Heat pump vs gas boiler: an honest comparison for Surrey homes
Heat pumps are not right for every property, and anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something. Here is how we actually assess it when we survey a home around Camberley, Frimley or Bagshot.
A gas boiler produces water at 65-75°C. A heat pump is happiest at 35-45°C. That lower flow temperature is where the efficiency comes from, but it also means your emitters have to give up the same heat over a larger surface. In practice that means bigger radiators or underfloor heating in some rooms.
Insulation matters more than the heat source. A well-insulated 1990s semi will run beautifully on a heat pump. A solid-wall Victorian property with single glazing will need work first, or it will simply cost more to heat regardless of the technology.
Where heat pumps win outright: new builds, well-insulated homes, properties off the gas grid currently running oil or LPG, and anyone wanting cooling in summer from the same system.
Where a boiler may still be the pragmatic answer: poorly insulated period properties where the fabric upgrades are not viable yet, or homes with no sensible external location for an outdoor unit.
We will always give you the heat loss figures and let you make the call. If a heat pump is the wrong fit for your house today, we will say so.