An air-to-air heat pump takes heat from the outside air and delivers it straight into rooms as warm air through indoor units, usually mounted high on a wall. The same system can run in reverse to cool rooms in summer. Unlike an air-to-water heat pump, it does not use radiators or underfloor heating and does not heat a hot water cylinder.
Extensions and garden rooms in Gloucestershire that are hard to connect to the main heating can have their own air-to-air unit. A survey in Gloucestershire covers indoor unit positions, pipe routes and hot water for homes across Gloucestershire. For terraced homes in Gloucestershire, the outdoor unit can often sit in a rear yard with tidy pipe runs to each room.
Who it suits
- Extensions, conservatories and garden rooms
- Rooms that get too hot in summer as well as cold in winter
- Flats and apartments with storage or panel heaters
- Homes where fitting radiators and pipework would be very disruptive
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 quote.
Installing heat pumps is zero-rated for VAT across the UK until 31 March 2027. Since 29 May 2025, permitted development in England allows up to two air source heat pumps on a house, each up to 1.5 m³, with no blanket 1 m boundary rule — the installation must still meet the MCS planning standards, including the noise check. Listed buildings, flats and some conservation-area positions need extra consent, which we check at survey.
Air-to-air heat pumps prices in Gloucestershire
These are guide prices for Gloucestershire, installed and including VAT. Your final price is fixed in a written quote after the survey and depends on the heat loss of the house, the radiators that need changing and where the unit goes.
| 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.
Towns we cover in Gloucestershire
We cover 12 towns in Gloucestershire for air-to-air heat pumps. Each links to local guide prices and the grant position for England.
| Town | Postcode district | Nearest town | Midwinter daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gloucester | GL1 | Cheltenham | 7 h 46 min |
| Cheltenham | GL50 | Tewkesbury | 7 h 45 min |
| Stroud | GL6 | Dursley | 7 h 47 min |
| Kingswood | BS15 | Mangotsfield | 7 h 50 min |
| Mangotsfield | BS16 | Kingswood | 7 h 50 min |
| Yate | BS37 | Mangotsfield | 7 h 49 min |
| Tewkesbury | GL20 | Cheltenham | 7 h 44 min |
| Cirencester | GL7 | Stroud | 7 h 47 min |
| Dursley | GL11 | Lydney | 7 h 48 min |
| Lydney | GL15 | Dursley | 7 h 47 min |
| Stow-on-the-Wold | GL56 | Chipping Norton | 7 h 45 min |
| Thornbury | BS35 | Yate | 7 h 48 min |
Air-to-air heat pumps questions
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.
Is there a grant for air-to-air heat pumps?
In England and Wales, yes: the Boiler Upgrade Scheme includes a grant of £2,500 for air-to-air heat pumps in homes, from 28 April 2026. The MCS-certified installer applies to Ofgem and deducts it from your quote, subject to the scheme's conditions. The scheme does not cover Scotland or Northern Ireland; in Scotland, Home Energy Scotland has its own rules.
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.
How much sound do the indoor units make?
Indoor units are designed to run quietly, with a fan you will hear most when heating or cooling at full output. Lower fan settings and night modes reduce sound in bedrooms. Siting matters for the outdoor unit too: it needs airflow and a position that passes the MCS noise assessment. Ask to see the sound levels of the proposed units at survey.