Straight answers about heat pumps, solar and grants
Including the parts most installers skip — what the grants actually pay, what the running costs actually are, and when the answer is that it is not worth it.
Every figure is checked against Ofgem and GOV.UK, and each article says when it was last reviewed.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme, explained
England and Wales pay £7,500 towards replacing a fossil-fuel boiler with a heat pump. Here is what the scheme actually covers in 2026, and the rule change most…
How does an air source heat pump work?
An air source heat pump works like a fridge in reverse: a refrigerant soaks up heat from the outdoor air, an electric compressor raises its…
Do heat pumps work in cold weather?
Yes. Air source heat pumps keep working well below freezing: in the government-funded Electrification of Heat trial, they were still producing a…
Are heat pumps noisy?
Not usually, if the unit is sited properly. A modern air source heat pump makes a low hum from its fan and compressor, and in England it only counts…
What size heat pump do I need?
The right size is the smallest heat pump that can cover your home’s calculated heat loss on a cold “design day” — a figure in kilowatts worked out…
Air source vs ground source heat pump: which is right for you?
For most homes, and especially for Manchester terraces and semis, an air source heat pump is the practical choice: it costs about half as much to…
Heat pump pros and cons: are they worth it in the UK?
Heat pumps are worth it for many homes in England and Wales, but not for every home. The biggest advantages are efficiency, lower carbon emissions,…
How long do heat pumps last, and what servicing do they need?
Longer than a gas boiler, on the published figures. The options assessments DESNZ published with its December 2024 space heating consultation assume…
What happens during a heat pump installation?
A heat pump installation starts well before anyone arrives with tools: a survey and room-by-room heat loss calculation, a written design and quote,…
Heat pump and solar panels together: is it worth it?
Yes, a heat pump and solar panels complement each other, but solar cannot run a heat pump through a British winter: panels make most of their…
How to run a heat pump efficiently: the settings that matter
Run it low and steady: the Energy Saving Trust advises leaving a heat pump on, keeping the water going to your radiators as cool as will still keep…
Hybrid heat pumps: how they work and whether they’re worth it
A hybrid heat pump is a heat pump working alongside a boiler, usually gas, with one controller deciding when each runs. It can make sense for some…
Can you get a heat pump in a flat?
Often, yes: ByEco installs heat pumps in flats, and the questions that decide it are about permission and space as much as the heat pump itself. What…
Can you get a free heat pump? The £7,500 grant explained
You may be able to. In England and Wales the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant, which is not a loan and has no income test, may cover the whole cost…
The benefits of a heat pump: what changes when you switch
The main benefits of a heat pump are efficiency, a £7,500 grant you may be eligible for, steady warmth, no combustion in your home and much lower…
Can you put a heat pump in an old house?
Yes, often. Age alone does not rule a home out: a government-funded trial fitted heat pumps in homes of every age band, including 58 built before…
Heat pump vs electric heating: storage heaters, electric boilers and panel heaters
If your home is heated by storage heaters, panel heaters or an electric boiler, a well-designed heat pump uses far less electricity for the same…
How much electricity does a heat pump use?
A heat pump’s electricity use is roughly the heat your home needs divided by the system’s seasonal performance factor: in a government-funded trial,…
Heat pump maintenance: what servicing does a heat pump need?
A heat pump needs one professional service a year and a few simple checks from you in between. There is no gas safety check, because nothing burns,…
Heat pumps for landlords: grants, rules and what to plan for
Private landlords in England and Wales may be eligible for the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant on homes they own and let, provided (among other…
Can you get a heat pump without an outdoor unit?
Yes. An indoor air-to-water heat pump puts the whole machine inside your home, for example in a cupboard or utility room, and draws outside air in…
Can a heat pump heat your hot water?
Yes. An air-to-water heat pump heats your domestic hot water as well as your rooms, and the rules assume it will: the MCS installation standard…
Heat pumps and neighbours: the noise rules explained
In England, a heat pump is only permitted development if it complies with the MCS Planning Standards, and since 29 May 2025 that means the MCS 020(a)…
Heat pumps and underfloor heating: do you need it?
No, you do not need underfloor heating for a heat pump. A heat pump works well with radiators that are the right size, and that is how the great…
Do heat pumps add value to your home?
