Air Source Heat Pump Cost

By Kim
Last updated 31st July 2024 - Reading time: 7 mins
At a glance
  • The average cost of installing an air source heat pump is around £8,000
  • The job will take approximately 3 days to complete
In this article, you'll discover the following:
  • A complete pricing breakdown which includes things you need to consider, along with what such a task usually involves
  • How long the job should approximately take and a general overview of what types of services can be performed
  • How to find and hire heating engineers

Would you like to know the cost of installing an air source heat pump?

On average, a heat pump installation cost will be around £8,000 in total.

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Average cost for an air source heat pump installation is:

Time taken to complete this job is around 3 days

£8000

How Much Does An Air Source Heat Pump Cost?

Air source heat pumps are incredibly efficient at absorbing heat from the outside air and using this to heat radiators or underfloor heating systems. These pumps essentially work in the same way as a fridge extracts heat from the inside.

Air source heat pumps can extract heat from the air even at low temperatures and even though they need electricity to operate, the heat they extract from the air is constantly being renewed naturally.

Air source heat pumps lower fuel bills, especially if you are using them to replace electric heating, plus there is the potential for income through the government Renewable Heat Incentive in the UK.

Using an air source heating pump will also lower carbon emissions for your home and only minimal maintenance is required. Heat pumps deliver their heat at lower temperatures but over longer periods of time, so in cold weather, they may need to be on constantly and you will notice that radiators will not feel as hot as they would do with a gas or oil boiler.

Unlike other renewable heating technologies, air source heat pump installations require an expertise that is different to conventional heating systems.

A poorly installed and designed heat pump system will not heat your home well and you may struggle to recover your investment in energy savings. You need to ensure the installer you choose is experienced and has a verifiable work history of installing air source heat pumps.

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Air Source Heat Pump Prices

Job Description Duration Material Cost Labour Cost
Installation Air source heat pump 2 bedroom semi-detached 2-3 days £3500 £3500
Installation Air source heat pump 3 bedroom semi-detached 3 days £3900 £4200
Installation Air source heat pump 5 bedroom detached 3-4 days £4500 £6500
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Things to Consider About Heat Pumps

Air source heat pumps work by absorbing heat from the air at low temperature into a fluid. This fluid is then passed through a compressor to increase its temperature and transfers this higher temperature heat to the home heating and hot water systems.

Although they all work in much the same way, there are two different types of air source heat pump heating systems in practice: “air to water” and “air to air”. Air-to-water systems distribute heat via your wet central heating system through conventional (though much larger) radiators or “wet” underfloor heating systems.

Air-to-air systems produce warm air which is circulated throughout your home by fans. Air-to-air systems do not provide hot water so another heat source will be required, whereas air to water systems do actually provide hot water so can in some cases be used without a backup heating source.

Though it is recommended that heat pumps are supplemented with conventional heating systems as there may be periods where they cannot provide for all your heating needs.

To install an air source heat pump you have to have somewhere to put it. You need a place outside your home where the pump unit can be installed with plenty of space around it for good airflow.

If your home is not already well insulated then fitting a heat pump is a waste of money as they work best when producing heat at a lower temperature than traditional boilers so it’s vital that your home is well insulated.

Air source heat pumps will pay for themselves much more quickly if replacing an electricity or solid fuel heating systems. But heat pumps may not be the best option if you already use mains gas with an efficient boiler.

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Doing it Yourself

Although installing an air source heat pump is usually easier than other types of heat pump, in order to get an income from your heat pump installation you need to qualify for the Renewable Heat Incentive government scheme.

To qualify for this scheme, the heating system needs to be installed by an MCS accredited installer. Only MCS accredited installers are able to sign off on heat pump installations that comply with the government’s schemes such as the Renewable Heat Incentive and Renewable Heat Premium Payment schemes.

So DIY fitting of air source heat pumps is not recommended, you will lose out on payments via government incentive schemes and it will end up costing you a lot more money over the long term as heat pumps normally come with a 10-year warranty and should last for at least 20 years.

Heat Pump Checklist

  • Air source heat pumps are easier to install than ground heat pumps.
  • You must get your heat pump fitted by an MCS accredited installer.
  • Air-to-air heat pumps do not provide hot water.
  • Air source heat pumps work best with underfloor heating.
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FAQs

What is a heat pump?

A heat pump is a device that absorbs low-temperature heat from the environment and pumps and compresses that heat to a higher temperature to heat your home.

Can the heat pump completely replace your gas or oil boiler?

In a lot of cases, yes, a heat pump can provide all the heating and hot water you need, but sometimes a secondary source of heating and hot water may be required to supplement the heat pump.

What other benefits are there from using a heat pump?

No need to worry about a flue/chimney getting blocked up, no oil or gas tank, no smoke or fumes, plus you will be helping the environment.

How does a heat pump save me money?

Heat pumps still use electricity to drive the unit, but the majority of the energy to heat your home comes from the environment. On average, for every unit of heat, 65 % of that unit will come from the environment with the rest from electricity.

With a professionally installed heat pump set up, the cost of the electricity required will be considerably lower than the equivalent heating costs with a conventional boiler.

What types of heat pumps are available?

Most heat pumps use electricity to drive the pump but there are a small number of heat pumps which use gas. Both electric and gas driven heat pumps absorb energy from the air using a fan to draw through the heat pump outside.
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