The research conducted by Octopus Energy found the vast majority of households (86 percent) reported their heat pump kept them as warm as they wanted during the bitter cold snap in early January. Almost two thirds (63 percent) of former gas boiler users reported that their heat pump made their home more comfortable. Additionally, 83 percent of all surveyed said they would recommend switching to a heat pump to friends and family.
As heat pumps become more mainstream, it’s important that they perform as well as or better than their gas boiler counterparts. Not only do they perform better, but thanks to the £7,500 grant from the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), the costs of getting a heat pump are now on par with a new gas boiler. Dedicated smart tariffs mean heat pumps are also cheaper to run than gas boilers. Octopus’ ‘Cosy Octopus’ tariff can save heat pump customers £315 a year on heating costs compared to gas boiler customers on a standard tariff.
This is supported by the data found in the survey, with two thirds (69 percent) of heat pump users reporting their heat pump was the same cost or cheaper to run than their previous gas boiler.
To further drive down running costs, the government is currently considering moving environmental and social levies off electricity. This would help the country fully commit to electrification and accelerate the uptake of heat pumps by bringing prices of cleaner energy down.
“As temperatures plummeted, heat pump performance soared” said Alex Schoch, Global Director of Clean Tech at Octopus Energy at Octopus Energy. “This survey confirms what customers tell us every day: heat pumps are just as good if not better at keeping their houses cosy, and our innovative tariffs mean they’re better for wallets too. Even when snow and sleet were dumped across the UK, heat pumps remained robust and proved themselves as a cost-effective alternative to gas boilers.”
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