What is a heat pump?

A heat pump is a highly efficient home heating system — powered by electricity. Using trusted technology that's over 160 years old, heat pumps have proven to be popular in even the coldest European climates, with over 23 million heat pumps installed in Europe alone.

Air source heat pumps work by generating energy from the air outside that can be used to heat your home. Providing reliable, sustainable heating and hot water with smart benefits — suitable for installation in most UK homes.

Watch this video for a quick introduction to heat pumps with Octopus:

How much does it cost?

Price depends on factors such as the size of the heat pump required and the energy efficiency of your home, so costs for larger or more complex homes will be higher.

The national average cost for a heat pump is £5,565, but nearly all of our quotes come in below this price. At Octopus, heat pumps start at £500 for a standard installation when including the £7,500 government grant. Most homes are eligible for the grant, and we apply on your behalf.

There are some potential additional costs to consider when getting a heat pump, depending on your home, so check out our FAQs for full details on what is and isn't included in your quote.

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What are the running costs?

On average, the cost of running most heat pumps is fairly similar to a gas boiler. But with our tailored heat pump smart tariff, Cosy Octopus, you can save around £220 a year on heating compared to a gas boiler.

Plus if you factor in removing gas from your home completely, you could save an additional £115 a year on your gas standing charge.

Find out more about the cost to run a heat pump.

What are the differences between heating with a heat pump and a gas boiler?

A heat pump keeps your home just as cosy, and your water just as hot as a gas boiler, but with a few working differences.

1. A heat pump will adjust to the weather automatically

To help you save energy, we set your heat pump to monitor how hot or cold it is outside, and adjust the temperature accordingly.

2. Heat pumps take longer to warm up

A heat pump uses cooler water to heat your home, so it will take longer to warm up. You won’t feel an immediate difference like you might be used to with a boiler. It’s best to set your heating to come on before you get home or wake up. The preheating time will depend on your home, so you may need a few trial runs to find the perfect schedule.

3. Hot water always takes priority

When it’s time to heat your hot water tank, your heating will switch itself off. When the tank’s ready, the heating will turn itself back on. You don’t need to do anything and you shouldn’t notice too much of a difference in your home’s temperature.

From our research, we found homeowners with a heat pump are generally happier with their heating than those with a gas boiler.

We surveyed 2,300 customers to find out how satisfied they were with their heating system, including heat pump owners and gas boiler owners. The results showed that:

• 90% of heat pump owners were satisfied with how warm it kept their home, compared to 80% of gas boiler owners.
  
• Heat pump customers gave their heating system a 7 out of 10 rating in terms of cost-effectiveness, while gas boiler owners rated theirs at 6.

Check out further gas boiler / heat pump comparisons on our landing page.

What's installed with the heat pump?

With Octopus, the cost of a heat pump includes all of the hardware required for a new heating system, installation (and more). That includes any radiators necessary for your system and design. The biggest devices are:

An air source heat pump

This will be installed on an external wall, usually in the garden. We will install either a Octopus Cosy 6 heat pump or Daikin, depending on what’s the best fit for your home.

A compatible hot water cylinder

This is roughly 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).

Find more information on the space required for this hardware here

How does it work?

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.

Heat pumps harness energy from the environment (in our case, from the air). They then use that energy - together with a smidge of electricity - to heat the water in your pipes, and so your home.

It works just like a fridge, but in reverse — by using pressure to cause a refrigerant to change its state from liquid to gas and back again, which enables the refrigerant to transfer the heat energy.

If you’re interested in finding out more, check out this great animation from The Guardian, explaining how it works. Or if you want to dive a little deeper, our lead heat pump boffin Peter explains more in this dedicated blog post.

How is a heat pump set and controlled?

With an Octopus heat pump, you’ll be able to set your schedule and temperature from wherever, whenever with an app on your phone. Plus, you'll also have a thermostat inside your home and a button to boost the temperature when you need it.

How do I get a heat pump installed?

Ready to find out more?