Sandbach heat pump case study
Vaillant 12kW heat pump and Heat Geek Mini Store.
My HeatPro's first heat pump of 2026 was a cold one: part of the installation was completed in minus 8 weather with around three inches of snow underfoot.
The brief
Remove the old combi and plan hot water properly.
The home had an old, noisy combi boiler that needed removing for safety reasons. The new system also needed to provide strong hot water pressure without defaulting to a large stored hot water cylinder that did not match how the home was used.
The challenge
Cold weather, a bigger outdoor unit and a different hot water route.
A 12kW heat pump needs careful planning, especially when the weather is against you. This installation was started in early 2026, with part of the job carried out in minus 8 conditions and snow underfoot.
The hot water design also needed a bit more thought. A Heat Geek Mini Store is not the same as an unvented cylinder, but from the homeowner's point of view it still gives mains-pressure hot water.
The solution
Vaillant heat pump with a Heat Geek Mini Store.
My HeatPro fitted a 12kW Vaillant aroTHERM plus and a Heat Geek Mini Store. For a single-person household, this route can be a better fit than keeping a large volume of hot water stored all day for demand that is not really there.
The outdoor unit, external pipework and hot water setup were planned together, so the finished system made sense for the property rather than simply replacing one appliance with another.
Why this job is a useful example.
It shows why hot water design matters. Some homes need a traditional unvented cylinder. Others may be better suited to a different route. The right answer comes from the household, the heating design and the way hot water is actually used.
What was included
The practical details that shaped the installation.
Heat Geek Mini Store for mains-pressure hot water
Old noisy combi boiler removed
Hot water setup suited to a single-person household
Outdoor unit installed through winter conditions
Part of the job completed in minus 8 weather with snow underfoot
Photo story
Mini Store cupboard and finished 12kW Vaillant heat pump.
Thinking about a heat pump?
Make the hot water design part of the conversation.
Send over the basics first: current heating, hot water setup, postcode, timescale and any useful photos. My HeatPro can then advise whether a design consultation is the right next step.
Hot water demand changes the design.
A single-person home, a family home and a home with several bathrooms can all need different hot water answers. That is why the survey looks at how the home is actually used before the final equipment route is recommended.