- Area
- Devon
- Postcode district
- EX4
- Nation
- England
- Guide price
- From £2,400 inc VAT
- Survey
- Free for installation enquiries
Air-to-air heat pumps in Exeter: what to expect
The question for an Exeter home is rarely whether a heat pump can work, but what needs to change to make it work well: radiator sizes, pipework, controls and where the unit goes.
For terraced homes in Exeter, the outdoor unit can often sit in a rear yard with tidy pipe runs to each room. Top-floor rooms in Exeter that overheat in summer gain from the cooling an air-to-air system provides.
An air-to-air heat pump warms rooms directly with air, and can cool them in summer, but it does not heat your hot water.
- Flats and apartments with storage or panel heaters
- Households that already have, or will add, a separate source of hot water
- Homes where fitting radiators and pipework would be very disruptive
What's included
- Refrigerant pipe runs to each indoor unit, made and charged by an F-gas certified engineer
- Outdoor unit and indoor units for each room
- Commissioning, MCS certificate and the air-to-air grant claim in England and Wales where eligible
- Free survey covering rooms to heat, unit positions and hot water options
- Condensate drains and neat external pipe covers
Extensions and garden rooms in Exeter that are hard to connect to the main heating can have their own air-to-air unit.
Grants and rules for heat pumps in England
In England the Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives £7,500 towards an air source heat pump (£9,000 if it replaces oil or LPG, from 21 July 2026 to 31 March 2027), and since 28 April 2026 a valid EPC is no longer needed. The grant is applied for by the MCS-certified installer and shown as a deduction on your Exeter quote.
There is no VAT on installing a heat pump anywhere in the UK until 31 March 2027. In England most houses can have an air source heat pump under permitted development, provided the unit meets the MCS noise and siting standards; the old 1 m boundary limit was removed on 29 May 2025. We flag listed buildings, flats and sensitive conservation-area positions at survey.
What to budget for air-to-air heat pumps in Exeter
Here are typical prices for air-to-air heat pumps in Devon, installed and including VAT. Use the guide price tool for a figure based on your home, then a survey confirms it in writing.
| System | Installed guide price |
|---|---|
| Air-to-air heat pump, 1–2 rooms | £2,400–£5,050 |
| Air-to-air heat pump, multi-room 3–4 bedroom home | £4,050–£8,100 |
Installed, inc VAT. Air-to-air systems heat (and can cool) rooms but do not provide hot water. In England and Wales the Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives £2,500 towards an air-to-air system in a home, deducted from your quote where eligible.
How long is the heating season in Exeter?
On the shortest day Exeter gets about 7 hours 57 minutes of daylight, and the winter sun reaches only around 16° above the horizon at noon. Winters this far south are milder than in most of the UK, which helps a heat pump run at low flow temperatures for much of the season.
From survey to switch-on in Exeter
- Start online with a guide price or call us.
- A home survey in Exeter gives us the room-by-room heat loss.
- Your written quote sets out the design, the price and the grant position where you live.
- Installation is booked for dates that suit you; most homes take 2–4 days on site.
- After commissioning you get a handover of the controls and settings, plus the certificates.
Air-to-air heat pumps in Exeter: questions
Where would the outdoor unit go on an Exeter house?
Usually at the side or rear, on a level base with space around it for airflow and servicing, away from bedroom windows where possible. The surveyor checks positions at your Exeter home.
Do I need new radiators for a heat pump in Exeter?
Often some, not all. Heat pumps run best at lower water temperatures, so rooms with small radiators may need larger ones. The survey of your Exeter home gives a room-by-room list.
How soon can you survey a home in Exeter?
Survey dates depend on how busy installers are in Devon. We offer the next available dates when you enquire and confirm them in writing.
How do I look after an air-to-air system?
Clean the indoor unit filters regularly, typically every few weeks during heavy use and following the manufacturer's guidance, and keep the outdoor unit clear of leaves and snow. Annual servicing is recommended and is often a condition of the manufacturer's warranty. Any work on the refrigerant circuit must be done by an F-gas certified engineer.
Are air-to-air heat pumps suitable for flats?
Often, yes. They need no radiators, pipework or cylinder, so they suit flats heated by storage or panel heaters. You need a position for the outdoor unit, such as a balcony, wall bracket or ground-floor yard, and leaseholders normally need the freeholder's or management company's consent. Planning rules for flats differ by nation, so we check what applies at survey.