Your heat pump questions answered

Explore answers to key heat pump questions. Find out how you power and maintain a heat pump, how well they heat water and if you can make changes to their settings.

If you’re looking to understand the heat pump basics first, start with our heating your home in an energy efficient way article.

Can I power a heat pump with solar panels?

Using solar panels to power heat pumps can reduce your reliance on grid electricity. However, it’s unlikely that solar panels alone can fully power a heat pump all year round. This means that it will need to use electricity from the grid when the solar panels are not generating.

Despite this, a good sized solar panel system can significantly reduce the annual energy consumption of your heat pump. To enhance efficiency, combining solar panels with a battery storage system means you can store surplus electricity during the day to run the heat pump in the evening.

Do heat pumps need servicing?

Heat pumps need servicing once a year by an engineer.

An air source heat pump service involves an electrical safety check, checking the thermostat, cleaning and checking filters, coils, compressors, fans and pumps, and checking for leaks and pressures.

For ground source heat pump services, the service also includes checking the antifreeze concentration, flow and return temperatures and the pressure in the ground loop circuit.

Heat pump servicing varies depending on the type you have but generally costs around £150.

How can I optimise heat pump energy costs?

As heat pumps use electricity, these costs will increase but your gas or oil will decrease (if you’re replacing a gas or oil boiler with a heat pump).

Some electricity suppliers offer reduced tariffs if you have a heat pump so check whether it’s worth switching. You could consider:

time of use tariffs which offer lower rates during off-peak hours
renewable energy tariffs to enhance the environmental benefits of your heat pump.

How can I make my heat pump better at heating water?

Heat pumps are more efficient when running at a lower temperature. They also usually store water at a lower temperature than you may be used to. It might mean that you no longer need to mix your hot water with cold to get the temperature you need.

To maximise your heat pump’s efficiency at heating water, consider your temperature settings, insulation and your heating schedule.

Temperature settings

Set the water temperature to the manufacturer’s recommended level to prevent excessive energy use.

Insulation

Make sure that pipes and the hot water cylinder are well-insulated to minimise heat loss.

Heating schedule

Program the heat pump to heat water during off-peak hours or when solar energy is available, if you have solar panels.

Do I need to adjust my heat pump throughout the year?

Heat pumps have weather compensation. This means that the system should be set up when installed to vary the flow temperature throughout the year.

Can I change my heat pump settings after installation?

Your installer will discuss your heat preferences with you and then set up your heat pump controls.

If these have been set up correctly, you should not need to make any changes but you can adjust your programmer and thermostat to meet your heating and hot water needs.

It’s important to talk to your installer and to check the user manual before making any other significant changes to your heat pump.

Can heat pumps lower my Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating?

Your EPC rating is likely to stay the same because heat pumps often cost a similar amount to run as gas. However, your EPC’s environmental rating should improve dramatically.

Can I have a heat pump if my home is older?

If you are interested in having a heat pump in an older home, then it may be worth considering improving your home’s insulation before or alongside your installation.

You may be able to get financial support to fund this. The Great British Insulation Scheme is designed to deliver improvements to the least energy-efficient homes in England, Scotland and Wales.