Cut through the hot air
Heat pumps are an energy efficient, low carbon way to heat your home. They’re suitable for almost all types of home and, depending on what heating system you’re replacing, could save you money on your energy bills.
A heat pump is a heating system that:
It uses electricity to do this. But it produces much more heat energy than it uses in electrical energy.
This makes heat pumps a more energy efficient way to heat your home than a traditional gas or oil boiler. It also produces far fewer carbon emissions than other heating systems.
Get news and tips on how to get a heat pump as well as costs, savings and funding options.
Sign upWe found several heat pump ‘myths’ that were holding people back from adopting the technology. Let’s cut through the hot air and get to the truth about heat pumps.
Fact: Heat pumps need less space than two wheelie bins stood side-by-side. That’s around 1.5 metres wide.
Fact. Heat pumps work in all types of homes and still work well in those that have less insulation. When you speak to a heat pump installer, they’ll assess your home and set your heat pump to work with your house type and heating needs.
Fact: Heat pumps need no more maintenance than a gas boiler. Just like with a gas boiler, we recommend an annual service for your heat pump.
Fact: In England and Wales, you can get up to £7,500 of government funding towards a heat pump (other funding options available for Scotland and Northern Ireland).
Read our in-depth heat pump guide to find out:
If you want to know more about the realities of installing and running a heat pump, read our case studies:
There are two types of heat pump that are most common in the UK:
Which one is better suited to you largely depends on your budget and how much space you have.
Air source heat pumps tend to be the most common type installed.
For more information, look at our guides to each type of heat pump:
The support you can get depends on where in the UK you live:
The best thing to do is to find out what heat pump system is right for you and speak to an installer for more tailored advice:
Here’s some advice on how to maximise your heat pump’s efficiency and other ways you can benefit from low carbon energy:
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Last updated: 21 March 2024
