Money

The pros and cons of buying a heat pump

Published

3 days ago

September 16, 2024

A heat pump might be too noisy

Air source heat pumps, which are positioned outside a home, can produce a low hum of between 40 and 60 decibels, which is similar to the level of noise made by a fridge or dishwasher. They will typically run continuously throughout winter.

In order to qualify for government money, heat pump installations must comply with regulations set out by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) – including a minimum level of noise disturbance to neighbours.

It means a heat pump must not generate a noise louder than 42 decibels within one metre of a neighbour’s door or window.

But a report presented to the Institute of Acoustics at a conference found that, of the top heat pumps from the five main manufacturers, not one device would meet MCS standards on noise unless the unit was at least 4m away.

Heat pump installations also have to comply with MCS standards to be installed without planning permission as a permitted development.

To meet noise regulations and receive grant funding, some homeowners may have to build a sound barrier – potentially at a cost of up to £5,000 – experts told The Telegraph. But even if soundproofing was installed, it may not be enough to reduce the noise to an acceptable level.

Alternatively, they could opt for a costly split system, where part of the heat pump is built inside the house.

Should I buy a heat pump?

Households’ transition from gas to renewable energy will likely be one of the biggest investments they will make in transforming their own homes.

No matter how many grants and tax breaks the Government floats for those willing to make the switch early, the upfront cost of doing so will almost always be the biggest hurdle.

The payback via cheaper bills will take years, if not decades, and can only be accelerated by stumping up even more cash on tangential upgrades such as home batteries, solar panels and electric cars.

There is an undeniable incentive for those concerned about their carbon footprint. Those who have gone all-in on overhauling their homes to work best with green technology have boasted of incredibly low bills, while others have complained of botched installations and unexpected costs.

Homeowners hoping to make the money back by selling up may be disappointed – a study by the World Wildlife Fund estimated heat pumps only boosted the value of a property by between one and three per cent, around £4,000 based on average house prices.

The expectation that heat pump installations will drop in price as more engineers become acquainted with the technology and researchers develop more sophisticated models would suggest it’s better to wait.

However, it’s unlikely the Government will hand out grants to encourage uptake forever, and legislation banning oil and gas boilers – scrapped by the previous Government – may return in another guise as the 2050 net zero deadline draws near.

All this to say there is no clear answer – but it is all but inevitable you will have to get a heat pump one day.

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