Heat pumps
A heat pump moves heat from the air or ground into your home. Quiet, low-carbon, and designed to run gently over longer periods.
- Typical install
- 2–5 days
- Best suited to
- Insulated homes
- Funding routes
- National schemes
Low-carbon heating and hot water
Works well in a well-insulated home
Can be combined with solar generation
No on-site fuel storage needed for air source systems
The basics
What heat pumps actually does
A heat pump moves heat from the air or ground into your home. It works differently to a gas boiler and usually runs at lower temperatures over longer periods.
This is likely to suit you if…
- Your home is reasonably well insulated
- You have outdoor space for a unit or land for ground loops
- You are off the gas grid or replacing an old fossil-fuel system
- You want lower-carbon heating and hot water
Your options
Types of work an installer may recommend
Which option suits you depends on your property's construction, age and condition. A survey confirms what is possible.
Air source heat pump
An outdoor unit that draws heat from the air.
Ground source heat pump
Pipework in the ground, suited to properties with land.
Hybrid systems
A heat pump paired with an existing boiler.
Design is everything with a heat pump
Performance comes from a proper heat-loss calculation, correctly sized emitters and a sensible flow temperature. Always ask to see the design before you commit.
Step by step
How the journey usually runs
- 1
Initial eligibility check
- 2
Heat loss survey
- 3
System design and quotation
- 4
Funding application
- 5
Installation and commissioning
Paying for it
Funding routes that may apply
Funding is never guaranteed. These are the routes most often used for this type of work in the UK.
National low-carbon heating schemes
Nation-specific programmes
Local authority funding
Schemes that can cover heat pumps
Low Carbon Heating Grant
A sample national contribution towards replacing fossil-fuel heating with a low-carbon system such as a heat pump.
Who it may suit: Owner-occupiers and small landlords replacing an existing fossil-fuel heating system.
Heat pumpsHeating
Last reviewed: [Last reviewed date]
Warmer Homes Support (Scotland sample)
A sample Scotland-only programme offering advice, funding and in some cases interest-free loans.
Who it may suit: Scottish households meeting income, benefit or property-condition criteria.
InsulationHeatingHeat pumps
Last reviewed: [Last reviewed date]
Initial results are indicative only. Final eligibility and funding are subject to checks by the relevant scheme, authority, funder or installer.
Be prepared
Questions worth asking an installer
What heat loss calculation have you used?
Will my radiators or pipework need changing?
What running-cost assumptions are you making?
What happens if performance is not as expected?
Every installer listed with us is checked for accreditation and insurance before they appear in your matches.
Questions
Common questions
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