Your Heat Pump questions, answered

With Cosy Turbo and Eco, you can customise your Cosy heat pump to suit your needs. Get a cheaper, faster install with Cosy Turbo - our high temperature installation option. Or take advantage of cheaper running costs with Cosy Eco – our high temperature installation option. Both available with Cosy 6 and 9 sized heat pumps.

Go to our blog to find all of the information you'll need to decide which is the right option for you. On our blog you'll find also find further details and FAQs.

A Cosy Turbo installation could save you a substantial amount on installation compared to Eco installation, with the average homeowner saving over £1,000. After your survey, we’ll provide a personalised quote with the recommended installation configuration.

After your in-home survey, we’ll provide estimated running costs to help you decide between Cosy Turbo and Eco based on your home's heating needs and your energy usage preferences .

Our quote includes everything you need for an efficient, MCS-quality heat pump install. If you want extra bits (for example, extra radiators, a water cylinder upgrade, or solar diverter), it will cost more. We'll discuss all of the potential options after the survey.

During your survey, we will check whether any other work is required to get your home heat-pump-ready. The cost of these works is not included in your quote, but we’ll provide support to ensure everything gets sorted. We’ve included some further information on what may incur additional costs below:

• Groundworks or site preparation. Any work required to prepare the areas where the heat pump and/or cylinder will go.
• Asbestos removal. If necessary, asbestos testing is included in your quote. But if we find asbestos, we are unable to remove it for you, instead we will put you in touch with someone who can). Then a clean air test will be required before we proceed.
• Planning permission. Around 40% of customers need planning permission. These costs can vary depending on where you live, but the application fee is typically £250 - £330.
• Scaffolding. About 30% of homes require scaffolding in order to do the installation safely. This can cost between £800 - £1,000, depending on your home.
• Structural surveys or loft upgrades. If the cylinder is to be installed in a loft, we will require a structural survey before we proceed.
• Fuse or service upgrades. Your local Distribution Network Operator may recommend that upgrades are completed before installation.
• Installation upgrades. If you would like extra bits beyond our standard design, like a water cylinder upgrade, or a solar diverter, this will cost more. Extra radiators will also cost more and we only install Octopus-supplied hardware.
  

We’re not able to install in properties without existing plumbing, or if the plumbing needs to be fully replaced or re-piped to be heat pump ready. If this sounds like you, please email us at heat@octopus.energy and we can refer you to one of our Octopus Trusted Partners.

Your quote includes everything you need for an installation that meets our design standard:

• An air source heat pump: Octopus Cosy or Daikin, depending on what’s the best fit for your home.
• Installation & configuration by our expert team.
• A compatible hot water cylinder.
• Any radiators necessary for your system and design.
• Plumbing, pipework & electrical bits needed to meet the Octopus design standard.
• All delivery and labour required to complete the install.
• 8-year product warranty with a Cosy heat pump, or 5-years for other brands.
• £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant (we apply for this grant on your behalf).
• Free asbestos testing
• Free Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) application if required (you will need an up-to-date EPC to claim the BUS grant.
• 2-year warranty on all other parts.
• 5-year warranty on labour & workmanship.
• A dedicated team to support with everything, from quote to installation and beyond.

Our standard installation includes all radiator changes required to meet our design standard, which is to achieve a minimum Seasonal Coefficient of Performance (SCOP) of 3.0. This exceeds the Ofgem requirements to redeem the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) grant.

There may be some additional work or tests required to make your home heat pump ready at an extra cost, such as planning permission in some cases or groundworks for site preparation. Following your survey, we'll be able to confirm precisely what work is necessary so that you can make an informed decision on whether you'd like to go ahead (see the FAQ above for more detail).

For larger or more complex homes, the costs will be higher, but even with this in mind, 91% of our heat pump quotes are lower than the national average of £5,565.

For the best indication of how much a heat pump will cost for you, get an instant quote.

For more information on how we calculate your fixed price and what's included, check out our blog on how much does a heat pump cost?

All we need is a few details to generate a tailored quote for your home. We'll use the info you give, as well as your home's energy performance certificate (EPC) from the national database, to calculate your fixed price.

However, there are some things you can factor into your renovation plans now to get your home heat pump ready:

We'll be able to let you know exactly what you need and how much it costs, including necessary additional works after your no obligation home survey. Find out more about potential additional costs in the Cost, grants and savings section.

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is a grant from the Government offering:

• £7,500 off the cost of an air source or ground source heat pump, or
• £5,000 off the cost of a biomass boiler

It aims to encourage homeowners to replace their existing fossil fuel heating system with one that's more efficient and better for the environment.

