Take a look at our 'Frequently Asked Questions' for more information

Question 1

What is a Smart Hybrid Heating System?

Answer

A Smart Hybrid Heating System is the upgrade of an existing conventional fuel boiler to incorporate a new air source heat pump and a smart control that allows the automatic selection of the most appropriate fuel source to deliver warmth and comfort.

Question 2

What are the benefits of installing a B-Snug system?

Answer

Our Smart Hybrid Heating System could offer the following benefits to you: - Increased comfort control for your heating via our Smart Controls and App - Optimised home energy consumption and a reduction in conventional fuel use (oil/LPG) - Increased fuel security - Increased life span of your existing boiler - Eligibility to apply for additional income from Ofgem via the Metering and Monitoring Service Package (MMSP) scheme

Question 3

Can I monitor how much energy the system uses?

Answer

Yes. As part of the smart controls you will be given access to an online account where you will be able to see how much energy the heat pump is using. We will also measure and show you how much energy your boiler is producing. We can't directly measure your oil or LPG usage but measuring heat output provides a good indication of how much energy has been consumed by your boiler.

Question 4

Is it available for standard gas boilers?

Our solution is currently only open to homes that use oil or LPG, but we recommend signing up to our marketing updates as we may expand our product range in time.

Answer

Fortunately, due to government regulations, most modern air source heat pumps are a lot quieter than older models. The sound a heat pump makes does of course vary between models and manufacturers; we use a Samsung model and it produces a similar noise to your average kitchen microwave!

Answer

The Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (Domestic RHI) is a government financial incentive to promote the use of renewable heat technologies. Administered by Ofgem, the scheme was set up to encourage home-owners to switch to renewable heating systems to help the UK reduce its carbon emissions and meet its renewable energy targets. People who join the RHI scheme and stick to its rules receive quarterly payments for seven years for the amount of clean, green renewable heat it’s estimated their system produces. Renewable heating can be expensive to install, but in the right properties the potential savings on fuel costs or energy bills, combined with the Domestic RHI payment can make the renewable heating systems an attractive investment. The government have put a scheme in place to assist homeowners to overcome the barrier of the upfront cost by permitting an assignment of rights. This option allows investors like us to fund the purchase and installation of your renewable heating system in return for your RHI payments ...which you 'assign' to us.

Answer

Participants in the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive scheme can also apply to register for the Metering and Monitoring Service Package (MMSP). This is an optional scheme (only open to those with heat pumps or biomass boilers that burn wood pellets) put in place by the government to help cover some of the costs of installing and operating the package. If you are successful in registering for MMSP, OFGEM will pay you £805 within 3 months of your install being commissioned and £115 a year for 7 years. As part of your Smart Hybrid Heating System installation, we will fit a set of meters and sensors to your renewable heating system which means it will be ‘MMSP ready’. This means that you will be able to log on to our PassivLiving portal to see the data relating to your Smart Hybrid Heating System and check how well it's performing.

Answer

We are pleased to announce that we have resumed home visits to carry out surveys and installation work following easing of the COVID-19 lockdown regulations. Following guidelines from the Government and industry bodies, we have implemented a home-visit process for our staff and contractors to follow. We are keeping the health of our customers, employees and installers central to everything we do. Prior to a home visit our surveyors and installers are fully briefed on our new safety guidelines for working in customer homes. If you have any questions and/or would like us to proceed with your order, please feel free to give us a call. Our sales and support desks are open as normal - 8.30am to 6pm Monday to Friday (excl bank holidays) to answer any questions.

Question 5

What is installed and where?

The air source heat pump is typically installed on the side or rear elevation of your home. We will not install a heat pump near a window that opens that is within one meter of a living room, bedroom, or your neighbours. There are two sizes of heat pump:

5kw: (W)880 x (H)798 x (D)310

8kw: (W)940 x (H)998 x (D)330

We will also install some additional meters and a control unit inside your home.

Question 6

How long will the installation take?

The installation will typically take 3 days in total from start to finish. Our installers will arrive on site after 8am and finish no later 6pm (unless mutually agreed with you).

Materials can either be delivered to your home 14 days before your install or the day before your install starts.

Question 7

What warranties will I receive?

