- Area
- Greater London
- Postcode district
- IG11
- Nation
- England
- Guide price
- From £2,700 inc VAT
- Survey
- Free for installation enquiries
Air-to-air heat pumps for Barking homes
The question for a Barking 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.
Installers in Barking plan condensate drains and pipe covers so indoor and outdoor runs stay neat. Top-floor rooms in Barking 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.
- Homes where fitting radiators and pipework would be very disruptive
- Households that already have, or will add, a separate source of hot water
- Rooms that get too hot in summer as well as cold in winter
What's included
- Commissioning, MCS certificate and the air-to-air grant claim in England and Wales where eligible
- Electrical supply and controls set up for each room
- Condensate drains and neat external pipe covers
- Outdoor unit and indoor units for each room
- Free survey covering rooms to heat, unit positions and hot water options
Flats in Barking on storage or panel heaters can often switch to air-to-air without fitting radiators or pipework.
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 Barking 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 costs around Barking
Here are typical prices for air-to-air heat pumps in Greater London, 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 | £2,700–£5,600 |
| Air-to-air heat pump, multi-room 3–4 bedroom home | £4,500–£8,950 |
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 Barking and what they mean
On the shortest day Barking gets about 7 hours 49 minutes of daylight, and the winter sun reaches only around 15° 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.
How installation works in Barking
- Tell us about your home: postcode, property type and current heating.
- We book a survey in Barking; 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 Barking: questions
Do I need new radiators for a heat pump in Barking?
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 Barking home gives a room-by-room list.
How long does installation take in Barking?
Most installations take 2–4 days on site. Jobs with several radiator changes or new pipework take longer, and your quote for a Barking home states the expected time.
How long does a heat pump survey take in Barking?
A home survey in Barking usually takes one to two hours. The surveyor measures every heated room, checks windows, walls and radiators, and looks at where the outdoor unit and cylinder can go.
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.
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.