Skip to content 
A switch from traditional fossil fuel heating to renewable, low-carbon alternatives is on the horizon for all UK homes.
Heat pumps are one such alternative, and the government has said that it expects them to be the main way many people will heat their homes in the future.
At least half of UK households will need to have a air source heat pump by 2050 to meet the national carbon zero emissions target, but less than 1% currently own these, while in the UK, 80% of households have a gas boiler.
Heat pumps are devices that transfer heat from one place to another. They work by extracting heat from the air, ground, or water and transferring it to your home. Heat pumps are efficient and can provide both heating and cooling.
Boilers are devices that use fuel, such as gas or oil, to heat water distributed throughout your home. Boilers are a traditional and widely used method of heating homes.
Heat pumps aren’t new. They already heat 16% of Europe’s residential and commercial buildings. There’s a good chance you already have a heat pump in your home. The technology behind heat pumps, air conditioners, refrigerators, and dryers is the same.
Home energy management Company Heatio said, ‘ Misinformation is the biggest challenge with heat pumps in the UK. A heat pump is nothing more than an incredibly efficient electric boiler: it heats your home and water, but far more efficiently, reducing your bills and increasing energy security. |
‘Heat pumps have been around for years, and Europe is fitting them in countries far colder than ours in the millions while we still have a steep curve to meet the UK’s target of 600,000 installations a year in the next five years.’ |
The durability together with efficiency of any heating system depends on what type of pipe material has been chosen. Below are some examples of common materials used for heating pipes:
Price Comparison
Generally, a short price comparison between heat pumps vs boilers is mentioned here:
For most people, the upfront cost will be higher for a heat pump. A new boiler will cost between £500 and £3,000, or £4,500, including installation. The Energy Saving Trust says installing an air source heat pump costs between £14,000 and £19,000 to install. Capacity, brand, and installation requirements can also affect costs.
However, the Government is currently offering a grant of £7,500 for heat pump installations through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS). This makes installing a heat pump much cheaper. Depending on your needs, you might even be able to get one installed for as little as £500, which is a lot less than the normal average boiler.
Efficiency Comparison
Modern condensing boilers are labelled between 92-94% efficient. Older boilers (before 2005) are very inefficient.
Heat pumps are more efficient than boilers: they are actually three times more efficient on average. This means that high temperatures can be produced with low energy input.
An extensive survey of 2,500 heat pump owners and 1,000 gas boiler owners conducted by innovation firm Nesta and Eunomia Research and Consulting revealed that heat pump users are very satisfied with their heat pumps, and they are considered a safe, reliable, and quite effective heat source for space heating and hot water production. It found similar satisfaction among users of heat pumps and gas boilers.
The choice between heat pumps vs boilers depends on several factors, including your home’s size, insulation, and heating needs. If you have a well-insulated home and a small heating requirement, a heat pump may be the best option. However, if you have a larger home or a high heating requirement, a boiler may be more suitable.
