Got questions about heat pumps? You’re in the right place. Our FAQs cover real-world costs, the £7,500 grant, what’s included in installation, how long it takes, and how 24-7 gentle heating feels day to day. We explain smart controls, weather compensation and design temperature in plain English, plus radiators vs UFH, cylinders, older homes, running costs, warranties, and servicing. Browse the answers, make a small tweak or two, and enjoy a warmer, quieter, more efficient home. If anything isn’t clear, ask us and we’ll keep it simple.
1. How much does a heat pump cost to install?
The typical cost of a fully installed air source heat pump starts from around £3,750 once the government’s £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant has been applied. That means you could have a complete, modern heating system in your home for less than the cost of replacing an old gas boiler & cylinder.
But the real value isn’t just in the numbers – it’s in the comfort, safety, and peace of mind that come with it. Every installation includes everything you need: the outdoor heat pump unit, the indoor hot water cylinder, new pipework where required, and intelligent controls that keep your home at the perfect temperature all year round.
We design your system carefully so it’s tailored to your home and lifestyle. You’ll enjoy steady warmth through every room, reliable hot water on demand, and quiet, efficient operation you can depend on day and night. A heat pump isn’t just a heating system – it’s an upgrade to a more comfortable, secure, and energy-efficient way of living.
When you invest in a heat pump, you’re not just saving money – you’re creating a home that feels constantly warm, calm, and safe. It’s heating you can trust, working quietly in the background, keeping your family comfortable no matter how cold it gets outside.
2. What are the running costs compared to gas?
If you reasonably heat your home with gas, for example 1-2 hours in the morning and 4-6 hours in the evening, running a heat pump 24 hours a day through the heating season from October to April will cost no more than (and often less than) running the gas boiler for a few hours per day.
For the same cost or less, you get round-the-clock heating.
The more you heat your home with gas, the bigger the savings will be with a heat pump.
It sounds impossible, but it actually makes perfect sense once you understand
3. How can an electric heat pump be cheaper to run
than a gas boiler when gas is about 3.5 times
cheaper than electricity?
how a heat pump works. A gas boiler burns gas to create heat, but it can never be 100% efficient. Even the best new boilers lose some heat through the flue, reaching maybe 95% efficiency if installed perfectly. Older boilers often drop to 75% efficiency or less, which means a big part of what you pay for simply goes up the chimney.
A heat pump doesn’t create heat at all, it’s a heat multiplier. It collects natural energy from the air outside and moves it into your home. Even when it’s freezing, there’s still plenty of heat in the air. For example, at -10°C the air is still 263°C warmer than absolute zero, and at +10°C it’s 283°C warmer. That’s a huge amount of hidden energy, and your heat pump knows how to grab it.
Here’s how it works: the heat pump blows outdoor air over a special coil,
absorbing that free heat energy into a refrigerant that boils at around -60°C. That gas is then compressed, which makes it much hotter. The compressor is the only part using electricity and it’s what multiplies the heat energy taken from the air.
Because it’s moving heat instead of making it, a heat pump will
typically deliver 3 to 6 times more heat energy than the electricity it uses. On average, over a full heating season, you’ll get about four times as much heat output per unit of electricity.
There’s another big reason why heat pumps can be cheaper to run: they heat your home continuously and gently, 24 hours a day. They don’t let your house cool down and then blast it back to temperature like a gas boiler. When a gas boiler starts in a cold home, it has to work very hard to raise the temperature quickly, using a lot of energy in the first 30-60 minutes. That rapid warm-up is extremely wasteful.
A heat pump avoids all that. By keeping your home at a steady, comfortable temperature all day, it runs smoothly and efficiently. So even though
electricity costs more per unit than gas, a heat pump’s efficiency means you can enjoy round-the-clock warmth for the same cost or less with a comfort level that most people never experience.
4. How long does a heat pump installation take?
A typical installation takes around 3 days. This includes fitting the outdoor heat pump, updating pipework, wiring the smart controls, and installing a new heat pump-compatible hot water cylinder.
5. Are heat pumps suitable for older, less insulated
homes?
Absolutely. There’s a common misconception that heat pumps only work well in brand-new, highly insulated houses — but that’s not true. With the right design and setup, a heat pump can keep even an older or less insulated home warm, comfortable, and efficient throughout the year.
Modern heat pumps are incredibly adaptable. They can be designed to suit the unique layout and characteristics of older properties, including solid walls, single glazing, or traditional radiators. The key is proper system design. Before any installation, we carry out a detailed heat loss survey to
understand exactly how much heat your home needs in each room. From that, we size the heat pump, cylinder, and radiators perfectly so your system works quietly and efficiently in every season.
