Is A Heat Pump Worth The Money

An air source heart is an alternative fashio to heat your dwelling. IT will enable you to generate your own renewable heat energy and potentially save money happening your vigour bills.

They deliver heat at lower temperatures than gas and oil boilers. So you'll penury to run them for practically longer periods to heat your base to a well-fixed temperature.

High temperature pumps can hold open you more on your heating bills if you're replacing an expensive system such as galvanising storage heaters, oil, LPG (bottled gas) or coal, rather than gas. But retrieve, a well-insulated home is substance – other the heating plant the pump is generating escapes more easily.

Other options to generate your own heat let in:

Read on to find out more about the pros and cons of air source heat pumps, so you can decide whether acquiring one is the right decision for you.

Make a point you're not paying too much for gas and electrical energy. Our independent switching land site, Which? Switch , will help you to find a cheap energy deal.

Two air source heat pumps at the back of a home

How does an air source stir up pump figure out?

An air source heat pump takes heat from the air and boosts it to a higher temperature exploitation a compressor. IT then transfers the heat to the heating system in your home.

They make for a trifle similar refrigerators in reverse.

The broadcast beginning heat pump absorbs fire u from the outside flying into a limpid refrigerant at a low temperature.
Using electricity, the pump compresses the graceful to step-up its temperature. It then condenses back into a disposable to dismissal its stored rut.
Inflame is sent to your radiators or underfloor heating. The remainder can be stored in your hot water system cylinder.
You can use your stored hot water for showers, baths and taps.

The pump uses electricity to run, but it should use less electrical energy than the heat it produces. This makes them an Energy-efficient way to warm your place.

Air source heat pumps act upon even if the temperature is fountainhead below set.

Ground source heat pumps also harness natural heat and increase the temperature to warm your home. Find out how ground source heat pumps work.

Air source heat pump next to a blue wall

What is an broadcast source heat pump?

An air informant heat up pump is a low-carbon way of heating your home. They absorb heat from a cooler place and use it to increase the temperature inside your domicile.

Air source heating system pumps look similar to air-conditioning units. Their size depends happening how much wake they'll need to generate for your dwelling - the much heat, the bigger the heat pump.

At that place are two main types of air germ heat pumps: air-to-water and air-to-atmosphere. They run in different ways and are harmonious with different types of heating systems.

Air-to-water heat pumps

Send-to-water fire u pumps take heat from the outside air and feed it into your wet primal heating system.

They're most suitable for larger radiators Beaver State water underfloor heat because the heat they green groceries is cooler than that from a unoriginal throttle OR vegetable oil boiler. To glucinium most effective they deman a large surface area to release the heat.

It is more direct to incorporate larger radiators or underfloor heating plant for a heat pump while you'ray extending your home Oregon in a new-build prop. It nates too be to a lesser degree retrofitting underfloor heating subsequently.

Air-to-water heat pumps measure up for the Renewable Heat Incentive - a regime intrigue which could pay homes in England, Scotland and Wales towards the cost of home renewable heating.

Bare feet walking on a wooden floor with underfloor heating

Air-to-air heat pumps

Air-to-air heat pumps take fire u from the alfresco air and feed it into your home done fans. You need a warm air circulation system to move the stir up about your menage.

These systems cannot produce hot weewe and are not eligible for the government's Inexhaustible Heat Incentive payments.

In the summer, an air-to-air heat pump backside operate in reverse. In other words, you can use it like an melody-conditioning unit to provide stylish air for your house.

If you're looking an air conditioner, check our melody conditioner reviews.

How a great deal does an air source heat pump cost?

An line-to-water heat pump typically costs betwixt £9,000 and £11,000, reported to the Energy Thrifty Trust. The costs variegate depending connected the size of the heat ticker, the complexity of the arrangement and whether you choose wide-eyed operating room advanced controls (for example a weather-compensated thermoregulator).

You'll also need to leave the cost of upgrading your radiators operating room installing underfloor heating. This can cost various thousand pounds – see underfloor heating costs. You might also ask extra insulation.

Find out how much enclosed space wall insularity costs.

The main cost of a heat heart is the upfront cost for purchasing and installing it. The ticker will use a small amount of money of electricity, but the running costs are minimal. Exactly how a good deal your heat pump costs to run depends on:

the temperature you want your home plate to be
the size of your home
how well-insulated your home is.

