There’s no denying that gas prices are higher than they’ve ever been. With little sign of them dropping, many people are deciding to switch their traditional gas boiler for an air source heat pump system to heat their homes.

An Air source heat pump gathers heat from the outside air (yes, even in cold weather) and uses that heat, along with some very cool technology, to transfer the warmth throughout your home. It works almost as an opposite refrigerator, and it’s one of the best ways to future-proof your home’s heating system as well as being a bit more environmentally friendly.

It can be an investment to make the switch from a traditional central heating system to an air source heat pump. However, it can have many benefits. So, if you’re considering making a change, here is some helpful information about air pump costs.

Benefits of air source heat pumps

Air source heat pumps have multiple benefits that you might want to consider.

Benefit 1. Lower your energy bills

Making the move to an air source heat pump means you could save some money on your heating bills as it doesn’t rely on gas. Although a heat pump uses electricity to run, the savings you can make overall outweigh the cost of running it. Unless you have other appliances that are gas-reliant, such as a stove or gas oven, you could wave goodbye to gas bills entirely.

Benefit 2. Help to minimise your carbon footprint

Because they are significantly more efficient and eco-friendly than traditional boilers, switching to a heat pump can help to reduce your home’s carbon footprint. 

Benefit 3. No more fuel deliveries

If you currently have an oil or LPG heating system, you already know that organising fuel deliveries and storing the fuel can be a pain. Air source heat pumps don’t require any additional fuel so you don’t have to deal with anymore deliveries and can save storage space. 

Benefit 4. Future-proof your home

Heat pumps are set to become an even more important part of the future of home heating. Installing one now will future-proof your home with the latest technology, setting you up for the big boiler switch in the next couple of decades.

Benefit 5. Eligible for grants

The UK government is offering grants to those switching to heat pumps called the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. You can see up to £5,000 off the installation price of your air source heat pump if you apply!

Is an air source heat pump right for you?

Air source heat pumps are suitable for many types of homes and are the most common type of domestic heat pump but there are some things to keep in mind when thinking of installing an air pump. 

Do you have the space?

You will need a location outside your home to install your air pump. This needs to be in an open space to allow for good air flow so if you have a very small garden, you may want to consider how much room you’d be willing to sacrifice. 

How is your home currently heated?

Most homes in the UK use radiators or underfloor heating to circulate hot water. If you don’t currently have radiators or underfloor heating, you will need to decide if installing them is an option for you. Although this is an opportunity to make sure the system is fully optimised for your new heat pump, it will come with higher installation costs. Although you will save more money in the long run.

Do you have a hot water cylinder?

A standard heat pump doesn’t provide hot water on demand like a combi boiler does, so you will need a way of storing the hot water for when you need it. If you already have one, great! You might not need to replace it. But if you rely on a combi boiler, you will probably need to find a spot to install the cylinder. 

The size of hot water cylinder required will depend on the amount of hot water that your household uses, but they can usually be fitted inside any cupboard around 80x80cm.

Shop our range of hot water cylinders and boilers if you don’t currently have one installed.

How much does an air source heat pump cost?

As we’ve mentioned, switching to a heat pump is a bit of an investment. You can expect a good quality, well-designed air source heat pump system to cost around £5,000 for the unit. Installation in a home that is approximately 250m2 can cost somewhere in the region of £11,500. 

It sounds like a lot but this price includes:

• A bespoke-designed pipe system, tailored to the property.
• Installation schematics.
• MCS support, required to access government grants.
• The ASHP, domestic hot water cylinder, buffer tank, circulation pumps and all of the connecting brassware for the components.

It is possible to reduce the initial cost of installing an air source heating system by applying for government incentives like the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which offers a voucher of £5000 to help pay off a chunk of the cost upfront.

Will a heat pump save me money on my energy bills?

Heat pumps are more efficient than other heating systems because the amount of heat they produce is more than the amount of electricity they use. An air source heat pump will typically save you between £6,000 - 7,000 over its lifetime, compared to a gas boiler. It’s worth noting that how much you save will depend on the size of your system as well as the age of the system you’re replacing.

• Gas boiler - £1,302 yearly cost
• Oil boiler - £1,104 yearly cost
• Electric boiler - £3,504 yearly cost
• Biomass boiler - £1,131 yearly cost

If you’re ready to take the plunge and make the switch to a new, more efficient heating system, browse our range of air source heat pumps to find your new eco-friendly alternative to your old gas boiler.