Can you Use a Heat Pump with an Existing Combination Boiler?

Key Points

• Heat pumps are great for a variety of different properties
• Hybrid heating systems allow you to maintain a comfortable home temperature all year round
• Homeowners can see a decrease in energy bills
• There is no need to install a new hot water cylinder or make alterations to your home

What are heat pumps?

Heat pumps are a type of a heating and cooling system that uses environmentally conscious energy to generate heating and hot water to your home. They work by extracting thermal energy from the ground, air or a local water supply. The heat pump then converts this thermal energy into heating and hot water. 

Heat pumps operate by collecting heat through an external collection system, which are pipes containing liquid filled with antifreeze to transfer the heat from ambient temperature. 

Can you have a heat pump and a combi boiler?

Yes, you can have a heat pump and a combi boiler, using what is known as a hybrid heat pump. The boiler is used to ‘top-up’ a low temperature heat pump in order to meet the demands of a property in which a heat pump cannot do it alone. It also continues to provide hot water.

Heat pumps usually work at lower temperatures than boilers. Without the correct insulation in our homes, or upsizing radiators, low temperature heat pumps aren’t suitable for existing properties. If the heat pumps are fitted incorrectly, there are risks that homes may fail to heat or there may be a huge increase in electricity bills. 

Hybrid heat pumps let the heat pump run at an efficient temperature of around 40C, which will provide sufficient heat for a large part of the year. As the outside temperatures drop, and when the hot water is used, the boiler can step in.

In some cases, you may need to upgrade your radiators to a larger size to ensure they have enough surface area to emit enough heat in order to comfortably warm the room. 

However, in recent years it has become common practice for heating installers to install ‘oversized’ radiators. This is to ensure that the radiators are actually capable of heating a much larger space and would therefore be suitable for heating a room even if they operated at a lower flow temperature. 

If your radiators are ‘oversized’, then it is very likely you won’t need to change them when you get a heat pump. The best way to find out is to speak to our professional heating system installers at Lacey Plumbing & Heating to get a definitive answer.

Can you install a heat pump onto a system which already has a combi boiler?

Yes, you can add a heat pump to a combi boiler system, but there are a few things you should consider before doing so. 

Determine your current boilers setup 

You’ll first need to determine the existing setup of your boiler before you buy a heat pump. This will help you establish the heat pumps size, type and location. 

Consider your homes heating needs 

When you’re replacing your heat source with a heat pump or adding in a heat pump, consider the current heating needs of your home. It is better to have a full professional survey before you can consider installing a heat pump. 

Calculate the costs of the heat pump 

To calculate how much a heat pump will cost, you should first determine how much your current boiler costs to run. You can do this by asking your energy provider. The next step is to consider the energy savings you could benefit from with a heat pump instead of a traditional boiler. 

Once you’ve established what the difference is between the two, you can then proceed with either sticking with your current heating system or upgrading to a heat pump. 

Are there benefits to keeping your combi boiler and having a heat pump?

There are a number of benefits of having a hybrid heating system, including:

• Less need for alterations to your home – With a hybrid system you will still use your combi boiler for hot water, and it will kick in to top up your heating when needed. If you were to replace your combi boiler for a heat pump, you would need to install a cylinder for hot water which needs a space to be installed, and other changes to radiators and pipework may be needed.

• Reduced carbon emissions – Heat pumps have smaller running costs than boilers, producing 3 times as much energy as they use. However, in colder temperatures, your heat pump will have to work harder to keep your house warm.
  
  This is where your boiler will come in. Thankfully, since you won’t need to rely on your boiler as much throughout the year, it can help to reduce your carbon footprint.
  

Reliability all year round – A hybrid heating system is smart enough that you will have the best heating system all year round, no matter the weather. This means when temperatures drop and your heat pump will have to work harder, the boiler will kick in to sort it out without you having to lift a finger.