- We will provide you with a full 7 years parts and labour warranty for the Renewable Heating System. Any faults or breakdowns that occur with the supplied items under this proposal will be repaired or replaced by us at no cost to you.

- Any items not listed under this proposal are considered existing equipment and are not included in the 7 year Warranty.

- You will be responsible for the repair or replacement of existing components that form part of your existing fossil fuel heating system.

- All warranties will comply with Renewable Energy Consumer Code requirements. They will be explained to you when we commission your system.

- We will provide you with a 2-year workmanship warranty that will be insurance-backed should we, or any MCS-certified Installer we may have subcontracted, fall into receivership, administration or bankruptcy during the term of the workmanship warranty.

Question 8

What happens after 7 years?

After the 7 year agreement has come to an end you can choose the following options for the control of your hybrid heating system:

Option A Request to continue with the Advanced Smart Control for the hybrid heating system and continue to pay B-Snug £9.90 per month.

Option B Notify B-Snug that you wish to revert to the Basic Smart Control of your hybrid heating system with no monthly fee.

Question 9

What is the difference between the Basic and Advanced Smart Controls?

The Advanced Smart Control Service allows you to set your comfort level and schedule, and the Smart Control System learns the thermal characteristics of your home. In real time the Smart Control System will calculate your energy demand using weather forecasts, and optimise the use of renewable energy where possible while maintaining the comfort setting.

You will pay the monthly Smart Control Fee to us for the duration of the Term of the Contract in respect of the Advanced Smart Control Service.

The Basic Smart Control Service will allow you to use the Smart Control Hardware at the end of the Contract without making further payments. The Basic Smart Control Service means you can use the PassivLiving Portal and PassivLiving App to set your schedule and set points and the PassivLiving App will allow you to choose to heat your home with the Renewable Heating System or your fossil fuel boiler. The PassivLiving App will have basic functionality only and will have limited intelligence. The terms for the Basic Smart Control Service are published on PassivSystems’ website here.

Question 10

What happens if I move?

You will need to notify B-Snug if you move home. The contract can be transferred to the new homeowner or we can agree a fee in full and final settlement of the contract.

Question 11

How noisy is an air source heat pump?

Question 12

What are my obligations under the Domestic RHI scheme?

For the duration of the agreement you will need to update the MyRHI portal with quarterly meter readings. Each year you will also need to complete an annual declaration that you continue to adhere to the DRHI scheme rules. We will support this process by sending you email reminders with your latest meter readings.

You will need to have a separate maintenance contract in place to ensure the Smart Hybrid Heating System remains in good working order and also ensure it is covered by appropriate insurance. We have a list of suppliers that can provide this service to you or you can choose your own supplier. Costs for the maintenance contract are to be covered by you as the owner of the system.

If at any time you become aware that the Smart Hybrid Heating System, has stopped being in good working order then you must tell us and Ofgem at the earliest opportunity.

If you sell your home at any time before the end of the 7 year agreement you will need to ensure that the new owner agrees to take on the B-Snug agreement in place of you or you can elect to pay us a settlement fee as compensation for future DRHI Payments that we lose as a result.

If at any time you become aware that you have not complied, or will not be able to comply, with any of your ongoing obligations or there has been any other change in circumstances which may affect your eligibility to participate in the DRHI Scheme, you must tell us about this as soon as reasonably possible.

Question 13

Will I save money - what will the impact be on my fuel bills?

Overall we are confident that you will see a reduction in your energy bills with the Smart Hybrid Heating System.

The heat pump is a more efficient way to heat your home and the advanced smart control service will typically select this option over your conventional boiler to meet your heat demands. This means your consumption of oil or LPG will significantly reduce. The addition of the heat pump will increase your electricity bill, however the combined overall cost of energy will be less.

We are unable to provide general information about cost savings as every home is unique. However, as part of our free service we will complete a home survey and produce a Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) performance estimate of the forecast savings you can achieve with the installation of one of our systems. This estimate is based on the information you provide about your home heating behaviours and technical information we gather in the home survey process.

This estimate will include the estimated running costs for your current system, and for the new system, and we will provide an annual cost saving figure in £.

We are unable to make any guarantees however as this is subject to variables. For example, your working patterns may change and you may be at home more which will naturally increase heat demand.

Question 14

What is the Domestic RHI and assignment of rights?

Question 15

What is MMSP?

Question 16