If your home doesn’t have the highest insulation levels, that’s okay. The heat pump simply runs for longer at a low, steady temperature — maintaining warmth rather than trying to heat the home in short bursts. This gentle 24- hour operation means your walls, floors, and furniture all stay warm, creating a feeling of consistent comfort and eliminating the cold spots that can come
with traditional boilers.
We can also advise on small, cost-effective improvements like draught- proofing, extra loft insulation, or replacing older radiators with larger, more efficient ones. These simple changes make a big difference to how your system performs.
So even if your home is decades old, a well-designed heat pump system can deliver modern, reliable warmth with all the comfort and peace of mind of a luxury heating system. It’s about creating a cosy, evenly heated home that
feels inviting every time you walk through the door — no matter how cold it gets outside.
6. Is it true that heat pumps run 24/7?
Yes – and that’s one of their biggest advantages. Heat pumps are known as steady-state heating systems, which means they run gently and continuously to keep your home at a perfect, stable temperature all day and
night. Instead of switching on and off like a gas boiler, a heat pump simply adjusts how hard it’s working depending on the weather outside.
A gas boiler is what’s called an intermittent heating system. It blasts your home with heat for a few hours, then shuts off. The result is constant temperature swings – warm for a while, then cold again once the boiler stops. When the house cools down, the boiler has to work extremely hard and burn a lot of gas to quickly heat everything back up, which is both energy intensive and inefficient.
A steady-state heat pump works very differently. It keeps your home at a steady, comfortable temperature by gently topping up the heat that naturally escapes. Because it’s always running in balance with your home’s heat loss, it doesn’t waste energy starting and stopping. The result is consistent 24-hour
comfort, with the air, walls, and floors all evenly warm.
Think of it as the difference between cruising smoothly down a
motorway and constantly stopping and starting in city traffic. The steady driver uses far less fuel and enjoys a smoother ride. That’s exactly how a heat pump feels – a calm, effortless, always-warm home.
It’s a lifestyle upgrade too. Having 24-hour heat is a quiet luxury – like driving a premium car or staying in a 5-star hotel – something few people experience but everyone desires. With a heat pump, that comfort becomes your everyday normal.
7. Are heat pumps smart?
Absolutely. Heat pumps come with smart controls as standard, constantly
monitoring both indoor and outdoor temperatures to deliver only the exact amount of heat your home needs. You don’t waste energy, and your comfort remains perfectly balanced automatically.
8. Do I need to change my radiators?
Sometimes, yes. Heat pumps heat water to around 35–50°C, which is lower than a gas boiler. To maintain comfort, some older radiators may be replaced with larger, more efficient ones that can heat the home effectively at lower water temperatures.
9. Is underfloor heating good for heat pumps?
It’s ideal. Underfloor heating (UFH) turns your entire floor into a gentle, low- temperature radiator. Because it operates efficiently at low water temperatures, it makes your heat pump super efficient and delivers a beautifully even warmth throughout the home.
10. Can I turn my heat pump off when I go out?
No – heat pumps are designed for continuous operation. You can, however, set a small temperature setback of 2–3°C while you’re away or asleep. Because heat pumps are very efficient at maintaining temperature, you’ll still save energy while returning to a warm, comfortable home.
11. Do I need a cylinder with a heat pump? If I already
have one with my gas boiler, can it be used?
Yes – you will need a hot water cylinder with your heat pump, but in most cases, your existing gas boiler cylinder won’t be suitable. Traditional gas boiler cylinders are designed for higher water temperatures, usually between 60–80°C, and use a small internal coil with a surface area of around 0.7 m2.
A heat pump heats water more gently, typically to around 45–55°C, and needs a larger coil (usually 2–3 m2) to transfer heat efficiently. This allows your heat pump to warm the water quickly and effectively without having to
run at unnecessarily high temperatures.
If you’re upgrading from a combi boiler, you’ll also need to make room for a hot water cylinder, since combi systems heat water directly on demand and don’t have one. The good news is that heat pump cylinders come in a wide range of shapes and sizes to suit most homes.
There are compact thermal storage units like the SunAmp, slimline cylinders that fit into tight spaces, and standard 600 mm diameter cylinders for larger homes. Every model is highly insulated to minimise heat loss and ensure maximum efficiency, keeping your hot water warm for hours with very little energy use.
Choosing the right cylinder ensures your system delivers reliable, efficient hot water every day and allows your heat pump to operate at peak performance – quietly, efficiently, and built for long-term comfort.
12. What about Legionella safety?
Once a week, your system automatically heats the water to over 60°C to kill any Legionella bacteria. The rest of the time, it keeps the cylinder at around 50°C, ensuring both safety and efficiency.
13. How often is the hot water reheated?
The system uses smart sensors to reheat the tank only when needed. Typically, it reheats when water temperature falls below 40°C, restoring it to around 50°C, so you always have plenty of hot water available.
14. How do you know what size heat pump my home
needs?
