Best Heating System for My Home – Heating System Recommender
Not sure which heating system is right for your property? Our free Best Heating System for My Home recommender compares different heating technologies based on your home and priorities.
Answer a few questions about your property, available space and what matters most to you. The tool will compare suitable options and explain their advantages and disadvantages.
If you have already used our Home Heat Loss Calculator, your estimated heating requirement can help produce a more useful recommendation.
Find the best low-bill heating system for your home
Your heat-loss result sets the starting system size and price. Each answer below then changes cost, availability or ranking.
Your heating requirement
This controls the capacity-price band before any other extras are added.
Current heating & grant questions
BUS eligibility and the temporary off-gas uplift depend on these answers.
Hot water & existing heating
This will show a hot-water cylinder, a loft/header tank and a gas combi boiler side by side.
Space & access
Electricity supply
This will be clearer with a labelled example of single-phase and three-phase arrangements.
What matters to you?
Current heating cost, savings & finance
Enter what you use and spend now. We will compare useful heat, estimated heat-pump electricity, annual saving and whether that saving could repay the post-grant installation cost.
These two values are needed for running-cost and payback estimates.
Backup, budget & final result
How does the heating system recommender work?
There is no single heating system that suits every home. Property size, insulation, available land and your existing heating system can all affect the best choice.
Your priorities matter too. You may want low running costs, a small installation, quiet operation or the ability to cool your home in summer.
Our recommender considers these factors and compares the available technologies.
Which heating systems does it compare?
The recommender can compare several types of low-carbon heating.
Air-to-water heat pumps extract heat from outside air and transfer it to a wet central-heating system. They can be suitable for many homes with radiators or underfloor heating.
Air-to-air heat pumps provide warm air directly to rooms. Many systems can also provide air conditioning during hot weather.
Ground-source heat pumps extract heat from the ground. They can provide excellent efficiency but normally require a borehole or sufficient land for a horizontal ground loop.
Water-source heat pumps use a suitable nearby water source as their source of heat. They are less widely applicable because the property needs access to an appropriate body of water.
What factors determine the best heating system for my home?
The right system depends on more than the size of your house. Insulation, existing radiators, available outdoor space and your local environment can all make a difference.
Installation cost is also important. Some systems cost more initially but may offer lower running costs or a longer working life.
The recommender considers these factors to help narrow down your options.
Do I need to know my home’s heat loss?
You don’t necessarily need a heat-loss figure to use the recommender. However, knowing your approximate peak heating requirement can make comparisons more useful.
Use our Home Heat Loss Calculator to estimate your property’s peak heat loss in kilowatts (kW).
Can the recommender replace professional advice?
No. The results provide an initial comparison of heating technologies rather than a final heating-system design.
Before installing a heat pump or making major changes to your heating system, ask a qualified professional to assess your property and calculate its heating requirements.