The Boiler Upgrade Scheme

There are many pros and cons to heat pumps that may make it more worthwhile for you. Heat pumps will drastically reduce your home’s carbon footprint, especially if you’re switching from a boiler that runs on fossil fuels.

Yes, air source heat pumps can save you up to £1,100 compared to traditional heating systems. Exactly how much you can save with an air source heat pump depends on its coefficient of performance (CoP).

The running costs of air source heat pumps range from £650 to £1150 a year and they largely depend on the system size and current gas prices. However, many more factors contribute to the running cost of air source heat pumps.

You can expect to pay anywhere between £1,500 and £18,000 for the cost of an air source heat pump. However, the price ultimately depends on what type of air source heat pump you’re looking to install. Air-to-water heat pumps tend to cost more than air-to-air heat pumps.

Air source heat pumps can still provide heating during the winter months in the UK, however, their efficiency may decrease due to the fact that they lose efficiency below 0°C as they rely on the outside air.

ASHP HEAT PUMP Coefficient of Performance, or COP, refers to the amount of energy produced by the heat pump compared to the amount of energy used to run it. The higher the COP, the more efficient the technology.

For example, an electric fire using 1kWh of electricity to generate 1kWh of heat would have a COP of 1 – making it 100% efficient as it uses the same amount of energy as it generates. An ASHP HEAT PUMP that uses 1kWh of electricity to generate 4kWh of heat would have a COP of 4 and is 400% efficient, extracting an additional 3kWh of heat from the Air to provide heating and hot water.

In short yes, thanks to the Governments Boiler Upgrade Scheme, there is now a grant of £7,500 available, they’re now more affordable than ever. And with help from our team at Liverpool Heating, you can be sure they’ll heat your home as brilliantly as a gas boiler.

You can expect an air source heat pump to last for 20 years or more. Because they’re based on a relatively simple and reliable technology, heat pumps don’t need a lot of maintenance – although an annual service is recommended.

Yes. Air source heat pumps work effectively even when outside temperatures are -15°C, although they are a bit more energy efficient at warmer temperatures.

The only fuel needed to run ASHP heating is electricity. The amount of electricity required depends on the size of your home and the quality of your insulation. The better the insulation, the less heat your home will lose – and the less energy will be needed to operate the heat pump. A heat pump in a well-insulated home should be cheaper to run than a traditional gas boiler.

An air source heat pump looks a bit like an external aircon unit. It’s installed outside your property and needs a solid base to sit on. It needs about 2m x 1m for the unit itself, plus enough space around it to achieve good airflow.

If your home is well insulated, an air source heat pump is an energy-efficient, economical, and low-carbon way of heating your home. However, not all homes are suitable for heat pumps. If a lot of heat escapes through your walls, roof, doors and windows, the heat pump will need a lot of electricity to generate enough heat – which could mean you end up spending more on heating than you would with a traditional gas boiler.

Air source heat pumps keep your home warm by producing steady amounts of lower heat, rather than quick bursts of high heat. Heat pumps generate heat between 35°C and 55°C, whereas for a gas boiler this is between 70°C and 80°C. Your installation team will look at your current central heating system and let you know if you need to make any upgrades to get the best performance from your heat pump. For example, one common change is to install bigger radiators so that there’s more surface area for the lower heat output.

No, a heat pump only generates around 50 decibels, which is about the same as a gas boiler or a fridge freezer. And because they’re outside, you probably won’t notice anything inside your home. If your heat pump does start making loud noises, it’s probably a sign that something needs fixing!

If you have an old inefficient gas boiler, electric storage heater, or an oil or coal fired system - as these are all quite expensive to run - you should see savings.
Some homes that have very low energy bills at the moment, or newer gas boilers, may not see any savings or changes to energy bills initially, but we'll review your existing heating bill when we complete your survey.
As part of assessing if both you and your property are suitable for a heat pump, we'll calculate how your bill may change and what savings you could expect. All this happens before you decide whether to have an air source heat pump installed.

Air source heat pump systems use a hot water cylinder to heat water. Your home's water is heated and stored in a cylinder for when you need it.
The cylinder is insulated so once the water is heated it'll stay hot for several hours, so you should always have hot water for washing dishes and running a bath.
We'd recommend the hot water tank to meet your needs, so you'll always have enough hot water for your home.

As per manufacturer guidance and our advice, you’ll need to service your heat pump annually through a qualified heat pump engineer.

You could mount an air source heat pump on a wall, if it's still easily accessible by an engineer. But for optimal performance and a reduced operational sound, we'd recommend it be installed at ground level.