-
Heat pumps are a more cost effective means of converting paid-for-energy into heat energy than boilers. (full stop).
That depends entirely on the ratio of electricity to gas prices. If you can get a cheap electricity deal and a good system COP (which means low flow temperatures) you might break even on operating costs.
grams-
In 18 years of heat pump installations I have yet to have a client who did not have reduced OpEx compared to their previous system. That includes lots of retrofits in old leaky buildings using 55degC flow temperatures for radiators.
If you've got a heat pump installation that's only breaking even on OpEx you need to have a word with your installer because they haven't done a very good job.
-
Even if you're on a bog standard OFGEM price cap tariff, a modern condensing boiler commonly operates at way above condensing flow temps (~55degC), causing efficiency to plummet to under 80%.
A good ASHP install should give you a SCoP of ~3.5. All other things being equal, you'll see bill parity between condensing gas boiler and ASHP.
If you use a 'smart' leccy tariff like Octopus Tracker or Agile, your ASHP bills will be cut by ~25% with zero effort.
My sister in law's about to get an Octopus ASHP system fitted to replace their fucked ancient combi boiler in an un-renovated Victorian house for £2K all-in (post-grant obvs), with a 'guaranteed' SCoP of 3. This is MUCH cheaper than any of the quotes they had to just replace the combi like for like (£4K was the cheapest, for a shit model of boiler).
Nahguavkire
ectoplasmosis
I'm finding it hard to get my head around the conversation about heat pumps not suiting specific types of house conversation.
I've installed heat pumps in buildings built as far back as 1715. I've also installed heat pumps in shitty60s and 70s builds.
Heat pumps are a more cost effective means of converting paid-for-energy into heat energy than boilers. (full stop).
If your house is an inefficient, poorly insulated disaster then it's equally as inefficient at retaining the heat generated by a boiler as it is the heat generated by a heat pump.
Yes heat pumps are more efficient at lower operating temperatures and save more money which in turn improves your ROI but that doesn't mean you don't make savings at higher temperatures.
Yes they're expensive to install but in most cases that is actually caused by additional works and upgrades required at the same time such as switching from an unvented DHW system to a pressurised system. The capital cost is certainly higher than replacing your existing boiler but it's almost never a like-for-like swap.
Lastly, even though they are a more expensive up front cost you are adding value to your home. Typically a good heat pump installation, even domestic, should last for 10-15years and at that point the infrastructural works have been done to make a future replacement easy.
Think of it as when your folks (or grandfolks) first got in central heating all those years ago... it was a massive infrastructural upgrade to a house which then had numerous repairs and upgrades over the years... switching to a heat pump now is the same thing, albeit probably less costly and invasive than completely replumbing your home.