- Area
- Hampshire
- Postcode district
- SO14
- Nation
- England
- Guide price
- From £2,450 inc VAT
- Survey
- Free for installation enquiries
What to know about air-to-air heat pumps in Southampton
The question for a Southampton 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.
Top-floor rooms in Southampton that overheat in summer gain from the cooling an air-to-air system provides. Extensions and garden rooms in Southampton that are hard to connect to the main heating can have their own air-to-air unit.
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.
- Extensions, conservatories and garden rooms
- Homes where fitting radiators and pipework would be very disruptive
- 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
- Condensate drains and neat external pipe covers
- Free survey covering rooms to heat, unit positions and hot water options
- Outdoor unit and indoor units for each room
- Electrical supply and controls set up for each room
Flats in Southampton 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
Homes in Southampton can use the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which takes £7,500 off the cost of an air source heat pump when it replaces fossil-fuel or electric heating. Replacing oil or LPG heating qualifies for £9,000 for installations from 21 July 2026 to 31 March 2027, and air-to-air systems for £2,500. The MCS-certified installer named in your quote applies for the grant and deducts it from the price.
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.
What to budget for air-to-air heat pumps in Southampton
The ranges below are typical installed prices for homes in Hampshire, including VAT. A survey sets the exact figure, because two similar-looking houses in Southampton can need quite different radiators and pipework.
| 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.
Designing for Southampton's winters
On the shortest day Southampton gets about 7 hours 56 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.
The steps for air-to-air heat pumps in Southampton
- Send your postcode and a few details, or use the guide price tool.
- A surveyor visits your Southampton 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 Southampton: questions
What size heat pump does a Southampton 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 Southampton home.
How long does a heat pump survey take in Southampton?
A home survey in Southampton 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.
Can you service a heat pump in Southampton that someone else installed?
Yes. We arrange servicing and repairs for most air source heat pumps in Southampton, whoever fitted them. Tell us the make and model when you book.
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.