Searching for an MCS certified heat pump installer in Doncaster? Here is exactly how it works with Heat Pump Energy. Mark designs and installs air source heat pumps, and every install is certified under the MCS certification of Ample, the trading name of Fornax Energy Ltd. That certification is what makes the install eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant.
The short, honest version
Heat Pump Energy is not itself MCS certified, and does not claim to be. Its heat pump installs are certified under Ample's MCS certification, which is the certification the grant looks for. Mark designs and fits the system. Ample certifies the install and looks after the paperwork around it.
What is MCS, and why does it matter for a heat pump?
MCS is the UK's certification scheme for small-scale renewable installations such as heat pumps. According to MCS, its certificate shows an installation "has been designed, installed, and commissioned to industry-recognised standards, using only MCS certified products by an MCS certified installer."
MCS is clear that its certificate is not a legal requirement for installing a heat pump. It matters because of money. Ofgem, which runs the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, says that for a system to be eligible, "it has to be installed and commissioned by an installer certified by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS)." No MCS, no grant. The grant amounts and who qualifies for the higher one are on the grants page.
How does an MCS umbrella scheme work?
Not every good installer holds MCS certification in their own name, and MCS has a recognised route for that: the umbrella scheme. MCS describes umbrella schemes as run by MCS certified contractors, who typically handle design and commissioning and may work with other firms for some or all of the installation.
MCS sets out two principles for them that are worth knowing as a homeowner:
"MCS certificates are raised by the umbrella operator."
"Ultimately the umbrella scheme operator is responsible for the full scope of work carried out."
MCS also expects the operator to check the competence of the people doing the work, supervise them, and make sure they are trained and insured. On Mark's heat pump installs, the MCS certified company is Ample. You can read more about how Heat Pump Energy works with Ample on the about page.
What Ample handles on a Heat Pump Energy install
Certifying the install under MCS
Applying for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant Ofgem's scheme is installer-led, so the application is made for you.
The application to the electricity network
Finance, if you want it
The insurance-backed guarantee on the work
Questions to ask any heat pump installer about MCS
Whose MCS certification will my install be registered under? The installer's own, or an umbrella company's. Both routes are recognised by MCS. What matters is that you know which.
Who applies for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant? Ofgem's scheme is installer-led, so it should not be you.
When will I receive my MCS certificate? MCS says certified installers must issue it within 10 days of commissioning.
Is there a room-by-room heat loss calculation? On Mark's installs, the house is scanned with LiDAR and that plan is fed into the MCS Design Platform, room by room.
Who services the heat pump afterwards? On Mark's installs, Mark does, from £150 a year.
Where MCS fits in a Heat Pump Energy install
1
Estimate
Start with the online estimator from your address. It gives a first view of the grant and the size of heat pump the house is likely to need.
2
Survey and heat loss
Mark scans the house with LiDAR to make a floor plan, which is then fed into the MCS Design Platform to work out the heat loss of every room.
3
Proposal
You get a proposal built on that survey. Ample handles the grant and network applications from here.
4
Install
Mark installs the heat pump, to the design worked out from the survey.
5
Your MCS certificate
The certificate is raised by Ample as the MCS certified company. MCS says certified installers must issue it within 10 days of commissioning.
How do I check an MCS certificate or installer?
MCS runs a Find an Installer search on its own website for checking whether a company is certified. For an installation, MCS says you can confirm a certificate exists by calling its customer support helpdesk on 0333 103 8130. You will need the technology type, the full address including postcode, and proof you live there, such as a recent utility bill or council tax letter.
Keep the MCS certificate with the heat pump's other documents. It is the proof that the install was designed, installed and commissioned to MCS standards, and it was the basis for the grant.
To start, get an estimate for your home, or call Mark on 07725 541383. The survey and design process is set out on the heat pumps page.
MCS questions
Does installing through an umbrella scheme affect my grant?
No. The grant needs the install to be done and commissioned by an MCS certified installer, and on Mark's heat pump installs that certification is Ample's. It is what makes the install eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
Is MCS the same as Gas Safe or F-Gas registration?
No, they cover different things. Gas Safe registration is for gas work, such as boilers. F-Gas certification is for work on refrigerant circuits containing F-gases. MCS covers the standard of small-scale renewable installs. Heat Pump Energy is Gas Safe registered (979299) and a REFCOM F-Gas certified company (REF1020030). Its heat pump installs are MCS certified through Ample.
Who do I contact if something goes wrong after the install?
Start with Mark. He services the heat pumps he installs and handles fault-finding. The insurance-backed guarantee on the work comes through Ample.
Is an umbrella scheme install as good as one from an MCS certified firm?
Both end with an MCS certificate, and the certificate means the same thing either way: the install was designed, installed and commissioned to MCS standards. Under MCS's rules, the certificate is raised by the certified company running the scheme, and that company is responsible for the work it certifies.
Heat Pump Energy
