FAQs

• General
• What is Heatpunk?
• Who is Heatpunk suitable for?
• How do I get started?
• Is there training available?
• Can I pay Heatpunk to design a project for me?
• Does Heatpunk integrate with Midsummer?
• Are Midsummer trade discounts reflected within Heatpunk?
• How do I link my Heatpunk account to my Midsummer Trade account?
• Are there different versions of Heatpunk?
• Can I upgrade to Pro? How much is the upgraded version?
• I need specific features tailored to the needs of my business
• What are some example Enterprise features?
• How much is an Enterprise license?
• How can I share projects with others?
• Can I add in different brands of heat pump?
• Are there any shortkeys?
• I have an idea for a future update
• My material library
• I can't find the material I need, what can I do?
• The project has no roof glazing but I can't skip that material selection
• Plans task
• How do you see the dimensions of a room & manually change them?
• How do the pink handles function?
• How do the blue handles function?
• How can I create L-shaped rooms easily?
• How do I specify a parting wall?
• How do I change the ceiling height of a room?
• Can I change ventilation rates for rooms?
• Can I do vaulted ceilings?
• How do I add dormers?
• How do I delete an entire floor?
• Why can't I advance from the plans section?
• How do I change the dimensions of doors, windows and radiators?
• How do I delete a room?
• Can I change the name of a room?
• Do I need to add stairs?
• What do I do if only a section of the wall is a parting wall?
• Do I need to model unheated spaces?
• Heat pump task
• How are radiator outputs calculated?
• How do you select underfloor heating?
• Are cascaded heat pumps available in Heatpunk?
• How do I add hot water storage?
• How is the outdoor design temperature (ODT) set and can I change it?

General

What is Heatpunk?

Brought to you by the Midsummer development team, Heatpunk represents our vision of accessible heat loss calculations for all. As a standalone web-based tool, Heatpunk offers a complete design package for both commercial and personal use. Offering industry-leading value, installers rely on Heatpunk to support their front-line sales teams with a feature rich all-in-one solution. If you're looking for help with designs, quotations, purchasing and the certification process, we've got you sorted.

Who is Heatpunk suitable for?

Everyone! Heatpunk has been designed with simplicity in mind. No technical knowledge required. Simply let Heatpunk guide you through the design process step by step.

How do I get started?

Registration takes mere seconds - simply sign up for a free account at Heatpunk. Create your first project and have a play! If you're looking for some extra guidance, take a look at our how to guides, or if you still can't find the answer get in touch via help@heatpunk.co.uk.

Is there training available?

Absolutely! We run free, online training sessions weekly, covering Heatpunk, Heatpunk Pro, Shrunk Punk and Lead Generation. You can book onto our training sessions here.

Can I pay Heatpunk to design a project for me?

No, this is not a service we offer at Heatpunk, but if you’re struggling to use the software, you can always come to one or more of our free training sessions!

Does Heatpunk integrate with Midsummer?

Though existing as a separate entity, Heatpunk designs can be transferred to Midsummer Wholesale by clicking "Looking to build a whole kit?" from the Project Overview page. This takes you to our Kit Builder on the Midsummer Wholesale website. The heat pump and cylinder you have entered will be pre populated. The kit builder will then suggest additional component you may need wich you can edit as necessary. Once finished everything is added to your masket reasy for purchase. 

Are Midsummer trade discounts reflected within Heatpunk?

Heatpunk and Midsummer accounts can be linked for accurate pricing. When logged into your Heatpunk account, head to the My Account > Preferences > Connect to Midsummer. Here you can link your accounts by entering the email and password associated with your Midsummer account. Unless a trade link is established, Heatpunk displays retail pricing as standard.

For more information on this topic, see our guide on Connecting to Midsummer.

How do I link my Heatpunk account to my Midsummer Trade account?

Head to the My Account menu on Heatpunk, navigate to Preferences, Connect to Midsummer and log in with your Midsummer credentials. This will link your accounts and pull over trade-discounted prices for you to see while designing your projects.

For more information on this topic, see our guide on Connecting to Midsummer.

Are there different versions of Heatpunk?

Yes there are a few options with Heatpunk. These are Standard, Pro and Enterprise. 

