The Government has announced homeowners in England and Wales will be offered subsidies of £5,000 from next April to help them replace old gas boilers with low-carbon heat pumps, with the aim of no new gas boilers being sold after 2035.

What is a heat pump and how do they work?

A heat pump is an electrically powered device that absorbs heat from the air, ground or water around a building.

The source of heat – this could be air outside or warmth from the ground – is blown or pumped over the heat exchange surface of the exterior part of the heat pump.

This heat (although cold in comparison to a centrally heated home) is warm enough to cause the special refrigerant liquid to evaporate and turn into a gas. This gas then moves through a compressor, which increases the pressure which in doing so, causes the temperature to rise.

The gas (now heated) is passed over the internal heat exchange surface. This heat can then be either blown around the interior or transferred into a central heating or hot water system.

The gas falls in temperature as the heat is transferred into the home and it subsequently returns to a liquid state.

The cycle of reverse refrigeration repeats until your home or business reaches the required temperature setting on your thermostat.

How do they work with underfloor heating?

Underfloor heating is great partnered with a heat pump – the efficiency of a heat pump increases as the required flow temperature decreases. Put simply, this means that the cooler you run the system, the less it costs to operate.

If properly designed and installed, underfloor heating can run at very low temperatures. This makes underfloor heating and heat pumps a great combination for UK households.

Talk to one of our experts today to find out how an underfloor heating – heat pump combination could work in your home.