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.
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.
