It's the burning question on everyone's mind.... is installing a heat pump in the UK worth the investment? Here we address the pros and cons.
If you’re looking for a potentially eco-friendly solution to heating your home and a system that can cool as well as heat, you may be interested in a heat pump installation.
But what exactly are heat pumps, what are their costs and pros/cons, and, ultimately, are they worth it?
Let’s begin...
Ready to make your home more energy-efficient and cut down on your heating bills? Get a heat pump quote today from our trusted partners at Heat Geek here.
What is a Heat Pump?
Heat pumps function by drawing heat energy from the outdoors before providing this heat for circulation around a heating and hot water system.
They may achieve this by harnessing energy from the air or ground, hence the name of the two main categories of heat pumps, air-source heat pumps and ground-source heat pumps.
To get a little more technical, heat pumps employ electricity so that they can run their various components.
The main components of a heat pump are its fan, compressor and circulating pumps. These pumps are used to carry energy from the initial energy source into the heating system/heat sink.
Since gas boilers will be outlawed in new build properties in the coming years, interest in heat pumps is on the rise and likely to only grow.
But what other advantages do they offer?
[quotediv]
Advantages of Heat Pumps
Heat pumps offer various pros and cons, so it’s important to consider these so that you can weigh up this heating option with alternatives you may have in mind.
So, what are the benefits of a heat pump?
Energy Efficiency and Potentially Eco-Friendly
Heat pumps are especially efficient as far as heating systems go. Heat pumps use electricity as a way of compressing and heating energy.
However, it generates more energy than it needs, which is great from an efficiency point of view.
Moreover, heat pumps can also be an environmentally friendly choice. For one, they generate no on-site carbon emissions.
Heat pumps, in perfect conditions, can achieve efficiency levels of up-to 400%
With that said, if you powered them with electricity from the national grid, a heat pump would still likely contribute to your carbon footprint.
The exception to this would be if you were to source your energy from a green energy provider.
Alternatively, you could also ensure your heat pump is truly eco-friendly by powering it with an on-site green energy system (e.g., solar panels).
What’s more, if you were to use solar panels to power your heat pump, you could eliminate the running costs for your heating system.
Even supplementing national grid electricity with on-site solar energy could significantly reduce your heating costs.
Watch Our Air Source Heat Pump UK Case Study in the video below:
Potentially Lower Running Costs
Whether or not a heat pump will reduce your running costs would depend on a) the current heating system you have installed and b) the exact heat pump you have installed, and its energy efficiency levels.
So, while it’s certainly possible that installing a heat pump would lower your running costs, there is no guarantee, so we recommend looking into this and consulting with a qualified heating engineer if needed.
After all, a heating engineer must install the heat pump for you or/and remove your old heating system (if applicable).
Safer than Gas?
Heat pumps are also significantly safer than gas boilers (assuming you already have a gas boiler installed or are considering it as an option).
After all, gas boilers burn combustible fuel to heat a property. When you consider that, it’s clear that heat pumps offer safety advantages given their design.
Gas boilers come with risks such as the threat of carbon monoxide leakage/positioning and the danger of a gas leak resulting in a potentially lethal explosion.
As a result of the hazards associated with gas boilers, heat pumps are advantageous from a safety point of view.
Heat pumps only use electricity and therefore no fuel or combustion is required. With all that said, heat pumps should still be serviced annually, like gas boilers.
Ability to Cool a Home During the Summer
Aside from providing hot air when required, heat pumps can be used to bring cool air into your property on hot summer days.
So, yes, a heat pump can even double up as AC.
Durability and Longevity
Last but not least, heat pumps are generally sturdier than conventional heating systems that depend on a gas boiler.
Heat pumps, therefore, are likely to last a little longer than a gas boiler before needing to be replaced.
Disadvantages of Heat Pumps
Now, it’s time to look at the downsides. Here are the arguments against purchasing a heat pump.
Heat Pumps are Expensive to Install
The clearest disadvantage of installing a heat pump is the cost. It would likely set you back somewhere in the region of £12,000 to £17,000 to have an air source heat pump installed, whereas a ground source heat pump installation will probably cost around £15,000 to £25,000.