We carry out a detailed heat loss survey to calculate how much heat escapes through your floors, walls, windows, roof, and ventilation. From this, we determine the peak heat loss of your property to size the perfect heat pump for your home.
15. What is peak heat loss?
Peak heat loss is the maximum amount of heat your home loses on a
typical cold winter’s day (around -2°C in London). Each room is assessed individually to make sure the system can maintain a comfortable temperature throughout the whole house.
16. Is a bigger heat pump better?
Not at all. A heat pump must match the home’s heat loss, not exceed it. Oversized heat pumps tend to short-cycle (turn on and off too frequently),
wasting energy. The best-performing systems run for long, steady periods, adjusting output smoothly from 30% up to 100% as needed.
17. What is cycling and why should it be avoided?
Cycling is when a heat pump turns on and off repeatedly to avoid overheating the home. This wastes energy because starting the compressor uses extra electricity. Ideally, a heat pump should run continuously for at least 20 minutes at a time, making it more efficient and longer-lasting.
18. What does the design temperature mean?
The design temperature is the temperature of the water leaving your heat pump and entering your radiators or underfloor heating on the coldest days of the year.
For example, if your system has a design temperature of 45°C , that means when it’s -2°C outside, the heat pump will heat the water to 45°C to keep your home warm. When the outdoor temperature rises to around 10°C , the system may only need to heat the water to 30°C .
Because the heating runs 24 hours a day, it maintains a comfortable indoor temperature even with much lower water temperatures. This steady, low-
temperature operation is one of the key reasons heat pumps are so efficient.
In the heat pump controls, the weather compensation curve decides the target water temperature for any given outside temperature.
19. What is weather compensation? Why is it a curve
and how do I optimise it?
Weather compensation is your heat pump’s guidebook for cold days. The
curve tells the heat pump how much extra heat to add as the outdoor temperature drops. Bigger or less insulated homes lose heat faster, so they need a steeper curve; smaller or better insulated homes need a gentler curve.
Heat pumps are installed with sensible default settings for your home type.
For example, your system might aim for radiator temperatures like: 32°C at 10°C outside, 39°C at 0°C, 46°C at −10°C.
You can fine-tune this. As the temperature drops outside, adjust the curve in your controls. For example, try: 31°C at 10°C, 38°C at 0°C, 44°C at −10°C. If, after a few days, the house is still warm and holds its set temperature, drop the curve again by a small step.
Keep adjusting until the house can no longer maintain its indoor temperature, then increase the curve back to the previous setting and give it time to settle.
Rules of thumb: change one small step at a time and wait 2–3 days before
changing again, and only do this tuning during a proper cold spell (close to or below freezing), when your home loses the most heat and the curve really matters.
Follow this loop and you’ll land on the lowest curve that keeps you comfortable, which means quieter operation and lower running costs.
20 .What is balancing and why is it important?
When you balance a system, if present, first set any TRVs and room thermostats to maximum so they do not interfere. Then use the lockshield valves on radiators (or flow meters on UFH) to share the flow fairly: reduce slightly in warmer rooms, increase a touch in cooler rooms, until all rooms sit
at steady comfort.
Why it matters
Even room temperatures
Lower required flow temperature, better COP, quieter running
Less cycling and smoother 24/7 heat
How to balance radiators (no TRVs, no stats)
Settheheatpumptorun24/7withyourusualweathercompensation.
Openalllockshieldshalfwaytostart.
After2–3hours,noteroomtemps.
Ifaroomistoowarm,closeitslockshieldaquarterturn.
Ifaroomiscool,openitslockshieldaquarterturn.
Wait2–3hoursandrepeatsmalltweaks.
Aimforagentletemperaturedropacrosseachradiatorofabout5–
10°C when the system is settled.
o No thermometer? Feel the pipes. Flow should be hot-warm, return warm-cool, not cold.
How to balance UFH
Use the manifold flow meters.
Start with similar flows on all loops.
Increase flow on cooler rooms, reduce a little on warmer rooms.
Recheck after several hours because floors respond slowly.
Final tune
Once rooms sit even for a full cold day, try lowering the weather compensation one small step.
If the coolest room drops below target, nudge flows again or go back one step on the curve.
Balancing is a slow, small-adjustment job. Take your time, change one thing, then wait. The payoff is even comfort at the lowest possible flow temperature.
21. Volumisers vs Buffer Tanks. What are they and
when to use them?
Volumiser
A cylinder of water fitted in-line on the primary circuit. No hydraulic separation. It just adds water volume so the heat pump runs longer and handles defrosts
smoothly.
Buffer tank
A tank that sits between the heat pump circuit and the heating circuit. It provides hydraulic separation and requires a separate circulation pump on the emitter side to move water through the radiators/UFH.
