- Area
- Lancashire
- Postcode district
- PR1
- Nation
- England
- Guide price
- From £2,350 inc VAT
- Survey
- Free for installation enquiries
Air-to-air heat pumps for Preston homes
The question for a Preston 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 Preston that overheat in summer gain from the cooling an air-to-air system provides. Extensions and garden rooms in Preston 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
- Households that already have, or will add, a separate source of hot water
- Homes where fitting radiators and pipework would be very disruptive
What's included
- Refrigerant pipe runs to each indoor unit, made and charged by an F-gas certified engineer
- 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
For terraced homes in Preston, the outdoor unit can often sit in a rear yard with tidy pipe runs to each room.
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 Preston quote.
There is no VAT on installing a heat pump anywhere in the UK until 31 March 2027. In England most houses can have an air source heat pump under permitted development, provided the unit meets the MCS noise and siting standards; the old 1 m boundary limit was removed on 29 May 2025. We flag listed buildings, flats and sensitive conservation-area positions at survey.
Air-to-air heat pumps costs around Preston
These are guide prices for Lancashire, 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 | £2,350–£4,900 |
| Air-to-air heat pump, multi-room 3–4 bedroom home | £3,900–£7,850 |
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 Preston and what they mean
Preston sees roughly 7 hours 25 minutes of daylight in December and 17 hours 06 minutes in June. With a longer heating season than the south, the gains from low flow temperatures and good controls add up over the year.
From survey to switch-on in Preston
- Tell us about your home: postcode, property type and current heating.
- We book a survey in Preston; 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 Preston: questions
Do I need new radiators for a heat pump in Preston?
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 Preston home gives a room-by-room list.
Where would the outdoor unit go on a Preston 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 Preston home.
What size heat pump does a Preston 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 Preston home.
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.
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.