- Area
- Greater London
- Postcode district
- SW13
- Nation
- England
- Guide price
- From £2,700 inc VAT
- Survey
- Free for installation enquiries
Air-to-air heat pumps for Barnes homes
In Barnes, as anywhere in the UK, the heat pumps that perform well are the ones designed around low flow temperatures and sized from a proper heat loss calculation.
Top-floor rooms in Barnes that overheat in summer gain from the cooling an air-to-air system provides. Flats in Barnes on storage or panel heaters can often switch to air-to-air without fitting radiators or pipework.
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
- Flats and apartments with storage or panel heaters
- Households that already have, or will add, a separate source of hot water
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
- 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
- Electrical supply and controls set up for each room
A survey in Barnes covers indoor unit positions, pipe routes and hot water for homes across Greater London.
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 Barnes 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 Barnes
Guide prices for Barnes and the rest of Greater London are shown below, installed and inc VAT. We publish ranges rather than a single figure because design details move the price, and the written quote after survey fixes it.
| 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.
Winter daylight and heating in Barnes
On the shortest day Barnes gets about 7 hours 50 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.
From survey to switch-on in Barnes
- Send your postcode and a few details, or use the guide price tool.
- A surveyor visits your Barnes home, measures every room and checks where the outdoor unit can go.
- You receive a heat loss design and a fixed written quote, with any grant shown where it applies.
- Installers fit the unit, cylinder and any radiator changes, typically over 2–4 days on site.
- The system is commissioned, set up with weather compensation and handed over with the paperwork.
Air-to-air heat pumps in Barnes: questions
Do I need new radiators for a heat pump in Barnes?
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 Barnes home gives a room-by-room list.
What size heat pump does a Barnes 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 Barnes home.
Where would the outdoor unit go on a Barnes 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 Barnes home.
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.
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.