouse gas emissions, dropping from 6.1 tonnes toward 3.5 tonnes of $CO_2$ per year.
- Minimal Home Disruption: A courteous, efficient, and exceptionally tidy team managed a massive scope of work in a tight 5-day window.
Environmental Impact
Delivered Fuel Eradicated
Off-grid rural properties like Ann's are exactly where heat pumps make the greatest real-world difference, permanently removing local carbon emissions from delivered fossil fuels.
CO2 Emissions Nearly Halved
Moving from an old oil setup to a clean system drops this home's output from 6.1 tonnes of CO2 to a projected 3.5 tonnes—a massive 43% reduction.
Off the gas grid and still relying on oil?
Ann's story is one we see every week across West Dorset, Somerset, and Wiltshire—rural homes on oil that make perfect candidates for a clean energy upgrade. With the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme available to drastically reduce your upfront investment, there has never been a better time to break free from fossil fuels.
