TD5 · Scottish Borders · for rural owners
Heat pump design for the way Kelso homes lose heat
Kelso is our home town and the base of every van we run. The mix of Georgian townhouses around The Square, modern estates off Inch Road and farms out toward Sprouston means we see almost every kind of heating system in one postcode — gas combis, oil boilers, LPG installs and a growing number of heat pump retrofits.
Hard water in parts of TD5 means scale management and filter housings are worth specifying on new installs. For air source heat pumps, that changes the survey, specification or working sequence before price is agreed.
MCS Certified and RECC member, we design and install air source heat pumps across Kelso. Most of our customers access the Home Energy Scotland Grant (currently up to £7,500) plus an interest-free loan on top — we handle the entire application as part of the quote. Crucially, every system is sized from a proper room-by-room heat-loss survey, not a back-of-the-envelope kW figure, so it actually performs through a Borders winter rather than just ticking a grant box. This page is specifically for rural owners who need to check property suitability, emitter changes and grant-ready system design.
Kelso questions worth answering first
Are you actually based in Kelso?+
Yes — Graham Oliver Plumbing & Heating is registered at 11 Thomson View, Kelso TD5 7UD. Every van starts and finishes in town, so call-outs in Kelso usually mean same-day attendance.
Do you cover the rural villages around Kelso?+
Yes — Sprouston, Stichill, Ednam, Smailholm, Yetholm, Morebattle and Greenlaw are all part of our normal local round, including off-grid oil and LPG work.
What should be checked before quoting air source heat pumps at this Kelso property?+
Newer estates such as Pinnaclehill and Inch Road typically have system or combi gas boilers — straightforward swaps with same-day completion. We confirm that point on site, then match the air source heat pumps specification to the actual building and access rather than assuming every TD5 address is alike.
Is this page aimed at rural owners?+
Yes. The recommendations prioritise rural owners who need to check property suitability, emitter changes and grant-ready system design. If the building or occupancy differs, the survey is where we adjust the plan.
Am I eligible for the £7,500 grant?+
Most owner-occupied Scottish homes qualify. We confirm eligibility and guide you through the Home Energy Scotland application as part of the quoting process at no extra cost.
Do I need new radiators?+
Sometimes one or two need upsizing — rarely the whole house. We tell you exactly which (and the cost) inside the written quote, before you commit.
What we document before leaving
- Vaillant Advanced Installer experience on the same engineering team
- Heat-loss surveys done in-house, not outsourced
- MCS Certified installer (MCS number on every quote)
A practical route through the project
STEP 1
Grant paperwork
We complete and submit the Home Energy Scotland Grant application on your behalf. We also check: Hard water in parts of TD5 means scale management and filter housings are worth specifying on new installs.
STEP 2
Install & commission
Typically 3–5 days on site, fully commissioned, MCS certified and registered.
STEP 3
Property survey
Full heat-loss survey, fabric assessment and a look at existing emitters and cylinder space.
STEP 4
MCS-compliant design & quote
Sized for your specific property and lifestyle, not a generic spec.
Relevant work pattern
What comparable work looks like
- First-floor en-suite added to a Georgian townhouse near The Square — full design, tile and fit.
- Gas combi swap on Inch Road completed in a single working day with full Vaillant 12-year warranty registration.
- LPG boiler upgrade on a steading near Sprouston including new flue routing and tank work.
- Hundreds of Kelso households on our books, from Pinnaclehill new-builds to farmhouses out by Smailholm.
The work people here actually ask us to solve
This page is written for rural owners who need to check property suitability, emitter changes and grant-ready system design.
- 01LPG boiler upgrade on a steading near Sprouston including new flue routing and tank work.
- 02First-floor en-suite added to a Georgian townhouse near The Square — full design, tile and fit.
- 03Gas combi swap on Inch Road completed in a single working day with full Vaillant 12-year warranty registration.
Property and access context
Kelso details that affect the specification
- Hard water in parts of TD5 means scale management and filter housings are worth specifying on new installs.
- Many properties around The Square and Bowmont Street are stone-built with limited loft space — flueing and condensate routing need careful planning.
- Outlying farms and steadings (Sprouston, Stichill, Smailholm) are off the gas grid and rely on oil or LPG, which we install and maintain regularly.
- Newer estates such as Pinnaclehill and Inch Road typically have system or combi gas boilers — straightforward swaps with same-day completion.
Continue by property need or nearby area
- Servicing & Repairs for KelsoPower-flushes, magnetic filters and thermostat upgrades quoted alongside the repair.
- Bathroom Installations for KelsoWaterproof tanking on every wet room and walk-in shower as standard.
- Boiler Installation for KelsoSmart heating controls (Vaillant vSMART or equivalent) fitted as standard.
- Kelso neighbourhood guidesSee property-level notes within Kelso.
Useful coverage around Kelso
- Air Source Heat Pumps in PinnaclehillTD5 8 · Zoned-heating diagnostics, unvented cylinder service work, and heat-pump retrofits on Kelso's late-90s Pinnaclehill estate.
- Air Source Heat Pumps in Springwood ParkTD5 8 · Off-grid oil, LPG and heat-pump work on the south bank of the Tweed at Springwood Park, with flood-aware plant-room siting and OFTEC tank compliance.
- Air Source Heat Pumps in MaxwellheughTD5 7 · Plumbing and heating for Maxwellheugh's mix of Victorian villas and 1960s detached homes — long pipe runs, hard water, and listed-neighbour planning sensitivity all factor in.
- Air Source Heat Pumps in BroomlandsTD5 7 · Combi swaps, gas upsizing, and landlord gas safety work on Kelso's 1970s–80s Broomlands estate, with care on flue positions and garage-conversion relocations.
Need a clear air source heat pumps next step for this Kelso property?
Share photos and a short description from Kelso first. We will use the local access and system context on this page to prepare the right visit.
Kelso is not being treated as an interchangeable location page. The recommendation starts with hard water in parts of td5 means scale management and filter housings are worth specifying on new installs. It then combines air source heat pumps, the needs of rural owners, access via TD5, and nearby coverage toward Sprouston and Stichill.
Tell us what is different about your property
Postcode, building type, occupancy and photographs help us preserve the same property-specific approach when we quote.
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