And unlike other government schemes, there’s no income rules or need to be claiming benefits to be able to apply. As it’s a grant it doesn’t need to be repaid to the government at any point.

So as long as your home is suitable for a heat pump it’s very likely you’ll be able to benefit from the £7,500 grant.

The grant is automatically applied to all our quotes and we take care of all the paperwork for you, plus the cost of a new Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) if you need one.

Check out this blog for further details on the scheme.

Yes! There are flexible payment options available to suit your needs:

• Pay in full or;
• Spread the cost with monthly payments through our finance partner Novuna
  • Loan terms available from 5-10 years
  • Subject to status and affordability
  • Explore all finance options here

Money-saving tip: Many banks offer cashback rewards of up to £2,000 when you install a heat pump or solar panels with a battery. If you’re a customer of Lloyds, Halifax, Nationwide, HSBC, Santander, and Virgin Money, you can learn all about these cashback offers here.

We generate your quote using the information you provide us when you request a quote and EPC data on your home from the national database. This allows us to generate, with a high degree of accuracy, the cost of a standard installation for your property.

If your home requires any non-standard work to make it heat pump ready, our team will let you know after your home survey.

The outside bit of a heat pump is roughly 1m x 1m x 2m (or to help you visualise - the size of a moped). It needs a space of around a meter infront and to each side to breathe.

Inside you need space for a hot water tank - 2m x 1m x 1m (the size of a modern fridge freezer), on the ground or first floor of your home (the closer to the outside the better).

The cylinder can also be installed in a garage, outdoors in a purpose-built store, or in the loft, but this may decrease efficiency (it takes more energy to heat the water when the cylinder is exposed to the cold).

If you don't have the room right now, new space saving technology is being developed all the time, so expect this to come down considerably in future (more on this to come 👀).Find out more about hot water cylinders here.

If your home has an artex ceiling or was built before the year 2000, for safety reasons, it’s likely that an asbestos test will need to be completed before we can begin your installation. The good news is that Asbestos testing is included in the price of an Octopus heat pump - so that's one less thing to think about.

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is a mineral that occurs naturally in specific types of rock. Due to its durability, fire-resistance, and relatively low cost, it was used in the manufacture of thousands of products, particularly building materials up until 1985, when it became known that asbestos poses serious respiratory health hazards to people who are exposed to even a small amount of airborne fibres. The HSE has guessed that all buildings constructed before the beginning of the 21st century may contain asbestos in the UK.

Most heat pumps can be fitted under something called “permitted development” which means that planning permission is not required.

However, there are a few scenarios where your install may not fall under permitted development, in which case advice and/or planning permission must be sought from your Local Planning Authority (LPA). The most common reasons are outlined below:

• Your proposed heat pump location does not pass a noise assessment (i.e. the proposed location is too close to a neighbouring property’s window);
• Your property is located within a World Heritage Site or conservation area, or itself is a Listed Building.

We will inform you if your proposed heat pump install would be subject to planning permission being obtained from your LPA, but we’re unable to submit planning applications on your behalf.

As Octopus Energy is an MCS-accredited installer, planning permission must be obtained prior to commencing your heat pump installation. There may be a cost charged by your LPA of around £347 to submit your planning application, but if successful then this allows us to claim the £7,500 BUS grant on your behalf.

We'll let you know after your home survey if we think any of these scenarios apply to you. In the meantime, you can read more about permitted development and planning permission for heat pumps here.

Insulating your home is always a good idea, as it means whatever boiler you have will work more efficiently. Generally homes with an Energy Performance Certificate Rating of D and above, with at least a couple of types of insulation (wall, loft or double glazing) should be well insulated enough already, which includes most homes in the UK. You can check your EPC here. If not you may have to insulate first, which is usually quite straightforward (cavity wall insulations costs around £500 and takes 4 hours on average) and we can help arrange this for you.

Heat Pump runs at a lower temperature than a typical gas boiler (which makes them greener and cheaper to run), but this may require larger radiators or more radiators to be installed to keep your home at a comfortable temperature. Most homes need a couple of radiator upgrades, our Surveyors will confirm any radiator changes required during your home survey, and we can install them at the same time as the heat pump. It’s worth mentioning that heat pumps also work well with wet underfloor heating (dry underfloor heating doesn't work with a heat pump).

Making home improvements is really exciting, and a heat pump could be the icing on the cake! If you’re planning to make structural changes (like knocking down a wall or adding an extension), you will need to wait for the renovation to be complete before we can begin designing your heat pump.

