GreenWave Homeowner Education Pack
A free, printable 10-page guide covering the five homeowner tips, safe checks, when to call GreenWave, a system record page, and a colouring page for the kids.
Heat pumps don't work like a gas boiler. Run one on the wrong schedule and it can cost hundreds of euros a year in wasted electricity — run it right, and it can save you just as much. A heat pump likes to run steadily at a lower temperature, rather than being switched on and off the way a boiler is. That's the single biggest habit worth changing if you've moved from oil or gas.
Simple homeowner checks with no experience required. Use only the normal homeowner screen and controls described in your controller's user guide—never an installer or service menu.
Let it run steady, don't chase the temperature
Turning the heating off when you're out and blasting it back on when you're home costs more with a heat pump than leaving it on a consistent, moderate schedule. A heat pump is most efficient producing gentle heat continuously, not surging back up to temperature.
Set your schedule around when the house is actually occupied
Match your heating and hot water schedule to your real routine — not the default schedule left over from commissioning. Ten minutes checking your thermostat's schedule against your actual week is one of the highest-value five-minute jobs in your home.
Use hot-water boost only when you need it
If your normal homeowner screen has a clearly labelled hot-water boost, use it for an occasional extra demand rather than changing stored-water temperatures or hygiene-cycle settings. Leave temperature limits, immersion settings and legionella or pasteurisation cycles unchanged.
Samsung — safe homeowner tips
- Check that the normal home screen shows heating enabled and no fault message.
- Review the ordinary weekly heating and hot-water schedules, or the matching homeowner controls in SmartThings where connected.
- For comfort, change only the normal room-temperature target or homeowner offset, one small step at a time, then allow the house time to respond.
- Use a clearly labelled hot-water boost only for occasional extra demand.
- Steam from the outdoor unit and a short pause during cold weather are normally part of automatic defrost.
Hisense — safe homeowner tips
- Check the normal controller screen for heating or hot-water operation and record any message exactly as displayed.
- Review only the ordinary homeowner heating and hot-water schedules.
- If available on the normal screen, adjust the room-temperature target by one degree rather than repeatedly switching the system off and on.
- Use a clearly labelled hot-water boost only when additional hot water is temporarily needed.
- A short defrost indication or pause in cold weather is normally automatic operation.
Daikin Altherma — safe homeowner tips
- On the normal user screen, confirm space heating and hot water are enabled and note any warning symbol or message.
- Review the homeowner weekly schedule and holiday mode where these appear in the ordinary user menu.
- Make comfort changes only through the normal room-temperature control, one degree at a time.
- Use the normal hot-water boost or powerful operation only for temporary extra demand.
- “Defrost” or “Hot start” can appear during normal cold-weather operation and should clear automatically.
Panasonic Aquarea — safe homeowner tips
- Check the normal controller screen for heating, hot-water and timer status.
- Review the weekly timer and holiday function only through the ordinary homeowner menu.
- If the home is too warm or cold, change the normal room target by one degree and wait before changing it again.
- Use a clearly labelled tank boost only for temporary extra hot water.
- A brief pause, fan change or visible vapour during cold weather is usually automatic defrost.
Mitsubishi Ecodan — safe homeowner tips
- On the normal FTC home screen, confirm whether space heating and hot water are operating and photograph any message exactly as shown.
- Review the ordinary heating and hot-water timer schedules and holiday mode where fitted.
- For comfort, use only the normal room-temperature control and change it by one degree at a time.
- Use a clearly labelled hot-water boost only when temporary extra hot water is needed.
- Water vapour from the outdoor unit and a short cold-weather pause are normally part of automatic defrost.
LG Therma V — safe homeowner tips
- Check the normal remote-controller screen for heating, hot-water and schedule status.
- Review only the ordinary homeowner timer or weekly schedule.
- Make comfort changes through the normal room-temperature target, one degree at a time.
- Use a clearly labelled hot-water boost only for occasional additional demand.
- A defrost symbol and a temporary pause in cold weather are normally automatic operation.
Hitachi Yutaki — safe homeowner tips
- Check the normal room-controller screen for heating, hot-water and timer status.
- Review the standard weekly schedule or holiday function only where shown in the homeowner menu.
- Adjust only the normal room-temperature target, one degree at a time, and let the system respond steadily.
- Use a clearly labelled hot-water boost only for temporary extra demand.
- A defrost indication, fan change or short pause during cold weather is normally expected.
Other heat-pump brands — safe homeowner tips
- Use only controls visible on the normal home screen or explicitly described in the manufacturer’s homeowner/user guide.
- Confirm heating and hot water are enabled, review the ordinary schedule and record any message exactly as displayed.
- Change only the normal room-temperature target, one degree at a time.
- If a function or menu is labelled installer, service, commissioning or advanced, leave it unchanged.
Grant rules depend on your own situation. Pick the branch that matches you — no need to read the parts that don't apply.
Didn't personally claim a heat pump grant (came with the house, or you paid for it yourself) — you may be eligible for the SEAI Smart Heating Controls grant (up to €700). It covers smart controls that match your heating and hot water schedule to how you actually use your home. Your home needs to have been built and occupied before 2011. Check eligibility on SEAI.ie →
Already claimed a heat pump grant for this system — you won't be eligible for the Controls grant on it, but you may still qualify for other individual upgrade grants (insulation, solar) if you're planning further work. See all current SEAI grants →
GreenWave doesn't carry out installations ourselves — but if you'd like a steer toward a registered contractor for a grant-funded install, get in touch and we'll point you in the right direction.
Grant amounts and rules shown here are current as of our last check and sourced from SEAI.ie. Rules and figures can change — always confirm your own eligibility directly with SEAI before applying.
Want peace of mind you don't have to think about?
GreenWave Connect keeps a quiet eye on your system for €14.99/month — flagging problems before they become a "no heat" emergency.