What is Hybrid Heating system?
A hybrid heating system is a home heating setup that combines a traditional gas or oil boiler with a heat pump. The system intelligently switches between the two heat sources depending on factors like the outside temperature and your home’s heating needs. By automatically selecting the most efficient option, hybrid systems help maintain comfort while optimising energy use.
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Why choose Hybrid heating?
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20 million UK homes could already benefit from hybrid heating.
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Reduce your footprint^
Use less gas at home with hybrid heating.
What are the two types of heat pumps?
Air source heat pumps use fans to extract outside air into an outdoor unit. Using refrigerants, this air is compressed to increase its temperature which can then be used to heat your home. You might think that the British weather isn’t exactly suited to this method, but modern air source heat pumps can still produce heat from outdoor temperatures as low as -15 degrees Celsius.
Ground source heat pumps work in a similar way, but instead of fans extracting air from above ground, they use pipes to extract warmth from under the ground. The temperature below ground is generally warmer and is more stable all year round. This warmth is compressed, its temperature boosted, and heat released into your home in the same way as air source heat pumps.
Most hybrid heating systems use air source heat pumps because it’s much cheaper to install an outdoor fan unit to extract air, than it is to excavate your garden to sink ground source pipes. It’s also more common to use air source heat pumps because, on the few occasions when the outside air is too cold for them to deliver enough heating, the boiler half of your system picks up the slack.
Is my home suitable for a hybrid heat pump system?
Most homes are suitable for air source heat pump installation, and therefore a hybrid heating system. The main considerations are the fact that there will be an outdoor unit visible from the outside of your property, and that the fans will generate low levels of noise when the unit is running. Air source heat pumps are also usually exempt from planning permission, so you won’t need to jump through any hoops to get them installed.
Heat pumps also work best in properties with good insulation. For older buildings, you will benefit from double glazing, cavity wall insulation, and loft insulation improvements. For new build homes, you’re normally good to go.
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What should you know about the cost of a hybrid heating system?
Hybrid heating systems are designed to deliver long-term benefits. The overall installation will depend on whether you're adding both a new boiler and heat pump, or integrating with an existing system.
While installation may be more involved than fitting a standard boiler, it's typically more straightforward than installing a heat pump on its own. Factors such as your current setup and any adjustments needed will affect the process.
Because heat pumps can deliver more heat than the energy they consume, hybrid systems can help reduce energy use over time. By automatically switching between heat sources, they work efficiently to maintain comfort and manage running costs.
You can’t put a price on feeling good about a more environmentally friendly home
Don’t forget that, just like with any other heating solution, the costs of hybrid heating will vary based on the size and needs of your home. For newer, smaller homes which are well insulated and only have one bathroom – the installation and ongoing costs will be much lower than an older family home with higher heating demands and lower insulation quality.
Hybrid heating systems and underfloor heating
Heat pumps work best when operating at consistent low temperatures, rather than being switched on and off to boost the temperature of your home. This makes them perfectly suited to underfloor heating, which is usually more efficient than radiators and can keep your home at a comfortable temperature all year round. That doesn’t mean you won’t still see savings in your energy bills and carbon footprint if you use radiators though, hybrid heating systems work brilliantly with radiators. You just need to make sure you have the right type and size of radiators to get the most out of your heat pump.
But wait, aren’t gas boilers being banned?
No, don’t worry, they’re not. Despite all the rumours, gas boilers aren’t going to be banned in 2025. If you buy one now and install it as part of your hybrid heating system, you’ll be able to use it until the end of its life. A hybrid heating system is designed to be futureproof, giving you the perfect mix between the longstanding reliability and convenience of gas boilers and low carbon responsible technologies like heat pumps.
To find out more about hybrid heating systems, including the way they work, the costs involved, and the process for getting one installed in your home, visit our Hybrid Heating page.
^A hybrid heat pump system when running emits less carbon dioxide compared to only using a gas or oil boiler.
- Energy Saving Trust
- Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, Hybrid Heat Pumps, December 2017