Air Source Heat Pump Installation In Edinburgh
A Heat Pump Designed Around Your Home
Thermatek Heating provides MCS certified air-source heat-pump design and installation services across Edinburgh and the Lothians. Every system is assessed individually, with a room-by-room heat-loss calculation, radiator and pipework assessment, outdoor-unit positioning review and clear explanation of the proposed design.
Air-source heat pumps provide reliable heating and hot water and can significantly reduce home CO2 emissions and fuel costs when compared to traditional fossil fuel appliances. When properly designed and installed, they can heat anything from a modern new-build to an older Edinburgh home while operating at a lower flow temperature than a traditional boiler.
We do not select a heat pump from the floor area of your home or simply replace a boiler with equipment of a similar output. We design the complete system around the property, its construction, its occupants and the design temperatures.
Home Energy Scotland Funding
For an eligible heat-pump installation, the scheme currently offers:
- grant funding of up to £7,500;
- an optional interest-free loan of up to a further £7,500;
- maximum standard combined support of up to £15,000.
Eligible rural and island households may receive a rural uplift, increasing the available heat-pump grant to as much as £9,000. With the optional loan, maximum combined support may therefore reach £16,500.
Why Choose Thermatek Heating for Your Heat Pump?
✅ Award winning Heating Specialists – Thermatek Heating has won multiple awards for sustainability and customer care and we continue to provide industry leading service to our customers.
✅ Edinburgh specialists – local installs across Edinburgh, Midlothian, East/West Lothian and Fife with fast local aftercare.
✅ Design-led – room by room heat loss calculations, radiator sizing and controls setup for simple easy to use and reliable heating.
✅ Clear pricing – no surprises – we handle everything from design to compliance.
✅ MCS Registered Heat pump installers – friendly and reliable aftercare from local engineers.
✅ HIES Registered Business – Insurance backed guarantee and third party support included with all installations.
What is an Air Source Heat Pump?
Air-source heat pumps are a highly efficient heat source that can be utilised in modern heating systems to collect heat from the outside air and transfer it into your home.
The heat it transfers into your home is not created by burning fuel in the way a gas or oil boiler does. Instead, it uses a simple refrigerant cycle to absorb heat from outside air and transfers it into water that is then circulated around your home. This process even works when the outside temperature falls below freezing.
The most common system for whole home heating is an air-to-water heat pump. This transfers heat into water that circulates through radiators, underfloor heating or other heat emitters. It can also heat the water stored in a suitable hot-water cylinder.
The outdoor unit normally sits beside the property. Inside the home, the system includes an unvented mains pressure hot water cylinder, controls, pumps, valves and, depending on the design, a volumiser, buffer or hydraulic components.
A heat pump is not simply an outdoor boiler. It works completely differently, operates most efficiently at lower water temperatures and normally heats a property more steadily over longer periods.
How Do Air Source Heat Pumps Work?
A heat pump works through a continuous refrigeration cycle.
The outdoor unit draws air across a heat exchanger containing refrigerant. The refrigerant absorbs heat from the air and changes state. A compressor then raises the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant.
This higher-temperature energy passes through another heat exchanger, where it is transferred into the water circulating around the heating system. The refrigerant then reduces in pressure and temperature and the cycle again.
Although the heat pump uses electricity to run the compressor, fans, pumps and controls, it can transfer several units of heat into the home for each unit of electricity consumed, this is commonly referred to as the COP (Coefficient of Performance). A COP of 4 is equal to 400% efficiency ie for every 1kW of electricity used to run the system the home receives 4kW of heat energy.
The exact efficiency changes throughout the year. It is affected by:
- the outside temperature
- the heating-system flow temperature
- the condition and size of the radiators
- the quality of the system design
- the control settings
- the amount of hot water used
- how the household operates the heating
This seasonal change in efficiency is referred to as SCOP (Seasonal Coefficient Of Performance)
Modern systems generally use weather compensation. This adjusts the system flow temperature automatically according to the weather (specifically the outside temperature). During milder conditions, the heat pump will circulate lower flow temperatures and conversely when the outside temperature falls, it increases the flow temperature to meet the increased heating demand.
