Every home is different, which is why an air source heat pump should be designed around your property’s individual requirements. Your installer will consider factors such as your home’s size, insulation levels, heat loss, and your typical heating and hot water needs.
They’ll also take the time to understand your priorities and expectations, whether it’s maintaining comfort, reducing your home's environmental impact, or preparing for future changes. Using this information, they’ll recommend a system that is appropriately sized and configured for your home, helping to provide reliable heating and hot water throughout the year.
We’ve put together some scenarios to help you get an idea of the individual factors to consider when getting a heat pump. These are for illustrative purposes only.
Tom and Linda live near Exeter with their three children. They have an older boiler and are looking to upgrade their heating and hot water system to better manage their running costs and maintain both comfort and convenience. Their current heating costs are around £1,840 per year.
Read what solution we would recommend for their needs below.
The property is a 200m2 detached house constructed in 2006. It has 150mm loft insulation, with PVC windows and doors, and radiators for heating. There is a vented cylinder for hot water and one electric shower.
The property currently has an 20-year old condensing oil burner, which uses approximately 2000 litres of oil per annum. The oil is ordered twice a year with no monthly bill, which makes it difficult to gauge exactly how much is used and how much it costs on a monthly basis.
Many modern homes such as this have features, for example double glazed PCV windows, that make them well suited to an air source heat pump, potentially reducing the need for additional upgrades. While there will be some modifications that will be needed to maximise the heat pump’s efficiency, such as upgrading to 300mm insulation and upsizing radiators, Tom and Linda may be eligible to get a grant from their local authority to assist with the cost of these. Alternatively, they may be eligible for support through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which is available for homes in England and Wales.
*Savings are estimated based on a kerosene price of £0.92 per litre (BoilerJuice, 11/08/2026) and an electricity price of £0.2611 per kWh (Ofgem, 11/08/2026). Calculations assume a 5% reduction in heat loss following improvements to attic insulation and a minimum ASHP SCOP of 4.0.
Patricia lives in a semi-detached house property in the West Midlands with her husband and two children. They wanted to upgrade their heating system to a more efficient system that would also be convenient and reduce the costs of their energy bills in the long-term.
Learn about the solution we would recommend for Patricia and their family.
The property is a 84m² three-bedroom semi-detached house with one bathroom that has a shower. It was built in 1960s, with cavity wall insulation, draught proofing measures, and double glazed PVC windows all fitted for energy efficiency. Solar PV panels are also situated on the roof of the property.
The heating is provided by a two-year old modern combi boiler. This means there is no hot water cylinder fitted. Typically, the family's heating and hot water bills are are around £1,026 per year.
Though there are some modifications that will be required, such as the addition of a new air source heat pump cylinder for hot water delivery and pipework to connect the new heat pump, Patricia can apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant to help with the cost of these modifications. With new or upgraded emitters, Patricia's heating demands will be met using an efficient system and contribute to ongoing comfort.
*Savings are estimated based on a gas price of £0.0733 per kWh, a gas standing charge of £0.2904 per day, and an electricity price of £0.2611 per kWh (Ofgem, 11/08/2026). Savings assume the home is fully disconnected from the gas network, meaning the gas standing charge is no longer incurred. Calculations assume a minimum ASHP SCOP of 3.8
John and Sarah have lived in their 1930’s end-terrace house in Swinford for 15 years. They have two children and are exploring ways the family can maintain their current comforts while reducing the running costs of the heating system.
Read what solution we would recommend to John and Sarah.
The property is a 195m2 1930’s end-terrace house, with wooden doors and uPVC windows. There is 50mm loft insulation installed with radiators currently used for heating.
Heating is currently provided by a 10-year-old condensing gas combi boiler, which uses an estimated 32,000kWh of gas per year, costing around £2,346 annually. There is no hot water cylinder in place.
With this solution, the existing combi boiler manages the hot water performance and a new heat pump is introduced to cover the majority of heating requirements. John and Sarah could save an estimated *£495.86 from using this approach.
Upgrades to radiators and other emitters may be needed, and they have the added flexibility to upgrade their home further in the future, which could result in extra savings.
There is so much information out there when it comes to having an air source heat pump at your property. Here is our helpful guide on the main questions you might have about having an air source heat pump, before, during and after the installation.
Whether you’re exploring having an air source heat pump installed at your home, or have one already and want to know how to get the most out of it, we have everything you need to find the answer to your questions.
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