The honest answer is that a heat pump can help your home’s value, but the evidence is mixed and it depends on the buyer, your EPC rating and how well…
Replacing an oil boiler with a heat pump
A heat pump is a strong replacement for an oil or LPG boiler, and off-grid homes are particularly good candidates. With no mains gas option, these…
Heat pump flow temperature: what it is and what to set it to
Flow temperature is the temperature of the water your heat pump sends to your radiators or underfloor heating. The lower it is while still keeping…
Can a heat pump cool your home in summer?
Some heat pumps can cool your home, but most air-to-water heat pumps fitted in UK homes are set up for heating and hot water only. A reversible heat…
Do heat pumps need a buffer tank?
Not always. A heat pump sometimes needs a buffer tank or a volumiser and sometimes does not — it depends on how the system is designed and how much…
The heat pump defrost cycle, explained
Frost forming on the outdoor coil in cold, damp weather is normal, and an air source heat pump periodically runs a short defrost cycle to clear it.…
What is MCS certification, and why does it matter?
MCS stands for the Microgeneration Certification Scheme — the UK quality standard for small-scale renewables such as heat pumps and solar. For a heat…
Can you put a heat pump in a bungalow?
Yes: a bungalow can be a good home for an air source heat pump. Everything is on one level, so the outdoor unit can often sit at ground level and the…
Heat pump controls: thermostats, radiator valves and zoning
Industry guidance for heat pumps centres on weather compensation, a timer or programmer, and room temperature control, with any radiator valves set…
Do you need planning permission for a heat pump?
Usually not. In England, an air source heat pump on a house is permitted development, which means no planning application is needed, as long as it…
Heat pump COP and SCOP explained: what the efficiency numbers mean
A heat pump’s COP is the heat it gives out divided by the electricity it uses, measured at one set of test conditions. SCOP is the same ratio…
What happens in a heat pump survey? A room-by-room guide
In a heat pump survey, a surveyor visits your home to measure each room and record its walls, floors, windows, insulation and radiators, so they can…
How to compare heat pump quotes: a checklist for homeowners
To compare heat pump quotes, line them up on the same points: the heat loss calculation, the heat pump model and size in kW, the efficiency at the…
Can you have a heat pump in a semi-detached house?
Yes, in most cases you can have an air source heat pump in a semi-detached house. Semis usually have a side passage, rear wall or garden for the…
Heat pump warranties: what’s covered and what to check
A manufacturer’s heat pump warranty is a promise about the product, so it typically covers defects in the unit and not the design or installation…
Do you need to upgrade your electricity supply for a heat pump?
Often not: many homes can take an air source heat pump with no upgrade to the incoming electricity supply. It depends on your main fuse, the other…
What happens to your gas supply after you get a heat pump?
Nothing happens to your gas supply automatically: fitting a heat pump does not disconnect the gas, and your meter and gas account stay in place until…
Your first winter with a heat pump: what to expect
In your first winter with a heat pump, expect radiators that feel cooler than they did with a boiler, heating that runs for long, steady periods, and…
Should you replace a working boiler with a heat pump, or wait until it breaks?
It depends on your boiler, your home and your plans: there is no single right answer, and a working boiler does not have to come out today. What…
Can I get a heat pump for a detached house?
Yes. A detached house is usually one of the easier homes to fit with an air source heat pump, because there is more space around it for the outdoor…
What is the best electricity tariff for a heat pump?
There is no single right tariff for every home. If you have a heat pump and no battery, the Energy Saving Trust suggests looking at a dedicated heat…
Do I need insulation before getting a heat pump?
No. You do not have to insulate your home before getting an air source heat pump, and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme dropped its loft and cavity wall…
Can a heat pump work with microbore pipes?
Often, yes. Microbore pipes do not rule out a heat pump, but they need checking, because a heat pump moves more water than a boiler to deliver the…
What happens to a heat pump in a power cut?
It stops. A heat pump needs mains electricity for its compressor, fan, pump and controls, so it cannot heat your home or water during a power cut.…
Where should a heat pump outdoor unit go?
The outdoor unit should go where it has open air around it, a firm level base, a short run of pipe to the house and as much distance as you can…
What refrigerant does a heat pump use, and is it safe?
The installer manuals we read for air source heat pumps use either R32 or R290 (propane); R410A is a third refrigerant in GOV.UK and EPA tables. All…
Can I run a heat pump and an electric car charger together?
