Do heat pumps work well in winter?
Air source heat pumps keep homes warm all year round. But how? In this article, we explain how heat pumps work in winter, how efficient they are, and our top tips for keeping your home cosy at this time of year.
How do heat pumps work in cold weather?
Heat pumps work by drawing air into a unit which is mounted outside your home. This air passes over a refrigerant, and is compressed to raise its temperature. Then, this heat energy is transferred to your home’s heating and hot water system.
The refrigerant within a heat pump has an extremely low boiling point of -52°C. This means that if the outside air is above this temperature, some heat energy can be captured and transferred inside your home. With average winter temperatures in the UK hovering around 2-7°C, this is easy to achieve. Our heat pumps will be able to keep your home warm in temperatures down to -15°C.
How efficient are heat pumps in winter?
Good Energy heat pumps achieve an average year-round efficiency (SCOP) of around 360%. Like any heating system, performance shifts with the seasons – they work most efficiently in summer, when demand is lower, and use more energy in winter, when colder weather means your home needs more heating.
Heat pump energy consumption can vary day-by-day in the winter depending on how cold it is outside. Fluctuations in winter energy use reflect the weather, not the efficiency of the heat pump. In fact, around 80% of a heat pump’s annual energy use happens between October and March, mirroring the seasonal pattern of a traditional gas boiler.
Air source heat pump efficiency in winter
“It’s 3 degrees outside. My heat pump used 24 kWh to keep my two bedroom home warm for a day.” Alex
“It’s -5 degrees outside. My heat pump used 57 kWh to keep my four bedroom home warm for a day.” Max
How to get the best from your heat pump in winter?
Your heat pump is built to keep your home warm all year, but a few simple steps can make it run even more smoothly in colder months:
- Bleed your radiators once a year to release trapped air and improve heat circulation.
- Check system pressure and top up if it drops too low, so heating and hot water keep flowing.
- Clean filters regularly to prevent blockages that reduce efficiency.
- Run your heat pump steadily at lower temperatures rather than switching it on and off, for consistent comfort and efficiency.
- Keep your doors and windows shut to stop your heat being wasted and your heat pump going into energy saving ‘setback’ mode.
These maintenance tips will help keep your home cosy and your system efficient. If you’d like simple instructions for each step above, click here.
“Our air source heat pump makes our home permanently comfortable. We absolutely love returning to a lovely warm house – which is such a contrast to our days with an oil-powered boiler.”
– Paul, Oxfordshire
“We were a bit worried about replacing our heating system in the middle of winter. Thankfully, Good Energy were very considerate about how they scheduled the work so that we were not without heating or hot water for any length of time.”
– Jon and Claire, Wiltshire
Can you install a heat pump in winter?
Our expert team installs heat pumps all year round. We recommend getting in touch before the frost if you can, so you can enjoy a cosy home all winter long. If your installation does take place in the colder months, we’ll make sure you stay comfortable. Our engineers install your hot water cylinder quickly so you’re not without hot water, and we provide temporary electric radiators to keep your home warm during the installation process.
From frosty mornings to chilly evenings, a Good Energy heat pump keeps comfort constant – without fossil fuels.