This is because big changes will alter the overall heat loss and thermal performance of your property. We tailor your heat pump design specifically to your home, so if the layout changes, the needs of your heat pump will too. This means your heat pump may end up being too small or less efficient, and cost you more money in the long run. Your heat pump may also no longer meet MCS requirements, which is needed for the government grant.

However, there are some things you can factor into your renovation plans now to get your home heat pump ready:

• Underfloor heating/ radiators - underfloor heating is the perfect partner for heat pumps or larger, higher output radiators to accommodate the lower flow temp. Just let your contractor know you're planning to match it with a heat pump and they'll find the right emitters for you.
• Pipework - you'll need a minimum pipe size of 15mm for a conventional heat pump. If you have smaller pipes, they can still work well but you may need a more bespoke system.
• Space - think about where you'll be placing your heat pump (outside) and water cylinder (inside) - the closer together, the better!
• Insulation - renovation can be a prime time to add more insulation to your property, which will make your heating more efficient (whatever system you have)

Please get back in touch once your renovation is structurally complete and we'll be happy to give you a heat pump quote.

With every heat pump, we also install a hot water cylinder. This is used to heat and store your hot water for use throughout the day. To find out everything you need to know about hot water cylinders, what size you need and how to get the best out of your hot water check out this blog.

Heat pumps can work in nearly all homes, but as we scale up, there are a few limitations on homes we’re able to install in right now, such as flats, properties that don't have enough space inside or outside. If we're not able to install a heat pump for you just yet, we'll let you know after you complete the initial form, or after your home survey.

Right now our dedicated team of scientists and engineers at our Research & Development centre are working hard to find cost-effective heat pump solutions for homes with specialised needs.

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 up tp 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 around 70%. Plus, they run on electricity, which gets greener every year.
• Longer life: A heat pump can last 20 years – up to twice as long as a gas boiler.

Check out our blog on What is a Heat Pump, or visit our Heat Pump Hub to find out more

Heat pumps harness energy from the environment (either the ground, or air around your home). They then use that energy - alongside a smidge of electricity - to heat the water in your pipes, and so your home. If you’re interested in finding out more, you could watch this helpful video, or if you want to dive a little deeper, our lead heat pump boffin Peter explains more in this dedicated blog post.

Or take a look at this great article from The Guardian explaining the fascinating science of heat pumps - visualised.

With an Octopus heat pump, you’ll be able to set your schedule and temperature from wherever, whenever with an app on your phone.

Check out our handy video on how to set up a schedule for a Daikin on the in-home control panel for a little insight into how it works: https://octo.ps/schedule

There are strict regulations on how loud a heat pump can be - around 40 - 60 decibels. That's roughly the same as a fridge freezer or a gas boiler and because it lives outside, the sound shouldn't be too noticeable for most people.

If you'd like to test how loud your new heat pump will be in the space you think it will be installed, we've put together some simple steps to test the noise level.

1. Download a sound level meter app on your phone. We used Decibel X:dB in our test and found it free (without too many ads), and super easy to use.
2. Go to the spot where your heat pump will be installed.
3. Begin recording the sound levels with your app.
4. Play the video below demonstrating the sound of a heat pump.
5. Turn up the volume of the video until you hit 62 decibels (dB). That’s the standard noise rating for our biggest heat pumps, smaller are a bit quieter. For average sound level by heat pump model, check out the list below:
   EDLA04 - 58 dBA
   EDLA06 - 60 dBA
   EDLA08 - 62 dBA
   EDL09-16 - 62dBA)
6. If you'd like to test how loud the heat pump will be for your neighbours, turn the volume down to 42dB. For most councils in the UK, you'll need to apply for planning permission if the sound exceeds this volume at their window.

Keep in mind

This is quite a simple test, and the MCS average noise ratings we reference are tested in perfect conditions. In real life noise levels can vary depending on environmental factors such as the direction of your heat pump and whether there are objects or surfaces close by for sound to bounce off.

Occasionally your heat pump may sound a little louder. For example when it's going through a defrost cycle which should only happen when it's very cold. Alternatively, it can be even quieter when the heat pump is just ticking along.

If you're keen to see a heat pump in action before you purchase, innovation agency, Nesta, are launching a program that will give you the opportunity to visit a working heat pump in your area. Find out what it's like to live with a heat pump first-hand from heat pump owners across the UK, hear it running and see it in a home like yours.

All you need to do is register to find out about viewings close to you, and visit a heat pump!

Fill out our quick online form and we'll provide you with estimated quotes for both our Cosy Turbo and Cosy Eco installation designs. Or we'll let you know if we're not able to install a heat pump just yet.

