Compare boilers, heat pumps, and heating systems for UK homes. Running costs, government grants, sizing guides, and advice on switching from gas to renewable heating.
506 articles
A heat pump water heater costs £2,500-£4,500 installed for a 200-litre unit in 2026. The £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant can bring your net cost to £0 if you qualify…
A heat pump dryer costs £0.54–£0.70 per cycle to run in 2026 at the Ofgem price cap of 27p/kWh. This is roughly half the cost of a vented dryer, saving…
A typical air source heat pump costs £550–£1,200 a year to run in a three-bed home. See how SPF and your tariff affect the final bill.
Heat pump water heater costs £2,500 to £7,500 installed. Running costs are 50-70% lower than a standard immersion heater, saving a 4-person household £240 to £540 per year. Compare quotes…
Refrigerant disposal for a UK heat pump costs £150-300 per system. This covers recovery by an F-gas certified technician, transport, and paperwork. Releasing refrigerant illegally carries fines up to £5,000…
Heat pump recycling is covered by existing WEEE Regulations 2013, not a new scheme. Installers must take back and recycle old units at no extra cost when you buy a…
Scrap value for old radiators in 2026 ranges from £1 to £14 each. Cast-iron radiators fetch £0.12-£0.18 per kg, steel £0.08-£0.12 per kg, and aluminium £0.40-£0.60 per kg. A standard…
The boiler scrap value in 2026 is £5-£50, with the copper heat exchanger being the main source of value. A standard combi boiler yields £10-£20 if you separate the metals…
Voice control heating costs from £150 for a smart thermostat retrofit. Most homes with a combi or system boiler can add voice control without replacing the boiler, using a smart…
Smart heating zoning install costs £300-£1,500 in the UK. Most homes see payback within 2-5 years through reduced heating bills of up to 40%.
The Salus IT600 costs £200-£300 for a basic starter pack, including the controller and one Wi-Fi thermostat. It is a mid-range multi-zone smart heating system that controls up to six…
No, Ecobee is not a practical choice for UK homes in 2026. It lacks official stockists, local warranty support, and native compatibility with 230V combi boilers and OpenTherm. Consider UK-focused…
A Nest Learning Thermostat costs £200-£250 for the unit plus £100-£180 for professional installation. The Energy Saving Trust estimates savings of £75-£110 per year, so the upfront cost is typically…
A Tado X smart thermostat costs £250–£350 for a basic setup, or £550+ for full multi-zone control in a typical 3-bed home. Annual savings of £75–£140 offset costs over 4–7…
The Hive Active Heating 2 costs £199–£299 upfront and saves £75–£150 per year on heating bills, paying for itself in 2.5–3.5 years. It is compatible with 95% of UK gas…
A hydrogen-ready boiler costs £1,500–£2,500 installed, similar to a standard gas combi. The catch is that no UK homes currently receive hydrogen for heating, with the earliest regional switch projected…
District heat networks supply heat from a central source to multiple homes. Running costs vary, 40% of customers pay more than gas boiler cost. Carbon savings can reach 30–50% versus…
A combi-storage heat pump costs £8,000–£14,000 installed, roughly £3,000–£5,000 more than a gas boiler, but cuts annual heating bills by 40–60% (£300–£600 savings). The £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant brings…
An air-to-air heat pump costs £4,000–£8,000 installed and runs for £37–£61 per month in cooling mode. It uses 150–250 kWh monthly at Ofgem's October 2026 price cap of 24.5p/kWh.
An air source heat pump costs £7,000–£13,000 to install, roughly half the £15,000–£25,000+ for water source. However, water source systems can save £300–£550 annually versus a gas boiler, compared to…
A DIY heat pump filter clean costs under £5 and can save £75–£150 per year in wasted electricity. The 10-minute task restores airflow and prevents a 10–20% efficiency drop, according…
A DIY boiler check costs nothing and takes 20–30 minutes. It helps spot early warning signs like low pressure or faulty alarms, but never replaces the annual Gas Safe registered…
A DIY chimney sweep kit costs £15-£40 in 2026, saving £45-£65 per sweep versus a professional at £60-£90. You can legally sweep your own solid-fuel chimney, but gas fires require…
A DIY thermostat upgrade costs £25–£200 and can cut heating bills by 10–15% according to the Energy Saving Trust. Basic programmable models are cheapest, while smart thermostats offer extra features…
A new combi boiler costs between 2,000 and 3,500 pounds installed, including flue and controls. System boilers with a hot water cylinder cost 2,500 to 4,500 pounds. Prices vary by brand, output size, and complexity of the installation.
At 2026 energy prices, an air source heat pump with a COP of 3 costs roughly the same as a gas boiler to run. With electricity at 24.5p per kWh and gas at 7.2p per kWh, the heat pump produces heat at about 8.2p per kWh compared to gas at around 8p per kWh including boiler efficiency. The 7,500 pound BUS grant makes the overall economics favourable.
Yes, but older houses often need some preparation. The key requirements are adequate insulation, possibly larger radiators or underfloor heating for lower flow temperatures, and sufficient outdoor space for the external unit. A professional heat loss survey will determine what upgrades are needed.
The BUS provides 7,500 pounds towards installing an air source or ground source heat pump. Your home must have an EPC, be replacing a fossil fuel heating system, and use an MCS-certified installer. The property must be in England or Wales and you cannot have previously claimed a renewable heat incentive.
Air source heat pumps typically last 15 to 20 years, while ground source heat pumps can last 20 to 25 years. A well-maintained gas boiler lasts 10 to 15 years. Heat pumps have fewer moving parts and require less maintenance.
Air source heat pumps cost £800-£1,100 per year to run in a typical UK three-bedroom semi, comparable to a new gas boiler. With a £7,500 government grant available through the…
A hydrogen-ready boiler is a gas boiler engineered to switch to 100% hydrogen in the future with minor component changes, and in 2026 it costs roughly £100 to £300 more…
For most UK homeowners, an air source heat pump is the more practical and affordable choice, costing roughly £8,000–£15,000 installed before the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant reduces the net…
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is a UK Government grant programme administered by Ofgem that provides upfront discounts of up to £7,500 off the cost of installing a low-carbon heating system…
The best smart thermostats available in the UK can save a typical household between £75 and £150 per year on heating bills, according to Energy Saving Trust guidance, with top-rated…
A new boiler installed in the UK in 2026 costs between £1,500 and £4,500 all in, covering the boiler unit, labour, and standard fitting materials. A simple like-for-like combi boiler…
