What does a heat pump actually do and how does it work?

Written By Lynnette Ellison

Let’s keep this simple. A heat pump heats your home and your hot water. It runs on electricity instead of gas, and if you’ve got the right system for your house, it does the job quietly, efficiently, and all year round.

That’s the short version. But you’re probably here for the slightly longer one - so let’s crack on.

The ‘fridge-in-reverse’ explanation

We get it: “heat pump” sounds like something invented in a lab that needs a PowerPoint to explain. But the basic idea is surprisingly straightforward.

A heat pump takes warmth from the air outside your home and uses it to heat the inside. Yes, even when it’s chilly out. (There’s always some heat in the air - and the clever tech inside the pump knows how to pinch it.)

It’s a bit like your fridge, but backwards. Instead of taking heat out and pushing cold air in, it’s taking heat in and pushing it around your radiators or underfloor heating. It’s not burning fuel to create heat - it’s just moving existing warmth around in a smart way.

No burning gas, no wizardry. Just a smart bit of physics.

“But will it work in my house?”

Yeah, we hear you. And it’s a great question. Because no two homes are the same - and heat pumps aren’t one-size-fits-all.

The key is proper sizing and a proper install. When done right, a heat pump will keep you toasty in winter and deliver hot water for everything from your morning shower to the washing up.

The problem is, there are a lot of rushed installs happening out there. We’ve seen cases where systems were too small, the pipework was uninsulated, or controls were left on factory default settings - leading to poor performance. The result? Bills that are higher than they should be, or homes that don’t quite get warm enough.

That’s why it matters who fits it. This isn’t like swapping out a boiler. You need someone who knows what they’re doing. Ideally someone who’s been doing it for a while, not someone who “added it to the list” last year.

The money bit

Done right, a heat pump can significantly lower your energy bills - especially if you’re switching from oil, LPG or an old gas boiler. Add in a smart tariff and maybe even some solar panels, and you’re laughing.

There are also government grants that help cover the cost of install -= but that’s a topic for another day.

TL;DR

You’re busy, so here’s a super-short summary. A heat pump:

  • Heats your home and your water

  • Runs on electricity, not gas

  • Moves heat instead of generating it

  • Works all year round

  • Doesn’t need fancy diagrams to explain (although we do quite like doing them if asked!)

It's a clever bit of kit. But more importantly — when fitted properly — it works.

If you want to know anything else about heat pumps (like whether that fridge analogy really holds up), feel free to drop a question in the comments. We’re always up for a chat about how this stuff really works. (Fancy diagrams still optional!)



Lynnette Ellison