Paul Spence: What’s Actually Wrong With Heat Pump Installs

Paul Spence: What’s Actually Wrong With Heat Pump Installs

In this episode of Energy Unwrapped, I’m joined by Paul Spence, experienced heating engineer and founder of the Heat Pumps UK Facebook group, for a wide-ranging conversation about heating, engineering, training and the future of the heat pump industry.

Paul’s career began with a five-year apprenticeship in Leeds, followed by several years as a marine engineer in the Royal Navy. He later returned to domestic plumbing and heating, building up decades of practical experience in system design, installation and commissioning.

Today, he runs the Heat Pumps UK Facebook group, a community of more than 33,000 members at the time of recording, where homeowners and installers share experiences, ask questions and help each other understand heat pump technology.

But Paul has some strong views about the direction the heating industry has taken.

We discuss how traditional apprenticeships combined engineering theory with practical experience, why some of that knowledge has been lost, and whether short training courses can really prepare someone to design and install a heating system.

We also get into MCS certification, installer competence, consumer protection and the challenges facing experienced engineers who want to move into heat pumps.

It’s a frank conversation, and Paul certainly doesn’t hold back. You don’t have to agree with everything he says to recognise the importance of the questions he’s asking.

What does a qualification actually tell you about someone’s ability to install a heating system?

What we cover in this episode

• Paul’s five-year heating and engineering apprenticeship in Leeds
• Why practical experience matters alongside classroom learning
• Engineering and refrigeration systems in the Royal Navy
• Returning to domestic plumbing and heating
• How the heating industry changed during the 1990s
• Why so many boiler systems were designed around high flow temperatures
• The difference between gas safety qualifications and heating system design
• How the Heat Pumps UK Facebook group began
• Why Paul spent years correcting poorly installed heat pumps
• Whether a three-day course can prepare someone to install heat pumps
• Paul’s concerns about MCS and certification bodies
• The role of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme
• Whether certification adds unnecessary costs
• How to train the next generation of heating engineers
• Paul’s proposal for an industry-funded apprenticeship scheme
• Examples of better practical training facilities
• Why experienced heating engineers shouldn’t be overlooked

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Full Transcript

Below is the full transcript for this episode, lightly edited for readability.

Meet Paul Spence

Paul introduces himself and explains how his engineering career began in Leeds in 1980. After completing a five-year apprenticeship with a major mechanical and electrical engineering company, he went on to work in the Royal Navy before returning to domestic plumbing and heating.

With more than four decades of experience, Paul has seen enormous changes in how heating systems are designed, installed and maintained.

Learning Engineering Through a Five-Year Apprenticeship

Paul looks back at his time at Leeds Building College, where apprentices were expected to understand both the theory and practical side of heating engineering.

That meant calculating heat losses, sizing radiators and pipework, selecting pumps and then physically installing and commissioning the systems they’d designed.

We discuss why applying mathematics to real engineering problems was so important and whether modern training still provides that same depth of understanding.

What Happened to Traditional Apprenticeships?

As training costs increased, apprenticeships became shorter and qualifications changed.

Paul believes the industry gradually lost some of the engineering knowledge that was once central to becoming a heating installer.

He’s particularly critical of the idea that a short course or online assessment can adequately prepare someone to design and install a complete heating system.

Engineering in the Royal Navy

Paul shares stories from his years as a marine engineer in the Royal Navy, working with everything from propulsion machinery to refrigeration, air conditioning and electrical control systems.

Life at sea was demanding, but it also provided opportunities to learn from highly experienced engineers.

As Paul explains, when something breaks in the middle of the North Atlantic, you can’t simply call the manufacturer.

Returning to Domestic Plumbing and Heating

After leaving the Navy, Paul returned to plumbing and heating, working on large local authority housing refurbishment programmes throughout the 1990s.

He describes the pressure to complete installations quickly while maintaining standards, and how that experience eventually led him to establish his own business.

