Why should you consider installing a heat pump?

According to our recent research¹, four in five people currently heat their homes using gas, with only 3% heating their homes using a renewable energy source, such as a heat pump.

But with energy costs rising, increasing concerns about gas supplies across Europe and the ambition to achieve net zero as the climate crisis continues, now is the time when we all should be considering options to help us to rely less on gas to heat our homes.

Chris Lovatt, Chief Operating Officer of E.ON UK Solutions, discusses one of the main alternatives to gas heating – heat pumps – and why now is a great time to consider installing one in your home.  

Many of us have relied on gas central heating for many years now, so changing away from this will be a daunting prospect. Encouragingly, our recent research showed that over a third (39%) of people questioned would consider installing a heat pump if they knew more about them.

Heat pumps are the main alternative to gas central heating; they are a reliable and efficient way to heat your home. There are two types of heat pumps – air source heat pumps and ground source heat pumps and, as their names suggest, they each differ in how they work.

The main ones installed in homes across the UK today are air source heat pumps. These are renewable energy systems that quite simply use the energy from the outside air to provide your home with heating and hot water. They work a little bit like a fridge but in reverse, drawing the air in from the outside, heating it up and transferring it into your central heating system to heat your home and hot water.

Heat pump technology is developing all of the time and there is a range of different types of heat pumps available on the market, so there are many options for choosing the right heat pump to suit your property. 

One of the long-term solutions to rising energy bills is to ensure all homes across the UK are less reliant on gas. This, alongside making homes more energy efficient through measures like loft insulation or cavity wall insulation and helping people reduce their overall consumption, will all help lower bills and help us take action for climate.

When we asked, our research showed that over half (57%) of people said they would consider installing a heat pump in their home if it would save them money on their energy bills. And this is one of the benefits of a heat pump – the financial savings it can bring over the longer term. For example, by replacing an old gas boiler (G Rated) with an air source heat pump a household could save around £900² on their annual fuel bill.

Almost two thirds (62%) of people questioned, said they would be more inclined to install a heat pump if there were grants available towards the cost of the heat pump. And the good news is that from 23rd May, applications will be open for the government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), aimed at encouraging people to install low carbon heating solutions in their homes. Under the scheme people will be able to apply for a grant of up to £5,000 towards the cost of replacing their existing heating system with a high efficiency heat pump³. 

For those on lower incomes there are additional funding schemes, depending on your income levels and where you live in the UK, and you may be eligible for our Green Homes Grant local authority projects or funding as part of one of our other energy efficiency support schemes.

Aside from the costs saving of a heat pump, installing one in your home could help you to become more sustainable. A quarter of people we questioned (25%) said they would consider installing a heat pump to make their home more sustainable and as heat pumps are a renewable energy source, installing one in your home will help you become more energy efficient, self-sufficient and lower your carbon footprint. 

Heat pumps aren’t the only solution you could look to install in your home to help lower your energy costs and become more sustainable.

By installing solar panels on your property you could become more independent from the grid and could cut your energy bills. By also adding a battery to your solar system, you can store energy generated during the day to use when you wish, making your home even more sustainable.

If you’re considering switching cars, now is a great time to consider the switch to an electric vehicle (EV). With no internal combustion engine and no exhaust pipe, EVs have no exhaust fumes so are environmentally friendly. They are also cheaper to run, with fewer moving parts than petrol or diesel cars and EV charging costs are significantly less than petrol or diesel costs.  

Ensuring you have a smart meter installed in your home will also mean that you are more aware of the energy your home is using so you can see where savings can be made.

All in all, there has never been a better time to explore alternative ways to heat your home and to make your home more sustainable.

Learn more about ways you can take climate action. 

^{1.       Research conducted by E.ON through YouGov in March 2022 with 1,468 UK adults.}

^{2.       Figures are source from the Energy Saving Trust website and are based on fuel prices as of November 2021.}

^{3.       Gov.uk press release: Plan to drive down the cost of clean heat (18/10/21)}