Hot tips to prep your heat pump for winter

Even when it’s freezing outside, heat pumps easily beat gas boilers on efficiency. Don't just take our word for it - check out what our customers think.

Naturally, when it’s freezing outside, any heating system has to work a bit harder to keep your house warm. This means you'll use more energy, but don't worry - we always factor this winter bump into your energy cost estimates.

Tweak your settings

• Switch to a smart tariff: If you can be flexible with your energy, our Cosy Octopus tariff is designed to save you money by shifting your heat pump usage to cheaper, off-peak times.

  
  

• Tweak your hot water: Set your hot water cylinder to 48°C. Pushing it much higher can trigger the booster ‘immersion’ heater, which just costs you more money to do the same job.

  
  

• Set-back temperatures: Keep your heating on consistently, rather than letting the house go completely cold overnight. Set your overnight 'set-back' temperature just 2 degrees lower than your daytime ideal so your heat pump doesn't have to run a marathon to warm things back up the next morning. (Top tip: if you prefer a cooler bedroom, just turn down the individual radiator valve in that room!).

  
  

• Got a Cosy? Check your Hush Mode: If your home isn't getting warm enough, check your app to make sure Hush Mode isn't activated. This feature limits compressor and fan speeds to 60%, which can make your heat pump struggle to hit target temperatures during the colder months.

  
  
  

Quick physical checks

• Bleed your radiators: This removes trapped air that can stop heat from circulating properly. If a radiator feels cold at the top but warm at the bottom, air is usually the culprit. Read our step-by-step guide on how to bleeding radiators.

  
  

• Top up your pressure: After bleeding radiators, or if you haven't used the heating for a while, the system pressure might drop. Use the mains filling loop to top it back up to between 1 and 1.5 bar cold. Read our guide to topping up system pressure.

  
  

• Give it space: Ensure your outdoor unit has 1.5 meters of clear space in front of or above. Use a soft brush to clear away leaves and twigs, but never use a hose, pressure washer, or metal brush.

Seeing steam or hearing extra noise? Don't panic

On cold, damp days, your heat pump will run a quick 10-minute defrost cycle to melt ice, which can produce plumes of vapour outside or cause your radiators to cool down for a few minutes. Your unit may also seem louder in colder weather or during its hot water cycle. Both of these quirks are completely normal, fully automatic, and something you can blissfully ignore.