Heat Pumps

If you are retrofitting your home, you will be considering sustainable heating provision, and you may have decided to install a Heat Pump, which are significantly cheaper to operate than direct electric heating. This page provides information on possible heat pump solutions.

There are two main types of Heat Pump, Air-Source Heat Pumps and Ground-Source Heat Pumps, although Water-Source Heat Pumps are also available. 

Air-Source Heat Pump 

  • extracts warmth from the air
  • is a box that can be fitted to an exterior wall or a roof or installed to stand alone
  • more practical to install than other types

Ground-Source Heat Pump

  • extracts warmth from the ground
  • needs a generous level of outside space where it is buried under the soil
  • can be installed by piling, which requires less space
  • location dependant

Water-Source Heat Pump

  • extracts warmth from lakes or rivers
  • location dependant 
     

Permitted Development Rights

Permitted Development Rights are subject to a number of conditions, and we would advise that you seek confirmation from the Planning Department at East Herts to check if Planning Permission is required prior to any purchase or installation. If your building is a Listed Building, you may require Listed Building Consent for installing a Heat Pump or other retrofit proposals. Please visit our planning pages for more information. 

The Interactive House on the Planning Portal is another useful source of information. 
 

Noise 

We have a duty through the National Planning Policy Framework paragraph 191(a) to protect amenity and a duty to prevent a statutory nuisance by the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Noise characteristics such as Tonality (differing noise) and intermittency of noise can be more noticeable against the existing noise environment upon installation. Our colleagues in Environmental Health have developed noise calculator guidance and a noise rating calculator to assist prior to submitting a planning application. 

Installations 

We always recommend using an accredited qualified installer. Heat Pumps do require regular maintenance, as you would on any traditional boiler system, so you need to follow the guidance from the manufacturer. In doing so you will ensure that your Heat Pump will run efficiently and effectively, and you will ensure its longevity. To learn more about Heat Pumps, you can hear directly from heat pump owners and see one in action by visiting a heat pump near you. Find out more on the 'Visit a heat pump' website.

For further detailed information on Heat Pumps please read our information document.
 

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