What it's really like to have a heat pump

How do you know if a heat pump is the right choice for your home and lifestyle?

Information about heat pumps is everywhere lately. Whether it's energy companies offering cut-price installation, scare stories about high costs and faulty systems, government campaigns or our own Which? magazine reporting on the future of home heating, there is an abundance of both positive and negative coverage.  

It can be hard to know which stories are relevant to you and, most importantly, whether they should sway your opinion of heat pumps. 

Surveys suggest that, generally, most heat pump owners are happy with their choice. In December 2022, Nesta, a charity that specialises in data and innovation, commissioned a survey of over 2,500 domestic heat pump owners in England, Scotland and Wales. The results found that among people who have had a heat pump installed while living in their current home, 81% are as satisfied or more satisfied with heat pumps compared to their previous heating system.

That's a reassuring number - but it's not the whole story. Why did those individuals choose a heat pump? What sort of home were they in - and therefore does their experience reflect how you might expect yours to go? How much did it cost and did they feel it was worth it? What is the best and worst thing about a heat pump, and what would they do differently next time?

We asked heat pump owners all these questions and more, to find out what it's really like to choose and install a heat pump, and to live with it day-to-day.

Ready to make energy updates and looking for some personalised advice? Find out where you can make energy efficient changes to your own home with our free home energy planning service.

Case study: Air-source heat pump in a new-build house, Aberystwyth

Tony Jones from Aberystwyth was featured in a heat pumps article in the October 2024 edition of Which? magazine. 

When Tony moved into his new-build house in 2014, due to the property being off the gas grid, he had a choice of either an oil boiler or a heat pump. He chose an air-source heat pump as the garden is not particularly large and he didn't want to lose a third of it to install an oil tank. The heat pump seemed to be a hi-tech solution and is quite discreet; it sits on the outside of the house where it is not especially noticeable.

Tony told us: "Our heat pump works very well with our new-build home, because we have underfloor heating and good insulation. We find it really cheap to run. We use electricity at off-peak times and we pay around £150 a month, but that includes charging our EV too. We can’t compare old and new bills because it was already installed at the point of moving in."

In comparison with a traditional heating set-up – gas boiler and radiators – Tony added: "It’s a really different system from having radiators. My parents’ house has radiators and there’s an ongoing conversation about whether you turn on the heating or not, whereas our heat pump heats up the home to a nice temperature and you don’t really think about it.

"Once or twice a year you do need to turn it up a bit if it gets very cold outside. Because it’s sucking heat out of the air, it has to work harder when it’s very cold. So we've learned that if you know there’s going to be a cold snap, you set it to come on earlier. The hot water isn't as hot as you get with a boiler, but it's fine for showers, baths and washing up. 

"We also have solar hot water, so we use almost no electricity for heating water in the summer. It hasn’t given us any problems - we really like it".

Read more about the basics behind air source heat pumps in our introductory guide: how heat pumps work

Case study: Switching to a heat pump, 1950s suburban semi, Cheshire

Opting for a heat pump in a well-insulated, new-build home is a relatively straightforward decision. But what if you live in an older property with an existing fossil-fuel boiler? 

For many homeowners, replacing a gas or oil boiler and retrofitting a heat pump into an older home entails more disruption during installation and may require other work such as replacing radiators and adding insulation.

Which? members can read our detailed case study below to find out how Jane retrofitted one into her 1950s semi, and how she minimised the disruption.

Find out what extras were required and how Jane has found the adjustment to using an air source heat pump after installing it in a 1958 semi-detached house in Cheshire.

Log in to your account or sign up to join Which? to unlock the details.

Read more about what you can expect to pay: air source heat pump costs and savings

Case study: A hybrid heat pump in an 1890s tenement flat, Glasgow

A major concern for many homeowners, especially those living in Victorian and older properties, is that a heat pump won't be able to adequately heat their home.

One option is to install a hybrid heat pump, which combines an air source heat pump with a gas boiler to supply heating and hot water in one unit, much like a gas combi boiler.

Which? members have access to the case study below, detailing one homeowner's mission to make her tenement flat as energy efficient as possible, even though she didn't have the outside space available for a typical heat pump set up.

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Find out which model was installed, what it cost, and whether a hybrid heat pump can work successfully in a Victorian-era flat.

Read more on: heat pumps vs. gas boilers

Case study: An air-to-air heat pump in a top-floor London flat

It's a common misconception that heat pumps can't be installed in flats. 

While the example above shows that some flats are suitable for a hydronic (or air-to-water) heat pump in certain configurations, in other circumstances an air-to-air system might offer a good solution. 

This is especially true if you're replacing an existing electric heating system, rather than a boiler and radiators.

Air-to-air heat pumps offer the added benefit of supplying air conditioning, keeping your home cool during the summer. They are particularly well suited to smaller homes and flats and can take up less wall space than traditional radiators.

Which? members can find out more about this less common type of system in the case study below.

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Learn what permissions were needed and how much it cost to install air-to-air heating and cooling in a top-floor flat in London - and whether the owner found it worthwhile.

Find out more: if a standard heat pump doesn't seem right for you, head to our guide to all the different types of heating system - including air-to-air heat pumps.

Case study: Ground source heat pump in a detached, listed property in Dorset

At the other end of the scale from a city flat, larger and older properties may benefit from a ground-source heat pump.

Ground source heat pumps (GSHP) are very efficient - more so than air source, because the temperature underground, where the external pipes are buried, remains higher than the air temperature during winter. 

This means that the heat pump can extract heat more easily and can heat larger homes more effectively.

However, a GSHP is a much more expensive piece of technology to install, and requires an area of land for installation of the collector pipes.

For the couple we spoke to, who replaced an oil boiler and Aga system with a ground-source heat pump, the results haven't been quite what they expected. 

Which? members can access their full story, plus a detailed cost breakdown, in the case study below. 

Find out how much it cost to install a ground-source heat pump in a listed home in Dorset - and why the owner doesn't recommend their approach.

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Read more: ground source heat pump pros and cons

Heat pumps can work in all types of homes

As our diverse range of case studies show, different types of heat pump can work for many different types of home. The best choice for you will depend on the size, type and location of your home, the personal needs and preferences of you and your family, and what you want to achieve; whether it's a smaller carbon footprint, lower running costs or improved comfort and health. 

Although heat pumps do require some outside space, they can be (and already have been) installed on balconies or flat roofs, or mounted on an external wall.

Find out more: Would a heat pump work for your home?

If you'd like to visit a homeowner near you and hear more about their experience of living with a heat pump, go to Nesta's Visit a Heat Pump website to get first-hand experience.