I priced up a heat pump to replace my groaning gas boiler and I was surprised at the savings

Heat pumps are pricey - but there’s some big savings to be had and they can pay off in the long runHeat pumps are pricey - but there’s some big savings to be had and they can pay off in the long run
Heat pumps are pricey - but there’s some big savings to be had and they can pay off in the long run | Aira

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Consumer technology writer Gareth Butterfield explores his options to see if going for a greener heating solution would pay off

According to the nice man that comes out to service my boiler every year, I'm in a sticky wicket. My combi boiler is nearly 20 years old and, although it's one of the better quality ones out there, it's on its last legs.

Parts are hard to come by now, he tells me with a sigh, and each breakdown we call him out for could be its last. It's the sort of grim prognosis that prompts you to look around at the options.

According to Checkatrade.com a new boiler is likely to cost the best part of £2,000. And then the installation could be a complex task, especially given the fact that, according to my tame gas engineer, we'll need some other new parts, like a more modern flue, a better pump, and some other complicated things I didn't really understand.

He wouldn't let me pin him down to a price for the installation, but I could tell by the way he drew air in through his teeth every time I asked him it would be knocking on the door of £2,000.

Gareth’s gas boiler is on its last legsGareth’s gas boiler is on its last legs
Gareth’s gas boiler is on its last legs

A colleague of mine is having a heat pump installed, and he's been impressed with the service from Aira, one of the many champions of sustainable heating solutions in the UK.

There's a very simple calculator on Aira's website, so I logged on and gave it a whirl. I have three bedrooms in my semi-detached house, and no solar panels. That's actually all Aira needed to give me an estimated price. I didn't need to enter an email address, or apply to have someone visit my house. The calculator just coughed up a figure in seconds.

At first glance, the cost seemed a bit prohibitive. A total price of £13,490 is more than I paid for my car. But that's not the full story. Because Aira will help you tap in to a government grant of £7,500, which would bring my price down to £5,990.

It's also worth remembering there's no VAT to pay at the moment. I don't pay for a home assessment, there are no extended warranty fees, they get rid of my old boiler free of charge, and Aira doesn't actually charge for installation and labour.

An Aira expert will visit your home and discuss your requirementsAn Aira expert will visit your home and discuss your requirements
An Aira expert will visit your home and discuss your requirements | Aira

Being the pessimistic sort I am, I'm assuming I'd need to upgrade the odd radiator, and there might be a few additional costs, but installing a heat pump is cheaper than I expected.

And then there's the savings. Aira's calculator also tots up how much they'd expect you to save if you took the plunge and got rid of gas.

Based on the estimated 20-year life expectancy of the heat pump system (the warranty lasts for 15 years) I'd be saving money on the fixed cost, the warranty cover and, of course, the heating bills. No more gas bills, just the electricity to run it. And that's if I don't install solar panels at some point.

Yearly savings for my household, Aira reckons, could be £309. That, over 20 years, would amount to £6,190.

It's not, however, as it might appear, a no-brainer. Not every house will suit a heat pump. Insulation is one of the key factors, but it's not an issue for me, because that was upgraded by a previous owner.

If your gas boiler is fairly new, still in warranty perhaps, then you might want to hold off before making the switch.

But there's an important sustainability factor. Burning gas is, obviously, not great for the environment, while heat pumps rely on electricity - which can be sourced much more sustainably.

Am I going to make the switch? I'm tempted. I've got a boiler service due in a few months and I'm going to see if the new noise my boiler has started making recently is a death knell, or just another part that my gas engineer can fix by blowing on it.

Either way, I'm on borrowed time and it's great to know there's a really credible alternative to funnelling fossil fuel into my house.

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