Heat pump vs boilers

Air source heat pumps generally cost between £5,450 and £12,000 in the UK, including the cost of installation and taking into account the government's Boiler Upgrade Scheme which provides homeowners with a grant of up to £7,500 to switch their boiler for a heat pump.

In Scotland, the incentives are even better. The Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan provides homeowners a grant of up to £7,500 alongside an interest-free loan of up to £7,500.

And, with Aira, installing a heat pump is even more accessible with our flexible heat pump finance options, allowing you to spread the cost of your system across affordable monthly payments. 

The average gas boiler comes with a more modest upfront cost, ranging between £2,000 and £6,000 for unit and installation. 

While this might appear more enticing, when deciding between a heat pump and a boiler, it's important to consider not just the upfront cost but also the full story, including efficiency, energy bills, and the environmental benefits.

Air source heat pumps are incredibly efficient, often operating at over 400% efficiency. This means for every unit of electricity used, they produce four times the amount of heat. They perform efficiently all year round, even in colder weather.

Despite electricity being more expensive than gas, the high efficiency of heat pumps significantly reduces their overall running costs. The Aira Heat Pump costs about £840 per year to heat your home and hot water, or £600 per year when combined with a heat pump tariff like Aira Zero.

Installing solar panels alongside a heat pump reduces your running costs even further. In fact, you could save up to £1732 on your annual energy bills when you switch from a boiler to an Aira Heat Pump and install solar panels.  

While modern condensing boilers can reach ~99% efficiency, most gas boilers generally operate at around 85%-90% efficiency. This means that at least 10% of the energy they produce is wasted through flue gases, which makes them about 4 times less efficient than heat pumps.

Boilers, particularly gas boilers, typically have lower upfront costs but higher ongoing costs due to fuel consumption. A typical gas boiler costs about £1068 per year (excluding maintenance costs) to heat your home and hot water. 

Heat pumps are designed to last longer than boilers and typically require less maintenance. Every year, we recommend our customers prepare their heat pump for winter by: 

• Bleeding their radiators 
• Checking their system's pressure 
• Removing clutter to ensure unobstructed airflow 

With our all-inclusive plan, our comprehensive Aira Guarantee is free for the first year. This means that any parts and labour required to ensure the function of your product and installation are covered. 

On the other hand, a gas boiler needs to be serviced by a registered professional every year. This check: 

• Assesses the efficiency of your boiler 
• Uncovers potential issues early, preventing costly repairs
• Ensures the safety of your household by checking for gas leaks or harmful emissions 

However, maintenance costs for gas boilers extend beyond just routine servicing. Ongoing repairs and insurance are also important considerations. Taking all these factors into account, we estimate that the average annual cost of maintaining a gas boiler over a 20-year period is approximately £468.  

Heat pumps are extremely eco-friendly. They emit significantly fewer carbon emissions than fossil fuel-based heating systems, especially when powered by renewable electricity. In fact, when paired with our Aira Zero heat pump tariff, the Aira Heat Pump can reduce your home heating CO₂ emissions by 100%. 

Switching to a heat pump is one of the most impactful eco-friendly actions you can take. It reduces your carbon footprint twice as much as going car-free, three times more than giving up flying, and four times more than adopting a plant-based diet.

Boilers, particularly gas and oil ones, rely on burning fossil fuels, resulting in higher carbon emissions. Most houses in the UK are heated with a gas boiler, which is why residential heating is responsible for about 16% of the UK’s CO₂ emissions.

To put that number into perspective, in Scandinavia, where heat pumps are the norm, residential heating accounts for about 2% of total CO₂ emissions. 

Installing a heat pump is generally more complex and time-consuming than installing a boiler. The entire process can take anywhere from one day to a week to complete.

This complexity arises from the need to potentially upgrade radiators, modify existing piping, or integrate with underfloor heating systems. Additionally, the external and indoor units must be installed and connected to your existing heating setup, which adds to the installation duration. 

Boiler installations, particularly gas boilers, tend to be quicker and more straightforward, often completed in just one day. Most homes are already equipped with the necessary infrastructure, making the process less disruptive and typically eliminating the need for extensive modifications to the existing heating system.