Exchanging a gas boiler for a heat pump – should you?

Currently, gas heating accounts for 21% of the UK’s carbon emissions. As part of an effort to meet the UK’s commitment to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050, the government has allocated £450m in grant funding to help install 90,000 heat pumps over three years.
From next April, households will be offered subsidies of £5,000 to make the switch from a gas boiler to the more eco-friendly heat pump.

A heat pump is an electrically powered device that absorbs heat from the air, ground or water around a building. Most domestic heat pumps will extract heat from the air.

Typically, air-source heat pumps cost quite a lot to install – from between £6,000 and £18,000, depending on the type and the size of your home. They also require a certain amount of outdoor space, and work best in homes that are already energy efficient; anyone living in a poorly insulated property may face bigger bills or colder rooms. In other words, it’s not simply a matter of exchange because no heat pump will present a truly like-for-like solution in terms of space, temperatures, controls and interfaces.

There is also no certainty that heat pumps will be cheaper to run in the long run, which may put homeowners off, even with an installation subsidy.

However, whilst a heap pump may not be a good fit for every home, it may be a good fit for your home; especially if it is a new build! If you are considering a heat pump in your home, start chatting to your heating technician now; commissioning needs time and thought so as to meet the needs of your property and family.

For more detailed information on the pros and cons of heat pumps, visit: Which.co.uk and bbc.co.uk.

For all your energy-related needs, contact the team at AACooper on 01689 485007 or info@aacooper.co.uk.