What is a heat pump?

Back to basics: a beginners guide to heat pumps

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?

The Government are currently offering a £7,500 grant to UK homeowners - so there's not going to be a better time to get a heat pump.

Your quote will depend 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 best way to get a cost estimate for your home is to get a quote.

To help suit your installation to your budget, at quote stage we'll provide 2 installation options: Cosy Turbo and Cosy Eco. A Turbo heat pump runs at a higher temperature and requires less plumbing changes, making it cheaper to install but more expensive to run. Whereas an Eco heat pump runs at a lower temperature and requires for more (or larger) radiators to be installed – costing a bit more to install, but less to run. Find out more about your installation options at our blog.

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.

What are the running costs?

On average, the cost of running most heat pumps is fairly similar to a gas boiler, but depends on the size of your home, tariff and some other factors. With our tailored heat pump smart tariff, Cosy Octopus, you can save up to £545 a year on heating compared to a gas boiler.

Try our heat pump costs and savings calculator.

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.

Find more information on the space required here.

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). Check this page for everything you need to know about hot water cylinders, sizing and the other components we install.

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 have a button to boost the temperature when you need it.

How do I get a heat pump installed?

Ready to find out more?