Teesside heat pump FAQs
The questions Teesside homeowners actually ask before committing to an air source heat pump, answered with numbers: costs, the £7,500 grant, running costs against gas, radiators, noise, and the houses where a heat pump is the wrong call.
Straight answers on air source heat pumps across Teesside. If your question is not here, ask directly or put the property details in the quote form.
Costs and grants
What does a heat pump cost in Teesside in 2026?
£8,000 to £14,000 installed before funding for a typical three-bed, with the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant deducted from that. Hybrids £7,000 to £12,000, like-for-like replacements £6,000 to £10,000, servicing £150 to £300 a year.
How does the £7,500 actually reach me?
It never passes through your hands. The MCS certified installer applies to Ofgem, the voucher is issued against your property, and the grant is taken off the invoice you pay.
Is the survey charged for?
A standalone heat loss survey and design is £150 to £300, and that amount is deducted from the installation price if you go ahead. Quotes themselves are free.
Are there other funding routes?
Low-income households can sometimes have a heating upgrade funded through ECO4 rather than BUS, and the two cannot be claimed for the same measure. Which route fits is established before any application is submitted.
Running costs and performance
Will it be cheaper to run than gas?
On a well designed system running at 35 to 45 degrees flow, a heat pump returns three to four units of heat for each unit of electricity, which beats gas on current 2026 tariffs for most homes. Designed lazily at 55 degrees on a leaky house, it will not.
Do heat pumps work in cold weather?
Yes. Teesside design temperatures sit around minus 2 to minus 3 degrees, and modern units produce full output well below that. Efficiency dips on the coldest days, which is exactly what the sizing calculation accounts for.
Do I have to leave it on all the time?
Steady low-temperature operation with a long heating period suits a heat pump far better than two short blasts a day. Most households end up with gentler, more even heat rather than a hot-then-cold cycle.
How noisy is the outdoor unit?
Typically 40 to 50 decibels at one metre, comparable to a fridge in the next room. Siting is also a permitted development condition, so distance from the boundary is designed in rather than guessed.
Your house, honestly assessed
Will my radiators cope?
Some will, some will not. Two or three upsized emitters is normal on a Teesside semi; a microbore terrace may need more pipework attention. The survey lists every room with its calculated output.
Can a Victorian terrace take a heat pump?
Often yes, once the loft is insulated and draughts are dealt with. Where solid walls cannot practically be insulated, a hybrid system keeping the gas boiler for the coldest weeks is usually the sensible answer.
What if there is no room for a cylinder?
That is one of the genuine dealbreakers. Roughly 60cm by 60cm plus headroom is needed, in an airing cupboard, loft or garage. Where no location exists, the honest recommendation is not to proceed.
Do I need planning permission?
Most installations fall under permitted development in England when the siting, size and noise conditions are met. Conservation areas and listed buildings, including parts of Saltburn and Yarm, need checking case by case.