- Area
- East Sussex
- Postcode district
- BN1
- Nation
- England
- Guide price
- From £2,450 inc VAT
- Survey
- Free for installation enquiries
Air-to-air heat pumps for Brighton homes
The question for a Brighton 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.
Flats in Brighton on storage or panel heaters can often switch to air-to-air without fitting radiators or pipework. A survey in Brighton covers indoor unit positions, pipe routes and hot water for homes across East Sussex.
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.
- Households that already have, or will add, a separate source of hot water
- Homes where fitting radiators and pipework would be very disruptive
- Extensions, conservatories and garden rooms
What's included
- Outdoor unit and indoor units for each room
- Refrigerant pipe runs to each indoor unit, made and charged by an F-gas certified engineer
- Condensate drains and neat external pipe covers
- Free survey covering rooms to heat, unit positions and hot water options
- Commissioning, MCS certificate and the air-to-air grant claim in England and Wales where eligible
Installers in Brighton plan condensate drains and pipe covers so indoor and outdoor runs stay neat.
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 Brighton 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 Brighton
Here are typical prices for air-to-air heat pumps in East Sussex, 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 | £2,450–£5,150 |
| Air-to-air heat pump, multi-room 3–4 bedroom home | £4,100–£8,250 |
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.
Short winter days in Brighton and what they mean
Brighton sees roughly 7 hours 56 minutes of daylight in late December against 16 hours 31 minutes in June. Milder southern winters suit heat pumps well, though the system is still sized for a cold snap rather than an average day.
The steps for air-to-air heat pumps in Brighton
- Tell us about your home: postcode, property type and current heating.
- We book a survey in Brighton; the surveyor measures rooms, windows and radiators and looks at cylinder space.
- The design and quote arrive in writing, including radiator changes and the outdoor unit position.
- On installation days the old system is removed and the new one fitted and filled.
- We commission the heat pump, show you the controls and register the installation.
Air-to-air heat pumps in Brighton: questions
Where would the outdoor unit go on a Brighton 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 Brighton home.
What size heat pump does a Brighton home need?
It depends on the heat loss, not the postcode. As a rough guide, a 3 bedroom semi often needs 6–9 kW, but the room-by-room survey sets the actual size for your Brighton home.
How long does installation take in Brighton?
Most installations take 2–4 days on site. Jobs with several radiator changes or new pipework take longer, and your quote for a Brighton home states the expected time.
Can air-to-air heat pumps cool as well as heat?
Yes. Most air-to-air systems can reverse their cycle to cool and dehumidify rooms in summer, which makes them useful for loft rooms, south-facing extensions and home offices that overheat. Cooling uses electricity, so running costs rise if it is used heavily. You control heating and cooling for each room separately.
Can an air-to-air heat pump heat my water?
No. An air-to-air heat pump heats and cools the air in rooms but does not produce hot water. You need a separate source, such as an existing immersion cylinder, a hot water heat pump or an electric water heater. If you want one system for heating and hot water, an air-to-water heat pump with a cylinder is the alternative.