To clarify when we say the cost of installation, we mean the standalone cost of the heat pump + the labour costs.
Also, please note that total installation prices for either type of heat pump can exceed the ranges given above for higher-end products.
Either way, it’s going to cost a pretty penny to have a heat pump fitted on your property, especially when compared to a gas boiler.
One positive note, however, is that you may be eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), which could lower the cost of having a heat pump installed significantly.
For more details, see the final section of this article.
Building Regulations and Planning Permission
Aside from building reg considerations, those living in Wales or Northern Ireland must seek planning permission to have a heat pump installed.
As for those located in England or Scotland, the size and location of your property will determine whether or not you can have a heat pump installed.
If in doubt regarding the building regulations or planning permission rules for heat pumps in your region, be sure to contact your local authorities for further advice.
You May Need Larger Radiators
It’s possible that in order to make the most of your heat pump’s energy efficiency, it will be necessary to replace your existing radiators with larger alternatives.
Be sure to look into this in advance and consult with a heating engineer if needed.
Not Suitable for all Properties
How viable it is to have a heat pump installed in a given property will depend on how it is built.
Some properties are more suited to others (e.g., new build properties are generally built in such a way that a heat pump could be installed).
If in doubt as to whether your house is suitable, ask a qualified heating engineer to come out and take a look.
They can then give you their thoughts as to how feasible it would be to install a heat pump on your property.
Will Heat Pumps Become a Necessity?
As touched on earlier, the UK government will be introducing a phase-out ban on gas boilers in new build properties in the next few years.
As a result, the new standard for newly constructed homes will be that they must have low-carbon systems installed (e.g., a heat pump).
This will, in turn, help make the UK more energy efficient and push us closer to reaching net zero by 2050.
Ultimately, though, heat pumps won’t become a necessity in most properties (at least not any time soon).
With that said, there may come a day when only low-carbon heating systems may be used in any property, but we’d imagine that’s going to be at least several decades in the future.
So, Is a Heat Pump Worth It?
Heat pumps come with a range of pros and cons. All in all, whether or not having a heat pump installed in your home would be worth it would depend on factors such as your budget, heating needs, and preferences.
The main downside of having a heat pump installed is its cost. However, as touched on earlier, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme or BUS could help you out here and reduce the installation cost by thousands of pounds.
If you are successful in having the BUS cover much of the cost of a heat pump installation, it would be arguably a lot more worthwhile than if you had no grant funding.
This scheme offers capital grants to support the instalment of low-carbon heating solutions in domestic and non-domestic buildings in England and Wales.
Therefore, as you can tell, it is not available in Northern Ireland or Scotland.
You cannot apply for a BUS grant directly, however. Instead, your chosen installer must apply on your behalf.
If you’d like to have an air source heat pump installed, the BUS could mean £5,000 off the total installation cost for an air source heat pump or £6,000 in the case of a ground source heat pump. The latter includes water source heat pumps.
The UK government has set aside £450 million of grant funding that is being offered to installers (on behalf of property owners) between 2022 and 2025. The scheme can also cover biomass boiler installations.
Of course, you may or may not be eligible for the BUS. If unsure, you can consult a qualified heating engineer. They will be required to submit an application for the scheme either way.
All in all, heat pumps are arguably (in general) worth it if you can bring the cost down by £5,000 to £6,000 with thanks to the BUS.
However, if not, then it may not be worth it. With that said, it’s ultimately up to you and what you are looking for in a heating system.
Need a new boiler?
Without boasting, get your new boiler quote and buy from us, here’s why:
Gas Safe installation within 24 hours.
Thousands of happy customers – an average score of 4.9 on Trustpilot (that’s better than the market leader).
Price match guarantee – if you find a cheaper quote, we will match (must be like for like).
Multiple payment options - interest-free available.
10-year guarantee.
Fixed price guarantee – no hidden costs.
Save your quote until later.
Use this clickable form to get a fixed price on the screen instantly.
Because we're online, our overheads are low which means we pass those savings on to our customers, ensuring they're always getting the best deal on a new combi boiler.
Heat Happy.
