As the move towards renewable energy solutions continues to grow, so too does Heat Doc Ltd which is a leading specialist registered installer of energy-saving technologies, including geothermal heat pumps, solar energy and heating solutions such as underfloor heating, wall and ceiling heating as well as energy-saving radiators.
Established in 2011 by husband-and-wife Damien and Phyllis Mullins, Heat Doc Ltd has doubled its turnover and number of employees in the past two years alone. Recently, the company put in place an apprenticeship programme aimed at nurturing and bringing through the next generation of renewable energy specialists.
“We took on six apprentices for the first time in 2021,” Damien explains.
“We see it as an investment in the future of the company which continues to go from strength to strength thanks to the push towards renewable energy and the expertise we have in the area. We have also found it easier than some of the other trades to attract young talent as they can see the potential that exists within the sector.”
From its Foulksmills, Co. Wexford base, Heat Doc Ltd services most of Leinster and east Munster, including counties Dublin, Kildare, Laois, Wicklow, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Tipperary, Waterford and Cork. The company advises and installs heating solutions for commercial and residential customers. Indeed, its growth has been accelerated by a strong demand for its services in the social housing sector for the likes of Cluid Housing, Wexford County Council, Wicklow County Council, Cooperative Housing, Respond and Focus Ireland.
“Installing and retrofitting heat pumps is our bread and butter,” Damien says.
“Lots of homes are switching from traditional oil and gas boilers to heat pumps. We very rarely fit an oil or gas boiler anymore because heat pumps have become the norm. With new builds, heat pumps, radiant walling heating and passive cooling are especially popular. They’re easier and cheaper systems to install and there are also grants available to those who are eligible for energy upgrades.”
A heat pump is a device that transfers heat energy from a heat source such as the ground, where a ground source pump is use, or from the air where an air source heat pump is used. The generated heat in turn provides a home heating source for hot water, underfloor heating, radiators etc. Heat pumps are a very convenient and incredibly cost-effective way of heating your home or premises while also being exceptionally environmentally friendly. They are rapidly becoming a primary way to provide comfortable and economic home heat in Ireland, removing the need for oil and gas fossil fuels.
The switch to heat pumps and solar panels has been fast-tracked by the 2008 Building Regulations where they require all new homes to include at least one type of renewable energy source, and the Government’s Climate Action Plan which aims to reduce emissions and make Ireland carbon neutral by 2050. Home heating accounts for about 10% of all carbon emissions and the Government’s plan is to move the 80% of Irish homes that use oil or gas for their heating over to heat pumps.
The first step of the action plan is to phase out the installation of oil and gas boilers in newly-built homes. Most older homes need upgrades insulation fitted before they are suitable for heat pumps, which only work well in well-insulated homes. A massive retrofitting programme is part of the plan to end the use of fossil fuels for home heating, and this is expected to keep companies like Heat Doc Ltd busy for many years to come.
“People’s mindsets are changing, but I do think that the retrofitting of older houses needs to be incentivised more. The upside to making the switch are the huge savings you make on your energy costs and the fact that you’re going from a home where the heat is turned on periodically to being warm all the time.”
After studying engineering in Bolton Street (DIT), Damien worked as a plumber before deciding to set up Heat Doc Ltd with Phyllis over a decade ago.
“We set the company up as a specialist in heat pumps and underfloor heating. From my engineering qualification and practical experience plumbing I have developed a good name for understanding all types of heating systems, including fault finding and repair, and there was a lot of that to be done after the boom. We started taking oil and gas boilers out of homes and businesses, and replacing them with heat pumps that were more energy efficient. We embraced technology from an early stage and that has stood to us,” he continues.
Heat Doc Ltd are Better Energy Homes Scheme (BEHS) registered with the SEAI (Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland). As consultancy experts, they guide customers through what can be a minefield in terms of understanding what Renewable Energy Grants are available, what will be the most cost-effective solution to suit their building, energy requirements and, of course, budget. But above all, the Heat Doc team only work with the best of technologies from a hand-picked number of specialist suppliers, including Mitsubishi Ecodan, Hitachi, NIBE, Viessmann, Variotherm, Aereco, Zehnder and CTC.
In addition, the company offers a complete customer service covering existing dwelling retrofits, new house renewable energy technologies and the increasingly popular passive house solutions.
The Wexford concern provides a range of services, from passive home and residential energy solutions to commercial and leisure, servicing and maintenance, and consultancy. Solar panels remain as popular as ever and Heat Doc Ltd offers both solar thermal and solar photovoltaic solutions. Similar to heat pumps, solar energy can be converted into heat to generate hot water for domestic and commercial properties while at the same time helping to reduce carbon emissions and global warming.
The company has a wealth of experience in installing underfloor heating systems, wall and ceiling heating and cooling as well as the latest technology radiators. Heat Doc Ltd also offers customers both heat recovery ventilation and demand-controlled ventilation systems. Ventilation is the process of changing or replacing air in any space to provide high indoor air quality. It is used to remove unpleasant smells and excessive moisture, introduce outside air, to keep interior building air circulating and to prevent stagnation of the interior air.
Passionate about renewable energy solutions, Damien and Phyllis would like to take this opportunity to thank their clients and suppliers for their continued support as well as their team of top-class plumbers and heating experts for their hard work and dedication.
Heat Doc Ltd
Longgraigue,
Foulksmills,
Co. Wexford,
Y35 E084.
Telephone: 053 9168966 / 083 4205665
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.heatdoc.ie
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, May 2022, Vol 8 No 5
