The big changes to SEAI grants for heat pumps, windows, and doors

Kya deLongchamps is passionate about three stand-out improvements in the SEAI managed awards this Valentine’s Day. Here’s her second report on your need-to-know.

The dramatic improvement in SEAI-managed Heat Pump Grants may add momentum to the Government's resolve to persuade more of us away from fossil fuel heating with generous retrofit aid for the heat-pump-ready home. Image: Daiken.

THERE has been a lot of excitement surrounding the announcement by the Government of multiple dramatic increases, caps, and changes to the SEAI grant system, with three energising stand-outs.

The heat pump grant has leapt past even the previously generous €10,5000 available through a holistic, deep-retrofit route to a fixed maximum of €12,500. This affects both grant types, using individual grant aid and the more serious spend of a whole house, once-off energy uplift of the One Stop Shop. Additionally, windows and exterior doors, previously only available if you were doing a deep-retro are not listed in individual grant aid, offering a valuable top grant of €4,000 towards total replacement with high efficiency windows in a detached home, and €800 for each of two exterior doors. As part of the home’s insulated envelope, changing to doors with a low-U value at the same time as window units makes sense.

These shifts are part of the all-singing-and-dancing National Residential Retrofit Plan, with €558m allocated to retrofits in Budget 2026. The SEAI are attempting to build on the momentum of a steady increase in grant-aided retrofitting nationwide. I think this just might work, while missing our optimistic climate plan targets (including 400,000 heat-pump retrofits by 2030). Still, before you snatch up the phone and order those lush triple-glazed alu-clads, or give that belching kerosene boiler the side-eye, let’s dig deeper into the eligibility and T&Cs surrounding these three handsome grant awards.

First, some general advice. If you made an application for the heat pump, attic insulation, or cavity wall grant in the past few weeks/months, and the grant application is still open (not been drawn down) — you will automatically receive the increased grant amount. Homeowners who have previously availed of a grant for cavity or internal wall insulation can now apply for a second wall insulation measure.

There’s a higher fixed grant for attic and cavity insulation for homeowners who are on qualifying welfare payments (fantastic), and (I love this) — first-time buyers can avail of a higher fixed grant for attic insulation.

The SEAI are not handing out heat-pump grants like Smarties. Every householder receiving grant aid (including structural renovators) must have a property deemed heat pump-ready. Heat pumps work at low temperatures over longer times than conventional, reactive, fossil-fuel, high-temperature central heating systems. If the house cannot hold heat inside for an appropriate amount of time (decided from a determination of the heat loss indicator or HLI) — in most cases, a grant will be refused. The magic HLI number is 2.3 W/(K/m2) or lower. In the past, 2.0 W/(K/m2) was noted as optimal by the SEAI. Flexibility or compromise? Passive house purists may baulk here. It’s now easier to qualify too, as there’s no specific B3 BER pre-works requirement for an application.

If your home was built before 2007 and your valid BER is poor (A valid BER will carry an HLI figure), the obligatory HLI is determined by a dedicated energy survey called a Technical Assessment by an assessor on the SEAI register of contractors. It’s more forensic than a BER survey. This outward hassle is your protection against a heating system that will struggle to heat your home or cost you a fortune to do so. That Technical Assessment costs several hundred euro, but it can be redeemed against the heat pump grant if awarded. In short:

Homes built before 2007: A Technical Assessment is required if you do not have a valid BER assessment or if your BER assessment indicates your dwelling has a high heat loss. You do not need one if your valid BER says your HLI is equal to or less than 2.3 W/(K/m2).

Homes built from 2007 onwards: A Technical Assessment is not required, as your dwelling is likely to have a sufficient heat loss. You can still choose to get a Technical Assessment, but fabric upgrades are not mandatory. You will have to make a ‘declaration’ to the SEAI.

The grant breaks down as: Up to €6,500 for heat pump installation. Up to €2,000 for central heating upgrades (eg, new radiators or underfloor heating). Up to €4,000 renewable heat bonus for upgrading to a heat pump (so where the current heating system is not a heat pump). The system will be expected to integrate modern heating controls.

Now to windows, a popular inclusion in individual grant aid, previously only enjoyed if you were spending mortgage-level amounts of money with a One Stop Shop. That HLI figure, which will be on your BER, will have to be 2.3 W/(K/m2) or lower to avail of the window grant. Otherwise, the house will continue to leach heat because it’s not sufficiently well insulated. It probably has dicky ventilation measures in place too. These are what are termed “fabric requirements” by the SEAI.

Your house must have been built before 2011, and you must be replacing all windows with higher-performing windows (U-value = 1.4 W/m2K). After the works are completed, your home must be insulated to a good standard, as reflected in a post-works BER. You may be using some other grant-aided and green-loan help to get the house up to spec. This will generally not take much doing unless the house is seriously struggling down in the E and F energy ratings. Choosing windows, you opt for the framing material, and it’s up to you to go for triple-glazing or specific double-glazing that goes beyond the middling U-value of 1.4 W/m2K as an additional investment. That minimum U-value bar of 1.4 W/m2K, also applies to doors.

Will suppliers lick their lips in March and put up pricing Dick Dastardly style. Social media is full of claims of artificially inflated quotes. I can’t explore the veracity of that here. There’s certain to be a higher demand for windows and doors going forward, with Minister Daragh O’Brien, anticipating up to 70,000 retrofit grants in 2026.

The SEAI do not offer specific guarantees and warranties. If you are offered a disgraceful quote — share your experience with the SEAI, who take a lively interest in the behaviour of their certified supplier/installers. Shop around for no-obligation quotes, as you would for any contractor. Tom Halpin, head of communications for the SEAI, just reminded me of this useful resource.

“We regularly publish the median measure and project costs specifically for that reason, so that homeowners are armed with objective information to help them discuss pricing more affirmatively with contractors,” Mr Halpin said.

“Shopping around is key, plus a strong supply chain that leads to competition.”

PV-solar has unique pricing transparency online (it is made up of set components that allow a for easy comparison of like with like — but reputation really counts here). I’m sure the same active sharing of pricing and quotations on windows and doors on social media will follow.

I’ve found respected suppliers of heat pumps and experienced, engaged heating engineers to be totally above board, bar none.

They know their presence on the SEAI register is precious, and many are pioneers in the field of renewables. Choose your firm wisely — a heat pump installation is a big job with associated costs, even if 50% to 80% of the system is covered by grant aid. Do your research.

Results? If you already have a good BER (B3 plus) and you are moving away from natural gas I don’t agree with Daragh O’Brien’s pronouncement, that with a heat pump and newer windows/doors, your bills will “plummet”. If you are using kerosene, and dawdling in the F, E, or D energy ratings, there will be a jaw-dropping difference.