The hybrid heat pump: who is it right for?

Going fully gas-free is a big step for many homes, especially when insulation is not yet perfect. The hybrid heat pump is a logical intermediate step: it takes over most of the heating and lets the boiler assist on cold days. The result is typically a gas saving of sixty to seventy percent.

How a hybrid setup works

The hybrid heat pump extracts heat from the outside air and uses it to heat the central-heating water. On most days of the year that is sufficient. Only in severe cold or with high hot-water demand does the existing boiler kick in. You keep the comfort of the boiler, while the heat pump does the lion's share of the work on electricity instead of gas.

Which homes it suits

For very poorly insulated homes, insulating first is wiser: otherwise the boiler still runs often and the saving disappoints.

• Homes with reasonable basic insulation: think double glazing and an insulated roof or floor; perfect insulation is not required.
• Homes with a boiler not yet due for replacement; the hybrid works alongside it.
• Owners who want to cut gas use and CO2 without a full renovation.
• Situations where the meter cupboard and outdoor space allow an outdoor unit.

What it does for label and wallet

In the NTA8800 calculation an efficient heat generator counts heavily; a hybrid heat pump therefore often delivers one or more label steps. Combined with ISDE subsidy and the gas saving, the payback time is attractive in many cases.

Whether a hybrid heat pump is the best step in your situation, and which capacity fits, follows from a calculation of the home. That prevents both an undersized installation that saves too little and an oversized one that is needlessly expensive.