We also discuss how the domestic heating industry was changing as combination boilers became increasingly popular.

Why Did Boiler Flow Temperatures Get So High?

Paul explains how packaged heating systems, standard radiator selections and simplified installation methods contributed to boilers being installed with unnecessarily high flow temperatures.

Rather than calculating the actual requirements of a property, some installers simply turned up the temperature to make the heating work.

It’s an interesting discussion about how system design knowledge was gradually lost and why low-temperature heating principles aren’t exclusive to heat pumps.

Gas Safety Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Heating Competence

We explore the difference between being qualified to work safely with gas and understanding how to design an efficient central heating system.

Paul argues that gas safety certification doesn’t necessarily demonstrate competence in radiator sizing, hydraulics, flow rates or heating system performance.

These are separate engineering skills, and they become particularly important when installers move from gas boilers into heat pumps.

Why Paul Started the Heat Pumps UK Facebook Group

Paul explains how his Heat Pumps UK Facebook group began after he spent several years correcting poorly installed heat pump systems.

What started partly as a way to connect with homeowners needing help quickly grew into a community of more than 33,000 members.

We discuss the recurring problems Paul encountered and why he believes many could have been avoided through better training and system design.

Can You Really Become a Heat Pump Installer in Three Days?

One of the central questions of the episode is whether short training courses can adequately prepare engineers for heat pump installations.

Paul is highly critical of courses that focus on passing assessments without developing a proper understanding of the engineering involved.

Knowing a formula or answering a multiple-choice question is one thing. Understanding how to apply that knowledge to a real heating system is another.

Paul’s Concerns About MCS Certification

We get into Paul’s views on the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), including technical standards, certification bodies, installer assessments and accountability.

He questions whether the current approach places enough emphasis on practical competence and whether some requirements create unnecessary complexity for installers.

These are Paul’s perspectives, and the discussion raises wider questions about how the industry should balance quality assurance, consumer protection and installer experience.

Does Certification Add Unnecessary Costs?

With uncertainty around the future of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme at the time of recording, we discuss the relationship between government grants and MCS certification.

Paul argues that administrative requirements, audits and consumer protection schemes can add costs without necessarily improving installation quality.

We explore whether the industry could develop a more effective approach that protects homeowners while recognising the experience of established heating engineers.

How Should We Train the Next Generation?

The conversation turns to apprenticeships and how the industry can attract and develop skilled young engineers.

Paul proposes an industry-funded apprenticeship scheme, supported by a small levy on heating equipment and components.

His idea is to fund properly paid, multi-year apprenticeships that combine engineering theory, practical installation work and experience across different types of buildings.

What Does Good Heat Pump Training Look Like?

Paul discusses visits to training facilities, including Matrix in Rotherham and British Gas’s training centre at Lutterworth.

He’s impressed by the investment in practical training environments where engineers can assemble heating systems, diagnose faults and develop hands-on skills.

We discuss why these facilities offer a more promising approach than relying heavily on short classroom or online courses.

Are Experienced Heating Engineers Being Overlooked?

Paul believes the industry isn’t making enough use of engineers who have spent decades designing, installing and maintaining heating systems.

He argues that experienced installers should be encouraged to pass on their knowledge rather than being discouraged by repeated certification requirements.

It’s a wider discussion about recognising practical experience while still ensuring engineers remain competent with modern technology.

The Future of Heat Pump Installation and Training

We finish by reflecting on what needs to change if the UK is going to develop a skilled heat pump installation workforce.

Better apprenticeships, stronger practical training and greater recognition of engineering knowledge are recurring themes throughout the conversation.

There’s also plenty we didn’t get around to discussing, including Paul’s own heat pump installation and the future of the Heat Pumps UK community.

Perhaps that’s one for a second episode.

About the Energy Unwrapped Podcast

Energy Unwrapped is my podcast about renewables, home electrification and how energy technology works in the real world. You can browse all episodes, platform links and future updates on the main Energy Unwrapped Podcast page.

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