Standard - Free to use

• Generates heat load calculations, compliant with MCS heat pump design standards (MIS 3005-D)
• Room by room heat loss
• Sizing of heat pump and DHW storage (cylinder)
• Sizing of radiators at different flow temps
• MCS sound & performance assessments built in
• Generate quotes and reports
• Only has Midsummer products (heat pumps and DHW storage)
  
  

Heatpunk Pro - £35/month/user

• Pre-install Survey (can upload site photos)
• Can add in components (only Pro users can add in non-Midsummer heat pumps and hot water storage)
• Customisation and branding project reports
• Automated DNO applications
• Access to Shrunk Punk
• Team collaboration: sharing of projects, custom components and material sets
• Automatic pricing for financial task (save your pricing logic)
• E-signing
  
• Import floor plans

Enterprise

• Fully bespoke stand alone site
• Has it's own URL and your branding
• Control over users
• Populate your own documentation with the data produced
• Additional forms and projects sharing
• Control over components
• CRM and API integrations

Can I upgrade to Pro? How much is the upgraded version?

Heatpunk Pro is available at £35/month/user and you can upgrade or cancel at any time. For more information on the features of Pro see Are there different versions of Heatpunk?.

An enterprise license is available, as a bespoke purpose built software solution, pricing differs depending on the complexity of the development work required. Following a one-to-one consultation, the team will supply a detailed quotation outlining project scope, development cost, license fee and completion time frame. For more information on Enterprise see What are some example Enterprise features?.

We always aim to be as transparent and fair with our pricing structure. The development cost will be agreed upon before work commences and can be paid upfront or with regular instalments. The ongoing license fee covers corporate multi-user access with company wide training and support. Plus ongoing maintenance to ensure an up to date, safe and secure user experience.

I need specific features tailored to the needs of my business

Following a consultation process, our Enterprise solution allows custom versions of Heatpunk to be developed. Unique features, widgets and tweaks tailored to your exact requirements. Peace of mind guaranteed.

For more information on this topic, see What are some example Enterprise features? or get in touch (help@heatpunk.co.uk).

What are some example Enterprise features?

• White-labelled software with custom branding
• Bespoke handover reports
• Customer-focused design tool for your own website
• Streamlined customer-facing retail design mode
• CRM and QMS support
• Custom automated forms and PDFs
• Digital customer confirmation with e-signature support
• Unique features designed to your exact specification
• API integration with existing company systems

How much is an Enterprise license?

As a bespoke purpose-built software solution, pricing differs depending on the complexity of the development work required. Following a one-to-one consultation, the team will supply a detailed quotation outlining project scope, development cost, license fee and completion time frame.

We always aim to be transparent and fair with our pricing structure. The development cost will be agreed upon before work commences and can be paid upfront or with regular instalments. The ongoing license fee covers corporate multi-user access with company-wide training and support. Plus ongoing maintenance to ensure an up-to-date, safe and secure user experience.

How can I share projects with others?

Sharing projects is available with a Heatpunk Pro license. To share a project, go to the project and select the share icon. 

Can I add in different brands of heat pump?

You can add in different heat pumps if you have a Heatpunk Pro license. For information on how to do this, see our guide on how to Create and manage your own components.

Are there any shortkeys?

In the materials selection window, N and B keys move you to the next page and back a page respectively. 

I have an idea for a future update

Great! We're always keen to hear from our users. Heatpunk has been developed by heat experts for heat pump installers. Updates go live on a regular basis, so get in touch via help@heatpunk.co.uk and share your feature requests. Keep an eye on the Heatpunk news feed for details regarding the latest releases or check out our periodic mailmerges.

My material library

I can't find the material I need, what can I do?

There are two options here: 

1. If you know the building fabric composition but not the U-value, you can click on the [+] Custom material button and select Build Layers. You can then add each layer of building material from the drop down menu and its associated thickness (mm). The software is then able to calculate the corresponding U-value of the building fabric. 

2. If you already know the thickness of the material and its associated U-value then you can input this directly by clicking on [+] Custom material in the material selection section and clicking Enter U Value. This will allow you to type in a custom name, U-value (W/m²) and thickness (mm) for the entire building fabric. 

For more information on this topic, see our guide on Managing Your Material Library.

