UK installations of heat pumps 10 times lower than in France, report finds
UK installations of heat pumps 10 times lower than in France, report finds
Analysts call on government to make pumps mandatory for all new homes and scale up grants for installation in existing properties
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It isn't surprising.
I tried to replace my gas boiler in 2020 (it failed), I reached out to 8 companies to get an estimate for a ground or air sourced heat pump. 5 didn't pickup/return emails. 2 told me they don't do residential.
The last qouted £21k plus installation costs, then told me if I had a gas boiler that would be cheaper to maintain/run.
I have just met someone to qoute for air conditioning, they told me you can use it for heating. The initial estimate is the same as a gas boiler.
It's a basic air-source heat pump - just not designed to run radiators, or heat a water tank.
We use radiators because every house had a gas line for heating, boiling water and cooking. Radiators were more efficient than gas fires.
Most residential gas boilers are 20-35kwh, air source heat pumps (£4k-£5k) are linked to compression cylinders which provided 11kwh of heating and cost of £9k each, with the need for a water tank, etc... and then installation cost.
Putting air conditioning in still requires the heat pump with a unit (£500-£1k) for each room, plus installation costs.
If you take a 3 bed room house, you are looking at ~£15k for an air source heat pump vs £9k to put air conditioning into every room (it gets worse for air sourced heat pumps the bigger the property).
Once you move to air conditioning for each room you don't need radiators. This means your hot water supply is dishwashers, washing machines, taps, baths and showers.
Dishwashers and washing machines boil their own water (for efficiency).
Taps and showers have electric solutions. The price difference between the two is so great you could buy a hot tub to replace your bath.
Air source heat pumps don't make sense
They don’t make sense if you assume you are putting aircon in every room in the house, which is currently not something contemplated in any UK houses I know.
I am currently getting quotes for that, the point of my post was to point out the cost of an air source heat pump is greater than switching your entire house to air conditioning.
Try octopus energy, I got a fixed price quote for £2k less than any other installer.
I supplied the costings for everything and £2k doesn't change the realities that air source heat pumps are currently a rip off.
Air conditioning is significantly cheaper