Home-renovation tips
If you are not able to install a heat pump right now, but may soon be undertaking a house renovation, below are some home upgrades you should consider now that will make getting a heat pump easier and cheaper in the future.
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01.
Whole home
- Consider replacing gas appliances, such as gas hobs, ovens or fireplaces, with electric alternatives. When you get a heat pump you can disconnect your gas supply and save about £100 a year on daily standing charges.
- Don't get rid of water tank spaces – you’ll need that space to store hot water when you get a heat pump.
- If you're getting underfloor heating, choose water not electric. This will be much cheaper to run with either a gas boiler or heat pump.
- If you’re replacing radiators, replace them with those with a higher surface area. Speak to your plumber about getting radiators that will work with a ‘flow temperature’ (the temperature of the water going round your radiators) of 55 degrees or cooler. This is the maximum flow temperature at which a condensing boiler operates most efficiently. It is also at the upper end of the temperature range where many heat pumps run efficiently.
- If you’re taking up floorboards, plastering walls or boarding the loft, consider underfloor, internal wall or loft insulation (work for which you might be eligible for a Government grant). Please note that extra insulation is beneficial to all heating technologies, including those run on fossil fuels, but it is not essential for installing a heat pump, which can effectively and efficiently heat less well-insulated homes.
02.
Boiler
- If your boiler is broken, but you are not ready for a heat pump just yet, find out if the current one can be repaired instead of buying a new one. Some heating engineers prefer to replace boilers, but one should usually last 10–15 years and spare parts are commonly available. Making a repair rather than a wholesale change will extend the life of your current heating system, giving you time to get ready for a heat pump.
- You can simulate the heat pump experience by adjusting the flow temperature on your combi boiler to a lower level. This quick adjustment, easily done by turning a dial or pressing buttons on the boiler, lowers the water temperature circulating through your radiators. Reverting to your original settings is equally straightforward. For detailed guidance, check out The Money Saving Boiler Challenge.
03.
Garden
- Consider where in your external space you could fit a heat pump in the future. Most people put their air source heat pump near the back of their house. Consider how this works with any large glass doors. For ground source heat pumps, you’ll need an area of land near your home where it is possible to dig trenches or drill boreholes.
Whole home
- Consider replacing gas appliances, such as gas hobs, ovens or fireplaces, with electric alternatives. When you get a heat pump you can disconnect your gas supply and save about £100 a year on daily standing charges.
- Don't get rid of water tank spaces – you’ll need that space to store hot water when you get a heat pump.
- If you're getting underfloor heating, choose water not electric. This will be much cheaper to run with either a gas boiler or heat pump.
- If you’re replacing radiators, replace them with those with a higher surface area. Speak to your plumber about getting radiators that will work with a ‘flow temperature’ (the temperature of the water going round your radiators) of 55 degrees or cooler. This is the maximum flow temperature at which a condensing boiler operates most efficiently. It is also at the upper end of the temperature range where many heat pumps run efficiently.
- If you’re taking up floorboards, plastering walls or boarding the loft, consider underfloor, internal wall or loft insulation (work for which you might be eligible for a Government grant). Please note that extra insulation is beneficial to all heating technologies, including those run on fossil fuels, but it is not essential for installing a heat pump, which can effectively and efficiently heat less well-insulated homes.
Boiler
- If your boiler is broken, but you are not ready for a heat pump just yet, find out if the current one can be repaired instead of buying a new one. Some heating engineers prefer to replace boilers, but one should usually last 10–15 years and spare parts are commonly available. Making a repair rather than a wholesale change will extend the life of your current heating system, giving you time to get ready for a heat pump.
- You can simulate the heat pump experience by adjusting the flow temperature on your combi boiler to a lower level. This quick adjustment, easily done by turning a dial or pressing buttons on the boiler, lowers the water temperature circulating through your radiators. Reverting to your original settings is equally straightforward. For detailed guidance, check out The Money Saving Boiler Challenge.
Garden
- Consider where in your external space you could fit a heat pump in the future. Most people put their air source heat pump near the back of their house. Consider how this works with any large glass doors. For ground source heat pumps, you’ll need an area of land near your home where it is possible to dig trenches or drill boreholes.