Heat Pumps Explained
Gas boilers have served us well, but the next generation of heating is here.
Heat from the air, produced using green power. 4x more efficient. 73% less carbon emissions.
90% of our heat pump quotes beat the national average cost.
What is a heat pump?
A heat pump extracts heat from the air outside and brings it into the home using electricity. This means you get a bigger quantity of heat with less electrical power usage.
Air-source heat pumps give you comfortable, consistent heating and hot water. But with…
- Less energy: Heat pumps use 4x less energy than even the most efficient boilers to generate the same amount of heat.
- Less carbon: That efficiency means you’ll instantly slash your heat carbon footprint by 73%. Plus, they run on electricity, which gets greener every year.
- Less maintenance: A heat pump can last 20 years – about twice as long as a boiler – and needs less pricey maintenance.
Visit our Heat Pump Hub to find out more.
Heat pump installation cost
Our heat pumps start from £3,000 for a standard installation (including the government grant). For larger, more complex homes, they may cost more, but virtually all our quotes are less than the national average of £8,000.
Fill out this quick form for a personalised cost estimate.
Rated 5 stars for customer service from 132,323 reviews.
Couldn’t believe Octopus’ price in comparison to others. Price inclusive of 8 radiators changes was very reasonable. VAT free as well. Well coordinated, enthusiastic and impressive service.
Helen - Octopus Energy heat pump customer
We're your heat pump one-stop-shop
We'll handle every bit of your move to a heat pump. From your survey, quote and installation all the way through to aftercare service.
That means a quicker, smoother experience for you, help from the same expert team, and better value for money.
Proven tech for the home of the future
Heat pump technology is 160 years old, and can work well in most homes already – making it the ideal replacement for your old boiler.
- Combines heating and hot water
- Connects to most existing piping systems and high temperature radiators
- Loaded with smart capabilities, and works with home tech from solar panels to batteries.
Smart heating at your fingertips
Control your heat via our simple app. It's just as easy, if not easier, than using your boiler.
After your installation, our friendly engineers will get you set up and show you the ropes. We'll always be on hand to help with any questions.
What can I expect?
I got a call from Octopus literally a week after requesting to book a home survey. About 15 minutes after the surveyor left I received a quote and I paid the deposit within 10 minutes. It was an absolute no brainer. I would never complain for the price I paid and the product is exceptional.
Marc - Octopus Energy heat pump customer
In the news
An introduction to heat pumps
Gareth talks heat pumps
Accredited by:
How much does a heat pump cost?
We’ve been working hard to optimise our processes and supply chain to bring heat pumps to you at the lowest price possible. 90% of our heat pump quotes are lower than the national average of £7,904. Our standard installation costs range from as low as £3000 including the Boiler upgrade scheme (similar to a gas boiler system), when including the £5,000 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant (which BEIS publish monthly on their website). It can cost more if you have a larger home or non standard installation - we'll let you know if your cost estimate. Find out more about potential additional costs in our FAQs.
We'll be able to let you know exactly what you need and how much it costs after your no obligation home survey.
How much does it cost to run a heat pump?
If you factor in the savings from our heat pump smart tariff: Cosy Octopus, and the financial benefits from ditching a gas boiler, you could save as much as £559 per year with a heat pump. Read more about heat pump running costs and savings here.
What’s the process to get a heat pump with Octopus Energy?
Once you’ve registered your interest, we’ll do some initial checks to check if a heat pump is a good fit for your home, and see if we have an installer in your area. When we’re good to go, we’ll send a Low Carbon Heating Surveyors round to do a detailed assessment of your home (which normally takes around 3 hours). We’ll give you a quote for your new system, which will include any available grants. If you accept we'll book you in and complete your installation (which usually takes 3 - 5 days).
Do I need to be an Octopus Energy customer to get a heat pump installed with you?
Nope! We’re on a mission to decarbonise heating - anyone can get a survey and installation with us even if you’re not an Octopus Energy customer.
What does a ‘standard installation’ mean?
A standard installation includes everything you'd need for a typical 3 bedroom home:
- Expert no obligation consultation & home survey
- A heat pump (up to 7kW) from a leading brand, on a ground level external wall
- A hot water cylinder (Up to 200L) in the place of your existing one
- Copper pipe (Up to 12m) and electrical cabling (up to 15m) connected to your existing plumbing and fusebox
- Up to 9 days of engineer time to install your system
- System flush, chemicals and magnetic filter to keep your system running smoothly
- 5 year warranty on parts and labour
Every home is unique though so that is why a survey is essential to assess yours.
Our ad claims, explained
90% of our heat pump quotes beat the national average:
90% of Octopus Energy heat pump quotes are below the UK average quote of £7,904. Both the UK average, and the Octopus quotes include the £5,000 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant.
Cut carbon emissions by 73% with a heat pump:
We've based this on the following carbon efficiency calculation:
Gas CO2 = (A/C*D) = 3.46 tonnes
Electricity CO2 = (A/B*E) = 0.93 tonnes
Carbon saving = (3.46 -0.93)/3.46 = 73%
Where A - E are:
A - 14 MWh typical energy demand for heating and hot water for a 3 bed property
B - 3.5 heat pump seasonal coefficient of performance
C - new boiler efficiency of 85% (ERP directive suggests a typical efficiency 70 - 90%)
D - Gas fuel emissions of 210 gCO2/kWh (SAP 10)
E - Electricity fuel emissions of 233 gCO2/kWh (SAP 10)
Save £100’s on your energy bills:
On a standard tariff, you’d typically save around £187 a year with a heat pump. With other factors considered, you could save up to £660. Find out more about our running costs calculations on our blog
A heat pump will keep you toasty, even at - 20°
Air source heat pumps can actually work in temperatures as low as -20 °C! In Norway, one of the world’s coldest countries, every other home has a heat pump (so they must work pretty well). When it gets very cold, the heat pump will need to use a bit more energy than usual to keep your home cosy, but fortunately we only see temperatures below -10°C a few days per year, and even then, a heat pump will still function more efficiently than a gas boiler.
A heat pump is 4x more efficient than a gas boiler
Heat pumps can deliver several units of heat for each unit of electricity. For every 1 kWh of electricity you put in, you might get 3.5kWh of heat out, which is an efficiency of 350%!
Alternatively, when you burn stuff to generate heat (like gas or wood), you are instead converting one kind of energy into another - so you never get more than one unit of heat for each unit of energy you burn. Even the very most efficient gas boilers are only around 90% efficient, so for every 1 kWh of gas you put in, you might get 0.9kWh of heat out, which is 4 x less efficient than a heat pump.
Want to learn more about heat pumps?
Explore more FAQs and videos here.
Hey I'm Constantine, welcome to Octopus Energy!
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