Yes, it can be done, but not automatically: a heat pump and an electric car charger are both large electrical loads, so your installers need to check…
Can I get a free heat pump in a flat? Who may be eligible
You may be able to, if your flat is eligible. The £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant comes off the price of an air source heat pump, so whether…
Do I need permission for a heat pump in a flat?
In England you may not need planning permission for a heat pump in a flat, because one air source heat pump per block of flats can be permitted…
What happens if you get a free heat pump in an eligible flat? Step by step
For an eligible flat there are six steps: a free survey and heat loss calculation, a quote and eligibility check, ByEco's application for the £7,500…
Is my home small enough for a free heat pump?
We found no fixed size limit in the scheme rules. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme does not set a floor area or number of bedrooms that we could find, so…
How long will the Boiler Upgrade Scheme last? What it means for a free heat pump
Under the current regulations Ofgem must refuse to issue any Boiler Upgrade Scheme voucher after 31 December 2029. That is a final date, not a…
How do I start my free heat pump application, if I’m eligible? What to have ready
To start, get in touch with ByEco for a free assessment (survey) if your home may be eligible, and have ready proof of who owns the property,…
Free heat pump for 1 and 2 bedroom flats: who qualifies and how it works
A heat pump may be free of charge for an eligible 1 or 2 bedroom flat, subject to survey and eligibility, because the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant of…
Can a landlord get a free heat pump for a rented flat, if the flat is eligible?
It may be, if the flat is eligible. A landlord who owns a flat and lets it to a tenant can be an eligible owner under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, and…
Free heat pump for flats in Manchester, if eligible: how it works locally
A heat pump may be free of charge for an eligible flat in Manchester, subject to survey and eligibility, where the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant of…
Free heat pump for a flat with electric heating: can you get one?
A heat pump may be free of charge for an eligible flat heated by electricity, subject to survey and eligibility. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme accepts…
Free heat pump for a flat with a gas boiler: is yours eligible?
A heat pump may be free of charge for an eligible flat heated by a gas boiler, subject to survey and eligibility. Gas is one of the heating systems…
Is my flat eligible for a free heat pump? A checklist
Whether your flat is eligible for a free heat pump turns on a short list of tests: who owns it, whether it is social housing, what heating it…
Free heat pump for flats: your questions answered, if eligible
A free heat pump may be possible for an eligible flat, subject to survey and eligibility. This page answers 18 common questions in five groups:…
Free heat pump for a leasehold flat: is yours eligible?
A heat pump may be free of charge for an eligible flat, subject to survey and eligibility, but if you are a leaseholder there are two separate…
Can a landlord with several flats get free heat pumps, if the flats are eligible?
It may be, if each flat is eligible, because the Boiler Upgrade Scheme is decided one legally separate property at a time. A heat pump may be free of…
What happens at the free survey (assessment) of a flat for a heat pump?
The free survey (assessment) of a flat is a visit to look at the flat, followed by a heat loss calculation and a written quote. It checks whether a…
Do I need new radiators for a heat pump?
Usually some, rarely all. How to tell which rooms fall short at heat pump temperatures, and the options besides replacing them…
How much does a heat pump cost in Manchester?
What the government’s own figures say a heat pump costs, what the £7,500 grant does to that number, and why two houses on the same street…
Can a terraced house have a heat pump?
Yes, in most cases. How the 2025 planning change helped terraces, where the outdoor unit goes, noise and neighbours, and the £7,500 grant…
Heat pump vs gas boiler running costs
Most articles on this question are written by people selling heat pumps. Here is the actual arithmetic at current prices, including the scenarios where a heat pump costs …
Are solar panels worth it in the UK?
Britain is not sunny, and solar still works here. But the payback period is longer than the adverts suggest, and the export tariff you choose matters as much as the panel…
The health and safety training an install team should have
A good installation is not only about the kit on the wall or the panels on the roof. It is about the people putting them there, and whether they have been trained to do i…
Home battery fire safety: what actually protects you
Lithium-ion fires are the question homeowners ask us most often about battery storage, and it is a fair question. Here is what the risk actually is, which rules genuinely…
Not sure which applies to you?
Tell us your postcode and how your home is heated now, and we will tell you which grants you qualify for — including if the answer is none.