Why install an Air Source Heat Pump?
There are lots of reasons why installing a heat pump is a good idea. The first and most obvious reason is that you can save money because you will have got rid of whatever service you are paying for to heat your home.
The best savings are for people who have electric storage heaters, which are very expensive to run. People who have coal powered heating could also save money – and do the environment a favour at the same time. People who are replacing coal with a heat pump will also do away with the need to store the coal, and the mess that goes with maintaining a coal fire every day.
People who live in remote areas with connection to the mains gas could also benefit from installing a heat pump. These are people whos heating is run from either LPG or oil that is stored in a tank on the property. They would do away with the inconvenience of having to have the fuel delivered and stored – who needs a great thumping tanker on their drive every few months? These off grid houses would also see significant savings on their fuel bills.
People who live in more suburban areas may also see the benefits of of installing a cheap, reliable energy source that is better for the environment.
Air Source Heat Pump Cost to UK residents
At the time of writing, an air source heat pump costs more that an conventional gas fired central heating systems. Expect to pay between £4000 to £8000 for a good quality pump depending on the manufacturer and size of pump required.
Air Source Heat Pump Installation costs
Installation costs for your heat pump again will vary depending on the equipment needed and the individual installer – but expect to pay around between £1000 – £4000.
Will I need anything else?
You may want to consider installing underfloor heating, as heat pumps work particularly well this this system. You may also need new radiators – heat pumps work best with larger radiators because of their lower operating temperatures.
Air Source Heat Pump Cost of Maintenance
You would also want to make sure that your air source heat pump is serviced every 2 – 3 years – annually if you have compressor. This will give you 20 years of trouble free service. There are also some things you could do yourself to make sure your heat pump is running at its best such as clearing the air flow of debris, plants and snow or ice.
Your local installer or heating engineer will give you an estimate of the the service costs.
What does running an air source heat pump cost?
Because they are one of the most efficient heating systems, running an air source heat pump will cost a lot less than standard central heating systems.
Figures according to the Energy Saving Trust (https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/about-us/our-data/)
| Gas Central Heating | 4.6p per kWh |
| Standard electric heaters | 9 – 16p per kWh |
| Air Source Heat Pump* | 2.3p per kWh |
Example savings of using an Air Source Heat Pump
If we took a typical modern 4 bedroom house, here’s roughly what the savings could be based on some industry wide figures:
Amount of energy needed to heat a 4 bed house per year is around 19,000kWh
- Yearly cost with gas: £874
- Yearly cost with Electric heaters: £3040
- Yearly Cost with Air Source heat Pump*: £437
So an air source heat pump could save a family using gas central heating a possible £437 – half of their current bill. A home using electric storage heaters would save a whopping £2603.
There are even more savings if you take into account hot water. A four person household will use roughly 160 litres of hot water a day, roughly an extra 2,800kWh a year.
This would cost a gas user an extra £128.80 a year, switching to an air source heat
- Gas boiler cost per year: £128.80
- Air Source Heat Pump Cost per year: £64.40
That’s another saving of £65.
*using Economy 7 or similar service for half of the time heating is on
Is there a grant to help with Air Source Heat Pump Costs?
The government has a scheme called the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). Under this system the government pays homeowners in England, Scotland and Wales for the heat they generate with renewable energy for 7years. So that would mean that bigger systems could receive £1300 per year.
£5000 Subsidy Grant
After April 2022 the system will change and there will be a grant worth £5000 offered to home owners replacing gas boilers with Air Source heat Pumps or other renewable energy systems.
Conclusion
By now hopefully you have a good idea of air source heat pump costs. We encourage you to consider upgrading your heating to any system that reduces carbon and will help slow global warming. We firmly believe that while it’s important to save money, it’s vital that every one of us does our bit to help preserve our environment for future generations. When you consider what is at stake, the air source heat pump cost is small in comparison.