Is My Property Suitable for a Heat Pump?
Heat pumps can be installed successfully in many different property types, new, old, big and small. A home does not have to be a new-build, highly air tight design, have underfloor heating or be insulated to the latest construction standards to be suitable.
However, suitability cannot be decided from the age, size or Energy Performance Certificate rating of the property alone.
We assess several factors, including:
- the construction and exposed surfaces of the building
- existing insulation and glazing
- room dimensions and intended room temperatures
- available space for an outdoor unit and distance from neighbouring property
- hot-water requirements
- space for a suitable cylinder
- existing radiators or underfloor heating
- pipe sizes and heating system layout
- electrical supply capacity
- planning and property restrictions
- how the household currently uses its heating
A modern, well-insulated home may require a relatively small heat pump and limited radiator alterations. An older stone-built property may have a higher heat loss and require larger emitters, higher-capacity pipework or appropriate energy-efficiency improvements before a heat pump will be suitable (this is usually down to excessive running or installation costs)
We never use guesswork. The proposed system must be calculated and designed around the individual property.
Why Heat Pump Design Matters
Our team of highly trained and qualified heat pump engineers design each new system by hand with help of some very clever software that ensures the system design exceeds the MCS guidance. The quality and meticulousness of the system design is crucial for comfort, efficiency, noise, equipment life and running costs.
An undersized heat pump may struggle to meet the property’s heating demand during colder weather or rely on expensive supplementary electrical heating.
An unnecessarily oversized unit can cost more to install and may switch on and off more frequently than intended. This is known as cycling and can reduce efficiency and operational life o the unit due to excessive compressor starts.
The heat pump is only one part of the system. The radiators, pipework, pumps, controls, hot-water cylinder, water volume and hydraulic arrangement must all work together.
A sound design should answer the following questions:
- How much heat does each room lose during the design winter conditions?
- What flow temperature is required?
- Can each radiator provide the necessary output at that temperature?
- Can the existing pipework carry the required flow rate?
- Which heat pump can provide the required output at Edinburgh’s design conditions?
- Where can the outdoor unit operate safely and quietly?
- How much hot water does the household require?
- Is the electrical supply suitable?
- How will the controls maintain comfort without unnecessary energy use?
At Thermatek Heating we answer these questions before finalising the specification. The system we deliver is guaranteed to meet your expectations and we hope, exceed them.
Frequently Asked Questions
The total cost depends on the heat pump, cylinder, controls, radiators, pipework, electrical work and complexity of the installation.
We provide a written quotation as part of your proposal after surveying and designing the system. We do not advertise a headline price that assumes every property requires the same work.
Eligible owner-occupiers can currently apply for up to £7,500 of grant funding and an optional interest-free loan of up to £7,500 through the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan. A rural uplift may increase the grant to £9,000. Funding is subject to eligibility and must be approved before work starts.
Grant funding is claimed directly by the customer, at the point of booking your installation we will ask for a 25% booking deposit up to a maximum value of £4000 which is insured under HIES the consumer code body. On day one of the installation we then request a 50% advance and finally when the job is handed over to you and your happy with the work you’ll be sent you r final bill of either 25% or the remaining balance, whichever is greater.
They absolutely can work in older properties. Older properties often have a higher heat loss and may require larger radiators, pipework alterations or suitable energy-efficiency improvements ahead of the installation of a heat pump.
The correct answer depends on a detailed property and heating system assessment rather than the age of the house alone.
These details are all taken into account when we carry out your free home survey, if it’s determined that the installation of a heat pump isn’t suitable at that time we can offer some advice on steps.
It’s our aim to help as much as we can, by providing you with the necessary information you should be able to make an informed decision on next steps and crucially if its within your budget.
Not necessarily, however reducing avoidable heat loss can improve comfort, reduce the required system size, cost and lower energy consumption.