If you choose to accept your quote, we'll take a £200 fully refundable deposit and book in your home survey. (If you change your mind, your deposit is fully refundable until 24 hours before your installation date).

If you'd like to chat through any questions you have with someone in our team, you can do so at any time using the details at the bottom of this page.

During the home survey, our experts will check the heat loss of your home and discuss where your heat pump will go. We’ll use this time to finalise your heating design and check whether any additional works are needed.

We’ll then send you a summary of the home survey and your final cost alongside your installation agreement.

Our team will be available to answer any questions you may have. If you accept the agreement, our install coordinators will be in touch to arrange and manage your install. We’ll then take your final payment after installation.

After installation, our dedicated aftercare team will be available by phone or email, 7 days a week, to help with any queries you have. Your heat pump and hot water cylinder come with a 5 year warranty, and 2 year warranty for the other products we install (like your radiators). Find out more about our service plans.

We’re currently installing heat pumps across most of England & Wales. For solar installations, we’re installing in most of England at present.

We’re working to extend our tentacles across the rest of the UK as quickly as possible. If you’re outside of our service area now, we’ll let you know as soon as we get to you.

We’re really proud of the progress we’ve already made on our journey to make low carbon heating available for more people in England. We have now hired and trained 100's of heat pump engineers to roll out installations. However, we’re still growing as a team and this means that we have had to start in the areas where we have engineers available. If you’re unsure if we’re installing in your area right now, fill out our form and we’ll be in touch to let you know.

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.

If you've encountered any issues with your heat pump, check out our Heat Pump Support page before getting in touch.

You can find lots of tips for the best ways to run your heat pumpat our support page. Including tips on how to set a schedule, tariffs and running your heat pump.

Another benefit of heat pumps is they are generally cheaper to maintain, as they operate at much lower temperatures and have fewer moving parts than a gas boiler. They also have a longer life expectancy of 20 years + (vs 10 - 15 years for a gas boiler).

Our heat pumps come with a 5 year warranty which can be extended to 7 years at an extra cost. However just like a car requires an annual MOT for its insurance, you'll need to make sure your heat pump is checked annually for your warranty to be valid.

Our heat pump service plans start from £9 per month, covering an annual service and call-out visits, and we can help you set that up for you post installation.

Call us: 0808 196 6842
Email: heat@octopus.energy

Our phone lines are open 9am - 5pm, Monday to Friday for sales.
If you need support after installation, the phone line is open 8am – 8pm Monday to Saturday, 10am - 6pm Sunday.

For the fastest response, fill out this form to raise any issues. Alternatively, you can email us at heat@octopus.energy.

Check out our full complaints procedure here.

91% of our heat pump quotes beat the national average:
We compared all of our heat pump quotes for June to December 2024 to the UK national average installation cost, which government publish here every quarter. We found that 91% of our Octopus quotes were below the national average price of £5,565 (this includes the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant of £7,500).

Cut carbon emissions by around 80% with a heat pump:

This is the typical reduction in heating carbon emissions using an electric powered heat pump compared to a gas boiler, based on the following calculation:
Gas CO2 = (A/C*D) = 2.35 tonnes per year
Electricity CO2 = (A/B*E) = 0.45 tonnes per year
Carbon saving = 1.9 tonnes or 82%

Where A - E are:
A - 9,250 kWh typical energy demand for a medium use property (according to Ofgem).
B - 3 heat pump seasonal coefficient of performance
C - new boiler efficiency of 82.5% (BEIS study)
D - Gas fuel emissions of 210 gCO2/kWh (SAP 10.2)
E - Electricity fuel emissions of 136 gCO2/kWh (SAP 10.2)

See our cost to run blog for the full set of calculations and assumptions.

Save £100’s on your energy bills:
On a standard tariff, you’d typically save around £340 a year with a heat pump. With other factors considered, you could save up to £712. Find out more about our running costs calculations on our blog

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 could get an average of 3.1kWh heat out, which is an efficiency of 310%! This is because heat pumps don't create heat, but move existing heat from nature into your home (like an air conditioner or refrigerator, but in reverse).

Alternatively, when you burn stuff to generate heat (like gas, oil, or wood), you are instead creating heat by converting matter to energy - so you can never get more than one unit of heat for each unit of energy you burn. Gas boilers in UK homes are only around 85.3% efficient, so for every 1 kWh of gas you put in, you get around 0.853kWh of heat out, which is nearly 4x less efficient than a heat pump (3.1/0.853 = 3.6).

These are typical install efficiencies as seen from government funded studies of gas boilers and heat pumps installed in real homes. Our own installations are typically higher efficiency than the ones shown in this study.

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