23 April 2025
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Graham Parkes, commercial director at Navien UK, explores how market acceptance, grant funding and great strides of innovation are converging to make a compelling case for heat pumps as the leading heating appliance in homes across the country.
Heat pumps are widely seen as the best way of cutting greenhouse gas emissions from home heating. And with Government subsidies available, they can also be a very cost-effective solution for your customers.
While some installers have already embraced this new technology, others are naturally a little hesitant. However, our research at Navien UK shows that the time is right for installers to be offering simply smarter heating solutions.
Here are six key reasons why we believe you should add air source heat pumps to your skillset:
Huge opportunity
According to Nesta, fewer than 1% of households have a heat pump installed. The UK Government’s ambition is to grow the market to 600,000 installations per year by 2028. And this is just the beginning - around half of all homes should have a heat pump by 2040 to keep the UK on track to meet its climate targets, according to the Government's independent advisers. This represents a massive opportunity for installers who embrace the technology now and gain that prized reputation as local heat pump experts.
Environmental benefits
Nearly half the fossil fuel gas consumed in the UK each year goes on heating. Heat pumps are powered by electricity, which is considered cleaner than more traditional fuels such as gas or oil. They are also highly efficient and consume around a third of the energy of a gas boiler for the same heat output. Crucially, they can use electricity generated from renewable sources. So as our grid gets cleaner, emissions from heat pumps will fall further.
Affordability
There are already Government grants available for homeowners purchasing a heat pump – and there could be more on the way. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme offers up to £7,500 towards an air source heat pump, provided the system meets the scheme’s energy efficiency standards. The new Government has also pledged further funds via its Low-Carbon Heat Scheme.
These grants make heat pumps highly affordable for homeowners and mean that there is a steady flow of work available to kickstart the market.
Beyond the upfront costs, heat pumps are considerably cheaper to run than other products. Depending on a number of factors such as energy provider, tariff, product and usage, homeowners could see a considerable reduction in their energy bill by making the switch – with Which? predicting annual savings of up to £444 when compared to gas.
Market acceptance
It seems only a matter of time before heat pumps become more mainstream, as those who have already made the switch tend to love them.
The Energy Systems Catapult recently released customer survey results from its Electrification of Heat Demonstration Project, which saw more than 740 heat pumps installed in homes across the UK. A massive 85% of participants had already or were likely to recommend a heat pump to a friend or family member. Key reasons cited were heat pump reliability, ease of use and low noise levels.
This chimes with an earlier survey by Nesta, the UK’s innovation agency for social good. Nesta found that more than 80% of those who had traded their existing boiler for a heat pump were satisfied with the outcome.
Product quality
As with all emerging markets, product quality can vary significantly in the early stages. However, with established and reputable companies such as Navien now entering the market, installers can recommend heat pumps to their customers with complete confidence.
The best heat pumps have been engineered to deliver heating and hot water solutions more sustainably, without compromising on performance. Factors to consider include heat pump dimensions. Some can be big and bulky, whereas others are much sleeker and less obtrusive.
Installers should also look for modulating temperature capabilities and suitability for both new builds as well as retrofit installations. Your customers will also want the highest ERP rating of A+++ and the best possible co-efficient of performance (COP), a key metric for thermodynamic efficiency.
Other features that make life easier for residents and installers are a user-friendly LCD interface, automatic weather compensation, and remote monitoring capabilities.
Product support
While there are many benefits to becoming a heat pump installer, it does come with some additional challenges. For example, there can be longer lead times than for putting in a gas boiler – this is because most homes will require an upgrade to their electricity grid connection in order to power the pump. The installation process can also be more complex and take longer than a boiler change.
It is therefore vital that you choose your heat pump provider carefully. Find one with a fantastic reputation for product training, advice and ongoing support. A good indicator is their track record in the boiler business, as well as a proven history in heat pumps.
Navien’s PEM750 Heat Pump
With increasing regulatory pressure to reduce carbon emissions and phase out traditional heating systems, installers require a reliable supplier of high-efficiency alternatives that provide seamless integration into any environment, whether new builds or retrofits.
Offering simply smarter heating, the PEM750 puts control at your customers’ fingertips. Featuring an intuitive digital touch screen smart controller and a smart mobile application, homeowners can monitor power usage, adjust settings and access fault codes with ease.
To find out more about the PEM750, register your interest: https://navien.co.uk/register-interest.
https://navien.co.uk
