Sustainable heat at "the house on the hill"

Oskar is a father of two, dog owner and carpenter with a passionate following on Instagram under the name @oskarsnickrar. On the account, followers can follow both life and the renovations on the farm that he calls “The house on the hill”.

When they moved into the house, there was an old wood-burning stove, the bathroom was from the 1960s and they had to carry the laundry across the yard and wash it in the barn. The first winter was an ordeal for Oskar and the children, to say the least.

- We froze. The water froze. The electricity bills skyrocketed. When we also found mold on the floor in my son's room, I felt that enough was enough. So in the spring we decided to start renovating, and do it all at once, says Oskar.

The plan was for an extensive project with a new bathroom, sauna, laundry room and a boiler room that would be the heart of the new energy system. The choice fell on a geothermal heat pump from CTC, more specifically a CTC GSi 612.

 - I wanted something reliable for the existing hydronic system, and at the same time something stylish. The heat pump would be visible and become part of the new room. After talking to the technical support at CTC, I felt confident about the product I needed, says Oskar.

Together with CTC and the Energy Team in Umeå, the installation was smooth and efficient, where Oskar could focus on the renovation while the heat pump was installed.

For Oskar, it was important that the heat pump not only worked well, but also felt safe and well thought out in every detail. The result also speaks for itself. Since the installation, electricity consumption in the house has been more than halved, something that is noticeable both in the wallet and in everyday life.

- For me as a carpenter, sustainability is about thinking wisely and long-term. Restoring instead of demolishing, choosing materials that last, and daring to invest in the slightly more expensive when it actually makes a difference. It feels good in my stomach to have done the right thing here, with a future-proof borehole and a quality solution I can trust.

Oskar says that he will never forget when everything was in place. When all the connections were tightened and the installer turned around and said “So, Oskar. Let's turn this on. Now everything will be quite a lot easier for you in the future.”

- It was a nice moment. Because that's exactly how it turned out, says Oskar.

1. If you could only have three tools in your toolbox, which would you choose?

A good hammer, saw and screwdriver.

2. What kind of music is usually playing in your headphones when you are working?

I am and will always be obsessed with the Foo Fighters, but I like all kinds of music.

3. What do you like to do when you're not renovating or building - is there a completely unexpected interest?

I love renovating old houses. Giving durable but worn materials a new life cycle.

4. Which renovation task do you love - and which do you prefer to avoid?

Planing or sanding a new surface on old wood is something very special. Another unexpected, but always satisfying thing is to line up brand new walls. It's so lovely to see the lines and infrastructure emerge. Anything underground or in confined spaces I avoid as much as possible. I have cell fear.

5. What are you most often found with in your hand - hammer, coffee cup or cell phone camera?

Hard to choose there actually. Can I have another hand?

Do you also want to install geothermal heating in your house?

Our CTC Partners will help you with everything from dimensioning, quotation and installation.

All images in the article are photographed by Samuel Pettersson and Oskar Boström.