The project has no roof glazing but I can't skip that material selection

Heat Punk requires you to select a type of roof glazing (even if you do not require it in the design process). Only materials that you use in the design will be displayed in the design report so this won’t be displayed unless you use it.

Plans task

How do you see the dimensions of a room & manually change them?

Clicking on the corner point of any room will display the adjacent dimensions. By clicking on the dimensions themselves you can edit the values by typing in the text box shown.

For more help on this topic, see our guide on Creating Rooms.

How do the pink handles function?

The draggable pink handles are used for adjusting the size and shape of rooms. Initially they are set in the ‘locked’ function which allows you to drag that particular point, altering the size of the room while keeping the shape uniform. This setting can be changed by clicking on a point and selecting the alternative ‘unlock’ function which enables you to alter the angle at that point and thus create custom shapes.

For more help on this topic, see our guide on Creating Rooms.

How do the blue handles function?

The blue handles allow you to split edges to add more corners. Simply drag and drop the blue handle to add a corner. If you just want to split a wall into different sections without adding a new corner, you can drag and drop the blue handle in line with the existing wall. This can be used to  add complex rooms to your floor plan, for example L-shaped rooms. 

For more help on this topic, see our guide on Creating Rooms.

How can I create L-shaped rooms easily?

Moving the blue dots located on each wall will create new vertices. By dragging one of the blue dots along the boundary you can effectively split that wall in two segments while keeping it straight. Select the segment you need to extend outwards and click on the rectangular handle. A pop-up will appear allowing you to change to an oval-shaped handle. This enables you to pull out that portion of the wall to create an L-shaped room.

For more help on this topic, see our guide on Creating Rooms.

How do I specify a parting wall?

Click on the wall you want to specify and use the drop down menu to select whether the other side of this wall is a heated or unheated space. By default the drop down will be set to Outside.

For more information on this topic see our guide on Walls, Windows, Doors and Radiators.

How do I change the ceiling height of a room?

To change the ceiling height across the whole floor, click the three dots next to the relevant floor in the exploded view, bottom right. Select edit and change the value of the ceiling height as necessary. 

   

To adjust the height of just one room, select the relevant room, and click the two sided arrow icon. Then enter the value needed for ceiling height. Ensure you click the tick after editting the value to save your changes. 

For more help on this topic, see our guide on Floors and Ceilings.

Can I change ventilation rates for rooms?

Yes, this is done by clicking on the room and changing the Room Type to a Custom Room. You can then edit the Air Changes Per Hour to suit your needs.

For more information on this topic see our guide on Editting Room Properties.

Can I do vaulted ceilings?

Vaulted ceilings can be added by segmenting the roof into as many different slopes as are required. This is done by dragging multiple ceiling regions onto the design and fitting them accordingly. You can then set the associated height at the corners of each segment by clicking on them, selecting the up/down arrow and inputting the appropriate values (you must click the tick beside the text box to confirm). An arrow should then be displayed, this indicates the downwards slope direction of the ceiling.

For more help on this topic, see our guide on Vaulted Ceilings and Dormers.

How do I add dormers?

Dormers can be added to any vaulted ceilings. For how to add vaulted ceilings see Can I do vaulted ceilings?

Too add a dormer simply drag and drop the Gable Dormer or Shed Dormer function onto where it is required. The dormer will automatically orientate itself with the slope of the roof. The specific dimensions can then be set, as well as the roof, wall, and window materials.

For more information on this topic, see our guide on Vaulted Ceilings and Dormers.

How do I delete an entire floor?

In the levels diagram on the right hand side of your screen find the floor you’d like to delete and click on the three dots next to it. This will show you the option to either edit or delete this floor. Note, you can not delete the ground floor.

For more information on this topic, see our guide on Floors and Ceilings.

Why can't I advance from the plans section?

Advancing from the plans section can only be done once all the room types have been defined. To define the room type, click on the room and use the drop down menu to select the appropriate room type.

How do I change the dimensions of doors, windows and radiators?

Doors, windows and radiators are represented by coloured bars. You can click and drag the red handles at either end of doors, windows, and radiators to change their width. Alternatively, you can select the relevant door, window or radiator, and then click the dimensions icon. This allows you to input exact values for the width and height of your door, window, or radiator. Ensure you click the tick after editting these values to save your changes. 

