Heating your home

Heating your home efficiently is key to reducing energy costs and minimising your environmental impact. By understanding the most effective heating systems, insulation techniques, and energy-saving practices, you can maintain a comfortable living space while saving money.

Ways to heat your home

Choosing the right heating system is essential for efficiency. Heat pumps use electricity to transfer heat from outside, while combi boilers use gas to heat water and radiators. Understanding how each works can help you select the best option for your home’s comfort and energy needs.

What is a heat pump?

A heat pump is a type of heating system that:

absorbs heat energy from a cooler source, typically outdoors,
increases the temperature of that heat,
and transfer it into your home.

It operates using electricity but generates significantly more heat energy than the amount of electricity it consumes.

Because of this, heat pumps are a more energy-efficient option for heating your home compared to traditional gas or oil boilers, and they emit far less carbon than other heating methods.

Learn more

Matt’s heat pump experience

*This video features a homeowner sharing their personal experience with a heat pump. Every home is different, and experiences may vary based on property type, insulation, and energy usage. For more real-life heat pump stories and to visit a home near you, check out Nesta's Visit a Heat Pump Website:

Visit a Heat Pump by Nesta

What is a combi boiler?

A combi boiler, short for combination boiler, is a highly efficient system that provides both heating and hot water directly from one unit. Unlike traditional boilers, it doesn't require a separate hot water storage tank, heating water on demand as it flows through the system. Powered by gas, combi boilers are compact and ideal for homes with limited space, offering quick and reliable heating.

Comparing heating systems

When comparing heating systems, it's important to consider factors like installation costs, running expenses, and sustainability.

Each system has its own advantages and drawbacks, from the initial setup price to long-term efficiency and environmental impact.

Efficiency of heat pumps vs gas boilers

Both boilers and heat pumps are used to heat your home and provide hot water. Gas boilers heat radiators to high temperatures, allowing them to quickly warm rooms. In contrast, heat pumps operate throughout the day, gradually heating rooms. However, despite common misconceptions, heat pumps perform efficiently even on the coldest winter days, and can be effective in older homes with modest insulation.

There are two main types of heat pumps: air source and ground source. Most heat pumps are air source, which use fans to draw in air from outside. Air source heat pumps are generally three to four times more efficient than gas boilers. Nevertheless, due to the way electricity is taxed compared to gas in the UK, the cost savings of running a heat pump over a gas boiler are currently modest. However, many expect that government policies will eventually adjust the tax structure, making heat pumps significantly cheaper to run than gas boilers in the future.

To make the switch to heat pumps more affordable, the UK government is offering a £7,500 grant to help with installation costs. This grant is not means-tested and is available to all homeowners with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). There are slight variations in the scheme between Scotland and England and Wales.

In summary, switching to a heat pump not only improves energy efficiency but also future-proofs your home!

References

The Energy Savings Trust has lots of useful information on how to heat your home efficiently.
Heatable shows an in-depth comparison of heat pumps vs boilers.
The visit a heat pump by NESTA helps you to see a heat pump in real life.
Heat Geek has a knowledge hub all about heating.

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