Guides · Choosing a system · 7 min read
Boiler or heat pump? How to decide this year
Four questions that settle it for most households, and the situations where we will tell you a new boiler is the better buy.
We fit both, so we have no reason to push you one way. Most households can settle it with four questions.
Is your boiler failing now?
If the heating is off in January and you need it back this week, a boiler swap in a day is the right call. A heat pump takes three to five weeks from survey to switch-on. We can fit the boiler so that a later heat pump is easier.
How long will you stay?
A heat pump costs more to install, even after a grant, and pays back through lower running costs and a longer lifespan. If you plan to move within three years, a boiler is usually the better sum. If you are staying ten years or more, a heat pump usually wins.
How well insulated is the house?
A heat pump works in most houses, but the worse the insulation, the bigger the radiators and the heat pump need to be. If the loft has almost no insulation, fix that first: it is cheap and it helps whichever system you choose.
Do you have space outside?
The outdoor unit is about the size of a large suitcase on its side, and needs free air around it. Most houses have a spot. Some flats and tight terraces do not, and that decides it.
When we will recommend a boiler
If you are moving soon, if there is genuinely no space outside, or if the house needs major insulation work first, we will quote a boiler and tell you why. Around a quarter of the people who come to us asking about a heat pump leave with a boiler quote, and that is fine.
Where to start
Run your house through our estimator for a side-by-side price and running cost, then book a free survey for the real numbers.