Work it out first,
install second
A heat pump is a sound investment — but only in a house that's ready for one. Badly specified, it heats with expensive electricity from a backup element and the owner feels they've been sold something. So we start with the numbers, not with a catalogue.
Types
Where the heat
comes from
Air to water
An outdoor unit takes heat from the air. Installation is far simpler — no boreholes, and it can be done in days.
Air to water: suits
Insulated houses, new builds, refurbishments with underfloor heating or larger radiators.
Air to water: expect
Falling output in hard frost, and noise from the outdoor unit — its position needs thinking about, for you and the neighbours.
Ground to water
Heat comes from a borehole or a ground collector. The ground stays at a steady temperature all winter, so output does not swing with the weather.
Ground to water: suits
Houses with higher demand, where the plan is long-term and there is land available.
Ground to water: expect
A borehole is a larger one-off cost and needs permits. It also needs access for the rig, which a finished courtyard may not allow.
How it goes
From the calculation
to the first winter
With a heat pump the design is half the job. Getting the output wrong cannot be fixed by good installation afterwards.
- Heat loss calculation. We work out what the house actually needs. An oversized pump short-cycles, wears itself out and costs more to run; an undersized one tops up with an electric element. Neither is what you want.
- Checking the heating system. We go through the radiators and pipework. A heat pump is most efficient running at low temperatures — sometimes swapping a few radiators for larger ones pays off better than a more expensive pump.
- Design and quote. The specific model, where the unit goes, how hot water is handled. You get the quote and an estimate of running costs — not just the purchase price.
- Installation and commissioning. Units fitted, tied into the heating and the cylinder, electrical connection, controls set to how you actually live. Then we let it run a few weeks and fine-tune the heating curve against a real winter, not a table.
State support for replacing a boiler with a heat pump is often available. The conditions and amounts change, so we check what applies when it becomes relevant for you — and prepare the paperwork the office wants from the installer.
FAQ
About heat pumps
Can you hear the outdoor unit?
Yes — the fan makes a noise, most of all during defrost cycles and in hard frost when it runs flat out. Modern units are markedly quieter than they were, but silent they are not. That's why we settle the position at the start: away from bedrooms and away from the neighbour's wall. It saves a lot of grief.
Do I have to change the radiators?
Not always, but it often pays. A heat pump gets more efficient the lower the temperature it runs at — and low temperatures need a larger surface to radiate from. Sometimes it's enough to change radiators in the coldest rooms only. After a survey we'll say what applies in your case.
Will it heat hot water as well?
Yes, through a hot water cylinder, which is part of the design from the start. The volume is chosen around how many of you there are and how you shower. The pump then covers both heating and hot water, and the old water heater can go.
Does it need regular servicing?
Yes — checking pressure, filters, the circulating pumps and cleaning the outdoor coil. With some manufacturers a regular inspection is a condition of the extended warranty, so it's worth not skipping.
Does it add up
at your place?
We'll come, look at the house and work it out. If the answer is no, we'll say so — and suggest what would make sense instead.