Understand your options, then get a quick quote.

Where the heat comes from

Heat is drawn from the outdoor air, even at low temperatures.

How heat is transferred

Warmth is delivered around the home through a wet central-heating system: radiators, underfloor pipes and a hot-water cylinder.

Typical applications

Most common choice for UK homes replacing a gas or oil boiler.

Suitable properties

Houses and flats with a wet central-heating system and outdoor space for the external unit.

Advantages

• Provides both heating and hot water
• Works with many existing wet heating systems
• Well suited to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme

Things to consider

• May need larger radiators or underfloor heating for best efficiency
• Requires space for an outdoor unit and a hot-water cylinder

Where the heat comes from

Heat is taken from the outdoor air.

How heat is transferred

Warm (or cool) air is delivered directly into rooms through indoor air-handling units, rather than through radiators.

Typical applications

Popular for heating and cooling individual rooms, offices and open-plan spaces.

Suitable properties

Homes or commercial spaces wanting flexible room-by-room heating and cooling.

Advantages

• Can provide cooling in summer as well as heating
• Fast to respond and warm a room quickly
• No hot-water cylinder required for the heating function

Things to consider

• Does not produce domestic hot water on its own
• Grant support may be available for qualifying fully electric properties under applicable schemes; eligibility, funding levels and requirements must be checked at the time of application
• Support may be available up to £2,500 where the property has never previously used gas heating and all other eligibility conditions are met

Where the heat comes from

Heat is collected from the ground via a buried ground loop, either in trenches or boreholes.

How heat is transferred

Heat is passed to a wet central-heating system and a hot-water cylinder, similar to an air-to-water system.

Typical applications

Homes with sufficient land or the ability to drill boreholes, seeking very steady efficiency.

Suitable properties

Properties with available land, often rural homes or new builds.

Advantages

• Very stable performance as ground temperature changes little
• Typically high efficiency over the year
• Outdoor unit noise is minimal

Things to consider

• Higher upfront cost due to ground works
• Requires land for trenches or space for boreholes

Where the heat comes from

Heat is taken from a suitable water source close to the property.

How heat is transferred

Heat is delivered to a wet heating system and hot-water cylinder.

Typical applications

Properties located near a reliable and appropriate water source.

Suitable properties

Homes beside lakes, rivers or with access to a suitable borehole, subject to survey and permissions.

Advantages

• Water holds heat well, supporting steady efficiency
• Can be very effective where a suitable source exists

Things to consider

• Requires access to a suitable water source and relevant permissions
• Site-specific feasibility and assessment are essential

Where the heat comes from

Primarily from the air, with the boiler providing support when required.

How heat is transferred

Both units feed the same wet heating system, with controls deciding which is most appropriate at a given time.

Typical applications

Homes that are not yet ready for a full heat-pump-only system, or where peak demand is high.

Suitable properties

Properties where a full heat-pump system is not yet practical, or as a staged upgrade.

Advantages

• Eases the transition from a boiler to a heat pump
• Can help manage very cold periods and high hot-water demand

Things to consider

• Still relies partly on a fossil-fuel boiler
• Requires careful control setup to work efficiently