We will consider the existing construction and can identify where practical improvements may benefit the proposed design. It’s important to note that we can only calculate the heat loss for your property based on what measures are in place at the time of the survey so if you intend on making improvements to your home insulation we would recommend that these are done prior to our in- depth survey.
Not necessarily.
We calculate the heat required in each room and compare this with the output of the existing radiator at the proposed heat pump temperatures. Some radiators may be suitable, while others may need to be upgraded, in most cases we would recommend replacing the radiators as this provides warranty and reassurance that the system as a whole is new and free of corrosion which could cause issues later on.
Potentially, however the required water flow (flow rate), pipe sizes, lengths, layout and resistance must be assessed. Some microbore systems can be retained wholly or partly, while others require alterations.
If you think of flow rate as the systems way of delivering heat to each radiator. Microbore has a limited flow rate due to its small internal diameter. This means that only a limited amount of heat can be delivered to the radiator being supplied, this may not be an issue if for example it’s a small single panel radiator with short run of pipework. That said if it’s supplying a large double panel radiator we may not have sufficient heat being delivered to the radiator, resulting an excessive temperature drop across the panel and therefore the radiator would not meet the heat loss for the room and the home overall.
We can overcome this with additional components such as a buffer and a primary circulating pump capable of overcoming the loss of flow rate but often the cost of these additional components exceeds the cost of replacing the radiator supplies.
An air-to-water heat pump can heat a suitable hot-water cylinder as well as the central heating system. In fact this is a requirement if you plan to apply for the Home Energy Scotland grant and loan. Not All cylinders are created equal unfortunately, so the cylinder must be suitable and appropriately sized for the selected heat pump.
Heat pump compatible cylinders have a much larger coil surface area, this makes them more efficient at heating the water improving the recovery time over standard unvented hot water systems.
Most are fitted with electric immersions as well, the reason for this is to allow the cylinder to be heated to 60+ degrees during its legionella cycle, preventing the build up or growth of bacteria in the tank as we may opt to only heat the tank to a temperature around 50 degrees.
The cylinder size or volume is carefully matched with the heat pump, again this ensures that the recovery time (time to heat to the desired temperature) isn’t excessive.
This may sound trivial but in reality the heat pump cannot heat the tank and home at the same time, if the recovery time is excessive it may result in a drop in room temperature, especially in winter when heat losses are increased.
Yes, this type of system is referred to as a hybrid system. However, Scottish legislation around energy efficiency excludes hybrid from the grant and loan scheme through Home Energy Scotland. Hybrid systems can still be installed though but the homeowner will need to pay the full value of the installation with no assistance from the scheme.
This means space is normally needed for a suitable cylinder. We assess hot-water demand and available space before recommending a system. If hybrid is you only option we can discuss how that may look for you in terms of cost etc.
The outdoor unit contains a fan and compressor and will make some noise while operating. The level depends on the equipment and operating conditions. We consider manufacturer data, the proposed position, neighbouring properties and the applicable MCS noise assessment before providing a cost, so you’ll be made aware of any noise issues before the project gets started.
Newer units are getting increasingly quiet with many new units being accredited with the quiet mark.
My own heat pump is approximately 43dB under max load, this is about as loud as a quiet library.
Anti-vibration feet mean that no vibration is transmitted from the unit to your building fabric so in almost every case even if the unit is installed under a window it cannot be heard running inside.
Many Scottish domestic installations can qualify as permitted development, but restrictions apply. Listed buildings, World Heritage Site properties, conservation areas, flats and certain unit positions need particular care. Formal confirmation should be obtained from the relevant planning authority where required.
If you think there may be an issue , we would always recommend that you check as we don’t take any responsibility for notifying local authorities or obtaining planning permission although we can advise if we feel it may be required.
It may be possible, but flats can present additional planning, noise, outdoor-space, pipe-route and ownership issues. Consent may be required from the planning authority, factor and co-owners.
If everyone in your building would like to install air to water heat pumps then a form of district heating may be suitable, this is where everyone shares the common heat source and use is metered. Everyone is then charged according to their usage. These systems are complex and can be difficult to manage with multiple owners likely having to pay communal fees for maintenance and repair of the system.
