Start At Home - Free Heat Pump For Installers
The Start At Home scheme, kicked off by Nesta, is picking up steam with media outlets like the Independent reporting that heating engineers can now receive a free heat pump for their own home.
When the scheme launched just a few months ago, we saw a wave of new installers finally take the leap into heat pumps - many of them had been curious for years but never quite made the move. But with the chance to upgrade their own heating systems, a lot of installers have been reaching out to find out how to get a free heat pump for their home.
At Alto Energy, we’ve been supporting installers through the initiative, which is why we want to show you the benefits, the support you can access, and how to turn your own installation experience into opportunities with customers.
Jump Ahead
What is the Start At Home Scheme?
The Start At Home scheme gives heating engineers the unique opportunity to install a heat pump in their own home for free and see exactly how it performs in everyday use.
By doing the installation yourself, you’ll gain practical, hands-on experience and see how the system performs everyday. You’ll also get a better understanding of what your customers can expect from a heat pump, which can make it easier to recommend and install the right solution for them.
At Alto Energy, we support you through the entire process. We handle the design, supply the equipment, provide the training, and offer support during installation. Once the system is commissioned, you’ll also receive up to £1,000 cashback to help cover your installation costs.
How to get a free heat pump
Applying for the Start At Home scheme is easy. If you’re already an Alto Assured partner, you can get started straight away by requesting a specification for your home. However, if you’re new to Alto and meet the eligibility criteria, you’ll just need to complete our free heat pump training course before applying.
Here’s how it works:
Step 1 – Sign up to training - Register for our free heat pump training course to make sure you’re fully equipped to install your own system.
Step 2 – Get a spec for your home - Send us your property information so we can design a system tailored to your home.
Step 3 – We design and supply - Our team will handle the design and supply everything you need for your installation.
Step 4 – You install, we commission - Once the system is fitted, one of our engineers will commission it to make sure everything is running exactly as it should.
To qualify for the free heat pump scheme, you’ll need to:
Be a heating installer living in England, Scotland or Wales
Be replacing a fossil fuel or direct electric heating system in your own home
Hold a valid Unvented Hot Water certificate
Have current public liability insurance
Either complete our free heat pump training or be an Alto Assured partner installer
If you meet these requirements, our team will guide you through each stage of the process to help you get your free heat pump installed.
Next Steps After Installing Your Own Heat Pump
After completing your own installation, you’ll be in a good position to start offering heat pumps to your customers. But there are a few things to be aware of, especially if you want your customers to be able to receive the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant.
To qualify for the grant, each installation must be carried out by an MCS accredited installer, which leaves you with two options:
Option 1 – Continue working under our MCS Umbrella Scheme
After installing your own heat pump, you can keep working under our umbrella scheme, benefiting from the same support and guidance for every customer installation. We’ll handle the design, supply, and commissioning of the system, while taking on the responsibility for the installation once it’s complete. This approach removes the administration burden and lets you focus on the practical side of each job.
On top of that, we also offer a 7-year parts and labour warranty as standard, giving you and your customers complete peace of mind.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of what we offer:
| Our MCS Umbrella Scheme | |
|---|---|
| Paperwork & Administration | ✔ We handle all paperwork |
| Installation Work | ✔ You install the system |
| Design, Supply & Commissioning | ✔ We take care of it all for you |
| Liability & Responsibility | ✔ We take responsibility for the system after commissioning |
| Warranty | ✔ 7-year parts & labour warranty as standard |
| Technical Support | ✔ We'll fully support you throughout the whole project |
| Referral Opportunities | ✔ We recommend you to local customers after a couple of successful installations |
Option 2 – Become MCS certified yourself
Alternatively, you can go for your own MCS certification, but it’s costly and means dealing with a lot of paperwork, taking time away from actual installations.
Ready to get started?
Installing a heat pump in your own home is the fastest way to get real experience and the Start At Home initiative makes it easy.
Once you’ve completed your own installation, you’ll be ready to start offering heat pumps to customers. You can also keep working with us under our MCS Umbrella Scheme, which continues to get great feedback from installers because it simply works.
Sign up for training today and take your first step towards installing your own system.