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.
Homeowner Tips
These are genuinely safe to try yourself — nothing here touches your heat pump's own controller or installer settings.
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.
Lower is usually better for hot water
Hot water doesn't need to be scalding to be useful. Small reductions in your hot water target temperature — within what your system
allows — can meaningfully reduce running costs over a year without you noticing any difference in comfort.
Samsung: your schedule and hot water boost are in the SmartThings app or on your wall controller's main menu — no installer access needed to check or adjust these. The controller is usually a wall-mounted colour touchscreen. If the outdoor unit pauses briefly and looks like it's steaming on a cold day, that's normal defrost behaviour, not a fault.
Hisense: heating and hot water schedules are available from the homeowner-level menu on your wall controller — safe to review and adjust. The controller has a large LCD display, and automatic defrosting is a listed normal function — a brief pause with a defrost indicator in cold weather needs no action.
Daikin: your controller has a homeowner-safe hot water boost and holiday mode built in — a good example of an easy win you can use any time without touching installer settings. If your display shows "Defrost" or "Hot start" mode, that's normal automatic operation that clears on its own.
Panasonic: schedule and basic comfort settings are available from the main controller menu — check your controller's user guide for the exact screen name. The controller sits inside the property (on the indoor unit for Bi-Bloc/All-in-One systems, or as its own panel for Monobloc). A brief defrost pause in winter is expected, not a fault.
Mitsubishi (Ecodan): we don't yet have a confirmed homeowner-safe settings list for this controller — the tips above still apply, but for anything at the controller itself, best to ask GreenWave first. Ecodan systems use the wall-mounted FTC controller with an LCD screen. Worth knowing: warm air (sometimes mistaken for smoke) from the outdoor unit in cold weather is the normal defrost cycle, not a fault.
LG (Therma V): we don't yet have a confirmed homeowner-safe settings list for this controller — the tips above still apply, but for anything at the controller itself, best to ask GreenWave first. The controller is a wall-mounted remote with an icon-based display. A defrost icon appearing on screen is automatic and normal — the system briefly reverses itself, then returns to normal on its own.
Hitachi (Yutaki): we don't yet have a confirmed homeowner-safe settings list for this controller — the tips above still apply, but for anything at the controller itself, best to ask GreenWave first. The controller is a wall-mounted panel (PC-ARFH/ATW-CPA series). A "defrost" icon on the display is expected behaviour, not a fault.
Not seeing your brand? The general tips above are safe regardless of make or model. For anything specific to your controller, get in touch and we'll point you in the right direction.
SEAI Grants & Funding
Grant rules depend on your own situation. Pick the branch that matches you — no need to read the parts that don't apply.
I already have a heat pump installed▾
There's a grant for upgrading your heating controls — but only if you didn't already claim a heat pump grant when yours was installed. SEAI doesn't allow both.
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 →
I'm thinking about getting a heat pump, or replacing an old one▾
The bigger grant: the SEAI Heat Pump System grant, up to €12,500, for installing a new heat pump to replace an existing fossil-fuel system (oil or gas). It's made up of three parts — a base heat pump grant, a radiator/pipework allowance, and a renewable heating bonus. Your home needs to have been built and occupied before 2021, and the work has to go through an SEAI-registered contractor.
See full details on SEAI.ie →
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.
I'm not sure what I qualify for▾
That's normal — grant rules depend on your home's age, whether you've claimed before, and what work you're planning. The most reliable source is SEAI's own grants page, which is kept current. If you'd like, get in touch and tell us a bit about your situation — we're not a grant advisor, but we can usually point you the right way.
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.
When to Call GreenWave
What shouldn't I try myself?▾
Anything in an installer or service menu, flow temperature, the heating curve or weather compensation settings, DHW target inside the installer menu, any fault code on your display, or system pressure and refrigerant. These need an engineer — not because you're not capable, but because getting them wrong can be expensive or, in rare cases, unsafe. Book a free health check →
I saw a fault code — what do I do?▾
Take a photo of the code and get in touch — don't keep resetting it and running the system on repeat. Repeated resets can mask a developing fault or make it worse. Email us a photo or start a free assessment.
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.