Careful planning and formal agreements would be required from each owner.
Yes, its a common misconception that heat pumps don’t work well when is below zero. There is still sufficient heat energy in the outside air below 0°C to change the state of the refrigerant gas in the outdoor unit.
The heat pump’s capacity and efficiency change as the temperature falls, which is why it must be selected using performance data at the local design conditions.
With older models and some manufacturers, the badge output despite being, for example 10kW, may have only been 7kW when the temperature drops below 0°C. In newer units the badge output is much more accurate. This ensures that regardless of outside temperature, if the heat pump is appropriately sized using the correct methodology, the heat loss the building will always be met under design conditions.
Your electricity consumption will increase, yes. This is because the heat pump replaces heating previously supplied by gas, oil or another fuel. Your overall heating cost depends on the system performance, electricity tariff, previous fuel, heat demand and how the system is used.
One of the factors used to determine if a heat pump is suitable for your property is an energy cost comparison. Roughly speaking this estimates the SCOP (Seasonal Coefficient Of Performance) of the heat pump and compares it to the estimated efficiency of the current heating system along with an estimated annual energy requirement. This allows us to estimate how much the two comparative systems will cost to heat your home. We’ll share this with you in your proposal so you can see how much you’re likely to spend heating your home and hot water.
Unfortunately no.
We can provide estimates using reasonable assumptions, but weather, energy prices, occupancy, hot-water use, temperature settings and actual system operation cannot be guaranteed.
SCOP is the Seasonal Coefficient of Performance. It is a calculated indication of how much useful heat a heat pump provides in relation to its electrical consumption over a defined heating season. It is useful for comparison but is not a guarantee of in-home performance.
Simply put, if you have a SCOP of 4.5 then can assume that for every kW of electricity used by the heat pump 4.5kW of useful heat energy is being transferred into your home.
Heat pumps generally work best by maintaining a relatively steady temperature rather than repeatedly heating a cold property with short, high-temperature bursts. The best schedule depends on the home and occupancy, and we configure the controls during commissioning.
You can of course choose to run your system as you see fit but we would highly recommend that you keep it as close to the settings that we program as possible. We can alter temperatures in specific rooms if you like, we can simply install a thermostatic radiator valve to reduce the temperature of the space.
Yes, this is actually one of my favourite questions we get asked. I’m very passionate about solar PV and they work amazingly well with a heat pump.
Solar panels can supply some (or all if your lucky enough to have a great orientation and a large enough roof surface) of the electricity used by a heat pump, although solar generation is generally lower during the coldest and darkest parts of winter.
The financial benefit depends on when electricity is generated and consumed.
The use of home batteries enables you to store energy when you generate or over the winter when generation is lower, charge when electricity is cheap and discharge when its at it’s peak.
I’m lucky enough to have solar pv, batteries and a heat pump in my own home. This allows me to purchase electricity at the cheapest rate three times per day and either export my surplus back to the grid or even discharge my batteries to the grid if I choose to. This allows my heat pump to use as much energy as it needs to heat my water and home from the stored electricity in my batteries further reducing running costs.
Annual servicing is generally recommended and may be required by the manufacturer’s warranty. It ensures that the system, controls, water condition and outdoor unit are running efficiently and safely.
Servicing is also helpful to pick up on faults or issues before they become bigger and more costly to repair.
Most domestic projects take 3-5 working days, but the duration depends on radiator changes, pipework, cylinder installation, electrical work and access. We will explain the anticipated programme in the proposal and keep you up to date with any changes to the schedule.
MCS-certified contractors work to applicable requirements covering design, installation, commissioning and documentation. MCS provides assurances and oversight to consumers, they act as an intermediary if you have a complaint that we cannot resolve directly. The redesigned scheme keeps installers up to date with current regs and industry standards along with a code of ethics and customer treatment. More information on the service that MCS offers is available from the MCS website.
MCS certification is also commonly required for government-backed heat-pump funding.
Our Accreditations
