- Area
- Hertfordshire
- Postcode district
- AL5
- Nation
- England
- Guide price
- From £2,500 inc VAT
- Survey
- Free for installation enquiries
Air-to-air heat pumps for Harpenden homes
Most homes can run on a heat pump if the system is designed properly, and Harpenden is no different. The key is matching the heat pump and radiators to the home's heat loss.
Flats in Harpenden on storage or panel heaters can often switch to air-to-air without fitting radiators or pipework. For terraced homes in Harpenden, the outdoor unit can often sit in a rear yard with tidy pipe runs to each room.
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.
- Flats and apartments with storage or panel heaters
- Rooms that get too hot in summer as well as cold in winter
- Homes where fitting radiators and pipework would be very disruptive
What's included
- Outdoor unit and indoor units for each room
- 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
- Condensate drains and neat external pipe covers
- Refrigerant pipe runs to each indoor unit, made and charged by an F-gas certified engineer
A survey in Harpenden covers indoor unit positions, pipe routes and hot water for homes across Hertfordshire.
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 Harpenden 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 Harpenden
These are guide prices for Hertfordshire, 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 | £2,500–£5,250 |
| Air-to-air heat pump, multi-room 3–4 bedroom home | £4,200–£8,400 |
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.
How long is the heating season in Harpenden?
Harpenden has about 7 hours 46 minutes of daylight at midwinter and 16 hours 42 minutes at midsummer. That swing matters if you pair a heat pump with solar panels: summer generation can cover much of the hot water, winter generation far less.
What happens after you enquire in Harpenden?
- Send your postcode and a few details, or use the guide price tool.
- A surveyor visits your Harpenden 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 Harpenden: questions
Where would the outdoor unit go on a Harpenden 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 Harpenden home.
How long does installation take in Harpenden?
Most installations take 2–4 days on site. Jobs with several radiator changes or new pipework take longer, and your quote for a Harpenden home states the expected time.
What size heat pump does a Harpenden 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 Harpenden home.
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.
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.