Use a volumiser when
One open circuit. Few or no zone valves. One temperature everywhere.
You only need extra water volume to reduce cycling and help defrosts.
You want to keep return temperatures low for best efficiency. Use a buffer tank when
You have zones that open and close.
Mixed emitters or multiple pumps that could fight each other.
Microbore or restrictive pipework; the heat pump can’t guarantee its minimum flow.
You want antifreeze on the heat pump side and plain water indoors.
You can fit a separate circulation pump for the emitters. Pros and cons
Volumiser: simple, low cost, minimal losses, preserves low returns. No separation if hydraulics are tricky.
Buffer: fixes difficult hydraulics and zoning, but can increase return temperature if it mixes — design carefully and space connections.
Quick sizing feel
Aim for roughly 10–20 litres per kW total system volume for many radiator systems.
If the existing circuit is low volume, add a 30–100 L volumiser depending on size.
If you need true separation, choose a 2- or 4-pipe buffer, space connections to reduce mixing, and include a secondary pump. Insulate well.
Placement
Volumiser on the return before the heat pump helps stabilise inlet temperature.
Buffer close to the heat pump with sensors where the manufacturer expects them.
Bottom line
Simple, single-temperature systems: choose a volumiser.
Complex, zoned, or restrictive systems: choose a buffer — and remember the separate circulation pump for the emitters.
Either way, balance the system and use weather compensation for long, steady run times.
22. Heat pump noise & MCS rules
Modern heat pumps are pretty chilled. Think modern fridge at a few metres, a gentle hum that fades into the background once you step away.
MCS sets simple noise limits at your neighbour’s most affected window. A good installer designs and sites the unit to meet those limits and provides the paperwork so you can relax.
Placement helps a lot. Give the unit clear airflow, avoid direct line of sight to bedrooms, use a solid base with anti-vibration feet, and skip echoey corners. Night mode is handy too if you want extra hush while everyone sleeps.
Expect a brief whoosh in winter during defrost. It is normal, short, and your signal that the system is keeping itself in top shape.
23. What is included in the cost of a heat pump
installation that you might not know about?
A professional installation covers much more than fitting the unit. Every project must meet strict MCS (Microgeneration Certification
Scheme) standards. As an MCS-certified installer, we undergo regular audits to ensure quality and compliance.
From the first visit, we complete a detailed home survey and a full heat loss calculation to correctly size the heat pump, hot water cylinder, and radiators for comfort and efficiency.
We also handle the essential administration and compliance behind the scenes:
Applying for eligible government grants (e.g., Boiler Upgrade Scheme).
Registering with the DNO (Distribution Network Operator) to confirm your property’s electrical capacity.
Issuing the required Building Control certificates.
Completing MCS paperwork and warranty registrations for your
records, insurance, and future home sales.
So while you see the heat pump and cylinder being installed, the price also includes expert design, certification, and compliance that ensure your system is safe, efficient, and fully eligible for funding and long-term guarantees.
24. What about warranty and servicing?
Every installation we complete comes with full protection and peace of mind. All plumbing and heating work carried out as part of your heat pump installation is covered by an insurance-backed 2-year warranty. This means
that, no matter what happens, you can rest easy knowing your system and installation are fully protected.
The heat pump itself is covered by the manufacturer’s warranty, which typically ranges from 5 to 10 years depending on the brand. To keep this warranty valid, the system must be serviced annually by us or by an authorised service technician. Annual servicing ensures the heat pump runs efficiently, maintains performance, and lasts for many years to come — just like servicing a car keeps it running smoothly.
The hot water cylinder usually comes with an exceptionally long lifespan guarantee — often a 25-year manufacturer’s warranty on the tank itself,
with a 2-year warranty on accessories such as valves, sensors, and fittings.
We make sure all warranties are properly registered and that you receive complete documentation for future reference. With regular servicing and the right care, your heat pump system will provide many years of quiet, dependable, energy-efficient heating and hot water, backed by warranties you can trust.
25. Who is eligible for the BUS (Boiler Upgrade
Scheme) grant?
Property is in England or Wales (domestic or small non-domestic).
You own the property — homeowners, landlords and small
businesses are eligible.
Commercial units are eligible for the grant in certain cases.
You’re replacing a fossil-fuel or direct-electric system (not an
existing heat pump).
You have a valid EPC; EPCs that recommend loft/cavity insulation are
still eligible.
New builds aren’t eligible (except self-builds). Social housing isn’t
eligible.
The system is installed by an MCS-certified installer and designed
efficiently.
Hybrid heat pump + boiler systems aren’t eligible.
Heat pump capacity is typically up to 45 kWth per property.
Grant amounts: £7,500 for air-source and ground-source heat pumps;
£5,000 for biomass (usually only off the gas grid). One grant per
property.
Your installer applies for the voucher and handles the admin on your
behalf.