🌡️ Heat Pump Savings
Would a heat pump cost me less to run?
A heat pump delivers three or so units of heat for every unit of electricity it uses. Since electricity costs roughly three times what gas does per unit, whether it saves you money comes down to a single number — the seasonal efficiency it actually achieves in your house.
Figures reviewed September 2026. Free, no signup, nothing stored on our servers.
What this means
The comparison is made on delivered heat, not on fuel. Your current spend is converted into the useful heat your house actually needs — accounting for the fact that a boiler wastes some of what it burns — and the heat pump is then costed to deliver exactly the same amount.
SCOP is the whole argument. At 3.2 in a well-insulated house with large emitters, a heat pump beats an oil boiler comfortably. At 2.2 in an unimproved house with small radiators, the arithmetic at Irish electricity prices can go the other way — and the table above shows exactly where the crossover is for your numbers.
The fabric cost is the line most quotes omit. A heat pump on its own may be €14,000–18,000 installed; the insulation, emitters and cylinder work needed to make it perform can cost as much again. Budget for the whole job or the payback figure is fiction.
What affects the result
- SCOP, which depends on insulation, emitter size and how the system is set up and run.
- The electricity tariff. A night-rate or smart tariff with a well-controlled system changes the sums.
- What you heat with now. Replacing an old oil boiler is a far stronger case than replacing a new gas one.
- How well insulated the house is, which sets both the heat demand and the achievable SCOP.
- Whether radiators need replacing. Heat pumps run at lower flow temperatures and need more surface area.
- The SEAI grant, and whether the house qualifies for it.
Would a heat pump cost me less to run?
The order to do things in
Attic and wall insulation first, because they are cheap, grant-aided and reduce the heat demand the pump has to meet. Then the emitters and controls. Then the heat pump. The home energy upgrade tool ranks all of these by payback against your own heating bill, and insulation usually comes out on top by a wide margin.
Checking a heat pump quote
Ask what SCOP the installer is assuming and what it is based on; ask whether the price includes emitters, cylinder and controls; and ask who carries out the technical assessment. Run the total through the quote checker, and get three quotes on the same specification.
Pairing with solar
A heat pump turns your heating bill into an electricity bill, which changes the case for solar PV — more of the generation gets used in the house rather than exported. The two are usually better considered together than separately.
Important assumptions
Every figure on this page rests on these. Where one does not match your situation, the answer moves — sometimes a great deal.
- Annual heat demand is derived from your spend, your fuel price and your boiler efficiency. It is an estimate — a BER assessment measures it properly.
- Energy content used: kerosene 10.3 kWh per litre, LPG 7.1 kWh per litre, natural gas billed directly in kWh.
- Heat pump electricity use is heat demand divided by SCOP, at a flat electricity rate with no night-rate benefit.
- Grant amounts change. Enter the current SEAI figure rather than relying on the default.
- Maintenance and servicing costs are not included on either side.
- No account is taken of the comfort difference, which most people report as significant, or of the BER improvement.
Official sources
Where this tool applies a published rule, this is where the rule comes from. Check the source before acting on anything that matters.
- SEAI — Heat Pump Systems Grant
Current grant amounts, the technical assessment requirement, and the conditions a house must meet.
- SEAI — Heat pump technical assessment
What the mandatory assessment checks and why heat loss has to be addressed before a heat pump is installed.
- SEAI — Building Energy Rating
How to get a measured assessment of your home's heat demand rather than an estimate from a fuel bill.
Common questions
Are heat pumps cheaper to run than oil in Ireland?
Usually, in a house that has been insulated to the standard SEAI requires. Oil delivers about 10.3 kWh per litre at roughly 85% boiler efficiency; a heat pump at SCOP 3.2 delivers 3.2 kWh of heat per kWh of electricity. Run your own figures above — the answer depends on your fuel price, your electricity price and the SCOP your house can support.
What SCOP should I assume?
Between 2.8 and 3.5 is realistic for a well-specified Irish installation in an upgraded house. Manufacturer figures are measured under laboratory conditions and are routinely higher than what a real house achieves. If a quote assumes above 4, ask what it is based on.
Do I need to insulate before installing a heat pump?
Almost always, and SEAI requires a technical assessment to confirm the house meets a heat loss standard before it will grant one. This is not bureaucracy — a heat pump in a leaky house runs at a low efficiency, costs more than the boiler it replaced, and struggles to keep the house warm.
Will I need new radiators?
Often. Heat pumps run at lower flow temperatures than boilers, so they need more emitter surface area to deliver the same heat. Underfloor heating suits them best; existing radiators may need to be larger. A proper quote includes this, and a cheap quote is often cheap because it does not.
What to check next
Which energy upgrade is worth doing first?
Attic, walls, windows, heating and solar ranked by estimated saving against cost.
Home Energy UpgradeNewWill solar panels pay for themselves?
Generation, self-consumption, export income and payback over 10, 15 and 20 years.
Solar Payback CalculatorPopularAm I paying too much for electricity?
Compare Irish electricity and gas tariffs on net first-year cost, not headline rate.
Energy Switch ComparisonNewWhat will this renovation cost?
Benchmark ranges for Irish kitchens, bathrooms, extensions, attics, roofs and more.
Renovation Cost EstimatorNext steps across CheckIreland
Picked for what you just worked out — not a list of everything we make.
- Do the fabric firstSEAI requires a heat loss assessment for a reason — a heat pump in a leaky house can cost more to run than the boiler.
- They work better togetherA heat pump moves heating onto the electricity bill, which is exactly what solar reduces.
- What grants are availableSEAI amounts change and they are a large share of the net cost.
CheckIreland is independent and is not affiliated with the Irish Government or any public body. This tool is general information built on published rules and typical costs — it is not financial, tax or legal advice, and it does not account for your individual circumstances. Confirm anything that matters with the relevant body or a qualified adviser before acting on it.