Upgrading your home with an air source heat pump system is a big decision, and it’s important for you to have all the information you need! With that in mind, please take a look at our FAQs, explaining everything from your property’s suitability to applying for the government grant.
In short, the answer depends on your house type and its heating system.
If you are currently using an oil-fired or LPG (liquified petroleum gas) boiler, you will likely notice annual savings.
If you are using an electric boiler or electric panel heaters, you will almost certainly notice annual savings.
If you are currently using a natural gas fired boiler, an air source heat pump will likely be cost neutral (based on April 2022 energy price cap).
Over the next decade however, ministers want to ensure electric heat pumps will be no more expensive to run than gas boilers by shifting levies away from electricity to gas. A call for evidence is expected to be published with decisions made in 2022, so natural gas fired boiler users should watch this space.
There are many variables that dictate the cost of heat pump installation, mostly around the size of your property and its associated heating system. As an approximation however, our guide prices are:
1-2 bedroom bungalow: £6,000 - £8,000
2-3 bedroom semi: £7,000 - £9,000
3-4 bedroom detached: £8,000 - £12,000
The VAT rate on heat pumps used to be charged at 5%, falling within the renewable energy installations bracket. However, as of the chancellors statement on the 23rd of March, this fee is to be scrapped meaning zero VAT.
This can be estimated from your EPC (if you have one), but an accurate calculation is provided via your property survey.
During a survey, we assess your existing heating system and the build of your home to establish if a heat pump is suitable, and how and where it can be installed. By taking room measurements and looking at the fabric of the building, we can carry out a Heat Loss Calculation. This collates all aspects of your home and provides an accurate figure for selecting the correct heat pump and any radiators.
Yes, our heat pumps surveys are free. Before undertaking a survey, a member of our friendly team will be in touch to establish some basic criteria and provide you with an estimated install cost. We would then visit your home to survey and issue our fixed cost installation quote.
Heat pumps are extremely efficient! At typical outdoor temperatures they convert 1kW of electrical energy into 4-5kW of heating energy, meaning heat pumps are 400-500% as efficient (you put 1 in and get 4 or 5 out).
Not at all. Heat pumps average around 1m (W) x 1m (H) & 400mm deep, and require 1m of free space in front, 150mm behind and 300mm either side of the unit.
No, heat pumps typically fall under permitted development.
Almost anywhere! Heat pumps work in all sorts of locations, and just need sufficient clearance for air flow.
Suitable locations for a heat pump are discussed during your survey, but they are typically fitted on the external wall of a property (this is to reduce installation costs, as the pipework can run straight through the wall into the house). However, we can also fit heat pumps further away from the property, utilising efficient insulated pipework which can go below the ground or along walls and fences.
As MCS accredited installers, we must also take any neighbouring properties into consideration when establishing a suitable location.
Yes, you can install fencing around the heat pump as long as you maintain minimum clearances for airflow. Each pump’s clearance is as per the manufacturer’s instructions, but is typically 1m in front of the heat pump.
In our opinion, no. The level of noise emitted by a heat pump depends on ‘how hard it is working’, so the colder it gets outside, the faster the fan will run.
Heat pumps tend to run at 50-60db on average. For context, this is slightly louder than:
The ambient noise of a quite rural area (30db) or that of a library or bird calls (44db).
And is roughly on a par with:
The ambient noise of a quiet suburb or conversation at home (50db), up to the volume of conversation in a restaurant, office, background music or an air conditioning unit at 100 feet (60db).
Maybe, but not always. During the survey, we accurately calculate the size required for each room to assess the suitability of existing radiators. As many UK heating installers have historically guessed radiator sizes instead of accurately calculating them, we find that a great deal of radiators have been ‘oversized’, meaning they are already suitable for use with heat pumps!
The cost varies depending on the size of the room, but a budget of £150-200 per room would typically cover the cost of new radiator installation.
No (unless of course you have the wrong installation company on board!). As MCS accredited installers, our in-depth knowledge and training ensures your heat pump and associated system are sized and installed appropriately, allowing your home to meet your heating expectations.
This varies depending on the outside temperature. As the external air temperature drops, the heat pump distributes a higher temperature through the system, typically ranging from 30 to 55°C.
No, you don’t need underfloor heating to have a heat pump installed. While it’s great if you do have underfloor heating (as this is designed to distribute heat at the lower temperatures produced by heat pumps) it isn’t necessary and heat pumps are just as effective and efficient with radiators.
There’s no way to produce an absolute figure, but we can give you some calculated estimates after our survey. Heat pump running costs depend on many variables, including how you use your heating system, the size of your home, how well insulated your home is and more.
We exclusively install heat pumps from reputable manufacturers (such as Vaillant and NIBE) to minimise the risk of encountering issues down the line, and warranties are included.*
If however an issue does occur, we have robust procedures in place to ensure you are back up and running in the shortest time possible. And if you have selected the option to have your heat pump monitored remotely, it’s quite likely we will know there’s an issue before you do!
If your issue is reported before 3pm or you have a remotely monitored pump, we would have an engineer with you the very same day. After 3pm, you would have an engineer with you the next working day. In the meantime, your backup immersion heater would continue to provide hot water for you until the issue is resolved.
*Subject to Ts&Cs
Your heat pump is covered by both the manufacturer’s warranty and our installation warranty. We typically cover both the installation and the heat pump for 7 years (parts and labour). All warranties are subject to terms and conditions.
Yes, heat pumps use unvented hot water cylinders to provide your home with hot water. This is mains pressure and often far better than that provided by a combi boiler.
Yes! Your hot water will be stored at approximately 48-55°C (a typical shower is run at 38°C), and once a fortnight it will be automatically heated to 60-65°C to mitigate any potential legionella risk.
The government grant for installing heat pumps is known as the ‘Boiler Upgrade Scheme’. This is an upfront sum of £5000 towards the installation of a heat pump.
You must have a valid EPC (less than 10 years old), stating there are no recommendations for additional loft and/or cavity wall insulation.
However, even if your EPC recommends these upgrades, there’s no need to worry. You can still apply for the grant, and the funds will be released once the upgrades have been implemented. To help more people access the Boiler Upgrade Scheme funding, we have teamed up with a dedicated team of insulation experts to carry out such work, after which a new EPC will be produced. Dualmech will organise and co-ordinate these efforts to minimise disruption and ensure your funding is available.
Insulation upgrade costs vary, but approximate costs are likely to be around:
Cavity wall insulation: £500
Loft insulation: £300
New EPC: £100
These upgrades are worthwhile investments for any home, helping to reduce your bills and carbon footprint.
EPC stands for Energy Performance Certificate. This is an overview of your home’s energy performance, and is valid for 10 years. Properties are given ratings from A-G, with A being the most efficient.
Just get in touch with Dualmech! We can arrange for an EPC to be carried out at your convenience.
Applications for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme will open in April 2022, so get in touch with Dualmech today to be ready to switch.
With Dualmech, it’s easy! We offer turnkey solutions for heat pump installations, coordinating all electrical works and any other remedial works to provide you with a minimal-hassle transition.
There are no statistics available to evidence the value added to a home through heat pump installation. However, future-proofing your home with low-carbon technology is certainly a prudent move and a desirable property feature.