For more help on this topic, see our guide on Walls, Windows, Doors and Radiators.

How do I delete a room?

First click on the room you wish to delete, the click the dust bin icon. A popup will appear asking you if you are sure, click ok to delete the room. 

Can I change the name of a room?

Yes, simply click on the relevant room and click the pencil icon. Here you can enter the new room name, for example Master Bedroom.

Do I need to add stairs?

The nature of the calculations carried out by Heatpunk mean that you do not need to account for stairs. The landing and hallway can be considered separately and therefore should be added as separate rooms on separate floors. 

What do I do if only a section of the wall is a parting wall?

If only a section of the wall is a parting wall, for instance, if there is a garage behind half the wall but not the other half, you can split the wall using the blue handles. Simply drag and drop the blue handle to the point where the wall needs to be split. You can then select whether the other side of this wall is a heated or unheated space. In the example, you would select one half of the wall as unheated space and the other as outside. 

Do I need to model unheated spaces?

In general, you do not need to model unheated spaces. All rooms included will be added to the total heat loss calculation and therefore the heat pump will be sized against this. Therefore, including unheated spaces could lead to oversizing the heat pump. Its therefore, better to exclude unheated spaces in most cases, for example garages and conservatories. Instead, you should specify the parting wall between the heated and unheated space. 

However, some unheated spaces should be included for practicality, for example internal store rooms. Rather than leaving a gap in the floor plan, rooms like this should be included. In line with MCS, Heatpunk includes a room type for this scenario (Store).

Heat pump task

How are radiator outputs calculated?

Heatpunk calculates actual radiator outputs with the below formula. This allows us to easily consider differences in flow, return and room temperatures.

where

P = heat emission from radiator (W, J/s)

P₅₀ = heat emission from radiator with temperature difference 50 ^oC between the radiator and room(W)

t_i = water temperature inlet (^oC)

t_r = water temperature outlet (^oC)

t_a = surrounding air temperature (^oC)

n = n coefficient

The other way you can calculate radiator outputs is by calculating the correction factor based on temperature differences and the specific radiator being used. This can then be multiplied by the power output given on the datasheet to give the radiator output. To calculate the correction factor you should use the below formula. 

where

 n = n-coefficient (from radiator datasheet)

t_rad = mean radiator temperature

t_room = room temperature

d_T = delta temperature used on the datasheet for the relevant radiator (this is usually 50^oC)

In the room breakdown of Heatpunk it should give you the total heat loss of the room and then radiator outputs will be calculated based on the flow temp you have used. The rads built into the software are based on Stelrad classic compact, so if you are using heat emitters where the outputs differ significantly you should add them in as a custom radiator to ensure the outputs are calculated correctly. 

How do you select underfloor heating?

Underfloor heating can only be implemented in the Heat Pump design stage. To do this, select Add Heat Emitter and choose Underfloor which will prompt you to input the floor area covered by the underfloor heating elements and their outputs in W/m².

Are cascaded heat pumps available in Heatpunk?

Unfortunately, cascaded systems are not currently available in Heatpunk. 

How do I add hot water storage?

How water storage can be added within the Heat Pump task. Simply scroll to the Hot Water Storage section and click the pencil icon. Here you can choose from either Heatpump's recommendations our our full list of heat pumps. The recommendations given, are based on the number of bedrooms and occupants. These can be editted at the top of the page and new recommendations generated. 

You should also review and edit the Hot Water Storage settings  as necessary by click on the cog icon, next to the pencil. 

How is the outdoor design temperature (ODT) set and can I change it?

The outdoor design temperature (ODT) for your project will be automatically set using the 99th percentile temperature for the relevant project location from CIBSE guide A. Using the 99th percentile temperature means the temperature will only fall below the ODT for 1% of the year. You may choose to use the 99.6th percentile in which case no additional uplift is needed for intermittent heating or exposed locations (see MIS 3005-d for details. Using the project's location, Heatpunk will also automatically remove 0.3°C from the ODT for every 50 m above sea level.

To change the ODT used for your project:

• navigate to the Heat pump task
• scroll down to find the Heat pump load section
• Click the pencil icon in the top right
• Set the temperature you want to use

Note: An additional 0.3°C will need to be removed for every 50 m above sea level, with altitude given in the input section of the technical report & customer proposal.