The retribution meter (how long it takes to recoup the cost of the system in energy savings) depends on:

how efficiently your system works (including how well the heat is dispersed and your home retains information technology)
the type of heating plant you'ray replacing
whether you get payments from the Renewable Heat Incentive
the damage you invite electricity
how you economic consumption the heat generated by the pump.

The Inexhaustible Heat Incentive (RHI) gives payments to homes which put in certain types of renewable heating to help offset the costs. Payments are made over septet years. It will close to new applications at the end of March 2022. Find out more about the Renewable Heat Incentive and how much you could earn.

You could save up to £1,300 a year away replacing an old inefficient (G-rated) LPG boiler with an efficient air source heat pump.

Merely if you're replacing a newer heating system system, an air source heat pump could actually be a little more expensive.

Replacing a new (A-rated) gas boiler – £95 - £100 bill increase
Replacing a unaccustomed (A-rated) oil kettle – £80 bill increment

If you already have an efficient heat system, see to a greater extent ways to spare money on vigor bills.

Air source inflame pump installment

Air source heating pumps are usually positioned outdoors at the side surgery back of a dimension. They need plenty of space around them for air to circulate.

Inside, you'll normally have a unit containing pumps and hot water. It's usually small than a standard boiler.

They are less disruptive to set u than ground source heat pumps, as they suffice not command whatsoever digging in your garden.

Check first whether you will take planning permission for an air source ignite pump. If you live in a listed building, then you'll normally need the accept of your local confidence. Also check that your installation will sports meeting the building regulations in your arena.

Speak to your base insurance provider overly to check if your policy will cover version the changes to your heating.

If you're getting an air source heat pump it's important to make destined that your home is well-insulated so that is can keep on the heat energy. Underfloor heating or big radiators are often installed alongside heat energy pumps to spread out the heat better.

Your installer should tell you how to use the controls for your heat heart to assistance you use it most effectively. You will probably need to heat your plate for more hours but at a lower temperature.

When your system is completed, you should get a Commissioning Certificate from the installer. You should as wel aim an MCS facility security once the system of rules has been registered (the installer moldiness perform this inside 10 days). You'll need this to measure up for most funding schemes.

If you'Re considering an aviation source heat heart, use Which? Trusted Traders to find oneself a reliable hot up pump installer.

Mother and children sitting beside large radiators

Air source heat pump advantages and disadvantages

Air source heating system pumps require little maintenance and can supply heat and hot piss, but they aren't flawless systems. Here are close to of the key advantages and disadvantages:

Pros

Energy economic - air informant inflame pumps generate less Carbon dioxide than numerous orthodox heating system systems
Less disruptive than installment a ground source heat pump, especially if you're retrofitting
Air-to-water heating pumps qualify for Inexhaustible Passion Incentive payments
You could save money on heating compared with few older systems.

Cons

You'll need decent space in your garden for the foreign condenser unit of measurement
Electrical condenser units can be noisy and blow colder air into the orbit immediately around them
Electricity is needed to drive the pump so they're not zero-carbon (unless the electrical energy comes from a renewable source such as solar panels Beaver State a wind turbine).

Are air source heat pumps timesaving?

An air source heat energy pump arrangement bathroom help to lower your carbon step as it uses a renewable, natural origin of heat – air. How much CO2 you'll save depends on the fire you are replacing. For example, the figure out will be high if you are replacing coal operating theatre an oil boiler preferably than normal gas.

A heat pump needs a power source, commonly electricity, to power the estrus pump, thusly there will still cost several subsequent CO2 emissions.

To engender the best from your heat pump, you'll need to know how to use it most effectively. Often you'll need to set your heating to fall on for thirster than with a traditional system. Your installer should show you how to control your heating system pump system.

You should also hold your heat heart serviced all two to ternary eld. Tab that any grills are free of leaves and debris on a regular fundament and follow any other maintenance checks advised by your installer.

Heat heart energy labels

Heat pumps must have an vim mark on them. It states how energy efficient the pump is along a scale from dark green (most efficient) to red (to the lowest degree efficient).

Since 26 Sept 2022, all new heating system pumps must atomic number 4 sold-out with an EU product label. The installer should besides produce a parcel label that displays the efficiency supported some disparate components in the heat.

All heat pumps certified by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme essential be sold with a product label, and the installer mustiness produce a package label. If your heat pump is not sold with a product label, it may not be eligible for the Inexhaustible Heat Incentive.

Read more: tips on saving electricity and money