Heat Pumps

Whether you go for a ground source or an air source heat pump the box that you see will be similar. It will be a large (how large depends on many factors) box which sits alongside an external wall of your property. It will be connected up to an electricity supply and pipework will enter your house and attach to your heating system.

Air source heat pumps are relatively simple to fit compared with ground source pumps which require additional ground works (digging trenches and bore holes) to provide the access to the heat inthe ground.

The size and capacity of the unit needs to be carefully calculated, there needs to be an appropriate electricity supply and your current heating system needs to be adequate so it’s therefore not a DIY job and work should only be carried out by a professional.

Heat pumps are designed to work effectively with hot water radiators, underfloor heating and renewable systems. In many cases they can just be connected up but sometimes adjustments maybe necessary – for example traditional radiators designed for high-temperature systems may need to be replaced or modified to accommodate the low-temperature output of a heat pump.

The outside unit is not silent – the large fans are going to make a bit of a hum which will increase in volume when they have to work hard. It shouldn’t be particularly loud or noticable though – some liken it to that of the noise of a fridge which is probably a good comparison

As for the inside the house – any noise will be negligable and not particularly different to that of your current heating system.

Completely dependson many factors such as the size of your property, if your current heating system is OK or requires any upgrade and how much prep work is required.

To give you a rough idea though and average cost for an air source heat pump is going to be somewhere in teh region of £7,000 to £13,000 compared with a ground source heat pump which typically costs between £14,000 and £19,000.

Energy efficiency grants are available in many cases towards these costs.

This on’es a really difficult question to answer because it depends on what heating system you are changing from and what sort of heat pump you move to.

There’s a fair bit of controversy around the amunt of savings too with some suggesting that a heat pump may even cost more to run in some cases!

If you’re switching from a decent A Rated gas boiler you’re not going to notice much difference in the cost of heating and hot water but if you switching from old electric storage heaters or coal fired heating your savings are likely to be substantial.

That said there’s another reason for chaing though – energy security and environmental impact. No more directly burning fossil fuels to heat your home means cleaner heat, a better environment and greater energy security.

Over the course of an average year, heat pumps save our clients about 20-40% on their annual heating and cooling bills—though local utility rates impact savings. Heat pumps can also save money through reduced maintenance expenses and by completely eliminating fees for services such as oil delivery.

The short answer is, in most cases no but we always suggest checking with your local authority first.

The Government is making it increasingly easier for homeowners to install green heating systems and heat pumps have now joined the likes of biomass boilers and thermal panels as permitted developments in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, providing certain requirements are met. 

Ground Source Heat Pumps:

Installation within the curtilage (the garden or grounds) of a house or block of flats does not require planning permission, but if the property is listed, listed building consent will be required.

Air Source Heat Pumps:

Installing an air source heat pump doesn’t need planning permission provided that:

• Your air source heat pump is only used for heating and hot water). 
• The installation complies with Microgeneration Certification Scheme Planning Standards (MCS 020).
• Ther is no existing air source heat pump installed (a second unitwill require permission). 
• There is no wind turbine installed at your property..
• Listed buildings require consent prior to installation. 
• If your property is in a conservation area or World Heritage Site check with your local planning office first.
• Size of external unit:
  • England, the outdoor unit and housing should be less than 0.6m3. 
  • Wales, the compressor unit and housing should be below 1m3
  • Scotland, it should be below 3 metres in height
  • Northern Ireland, it should be below 2 metres in height
• Boundaryrestrictions:
  • England and Scotland – at least 1 metre from the property’s boundary
  • Wales – at least 3 metre from the property’s boundary
  • Northern Ireland – at least 30 metres from the nearest neighbouring house
• The heat pump should be sited so that it minimises any adverse effect on the appearance of the building and the area.
• The air source heat pump must be installed on flat surfaces. (restrictions apply if being placed ona flat roof
• The external unit should not protrude more than 1 metre from any part of the outer walls of the property. 

It is also a requirement that an air source heat pump should be removed when it’s no longer in use. 

In many cases there are (often substantial) Government energy efficiency grants designed to support with the cost of installing heat pumps.

At the moment grants of up to £7,500 are available for both air source and ground source heat pumps if the criteria is met.

See our section on Energy Efficiency Grants and Boiler Upgrade Scheme for more information.