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The way we heat our homes is changing. At Hopkins Homes, we are committed to creating high-quality, future-ready homes that are comfortable to live in, economical to run and thoughtfully designed for modern life.

As part of this approach, many of our new homes are fitted with Vaillant air source heat pumps: a lower-carbon alternative to traditional gas or oil heating systems.

While the technology may feel unfamiliar at first, air source heat pumps are designed to provide reliable heating and hot water throughout the year. Here, we explain how they work, the benefits they offer and what living with one means day to day.

What is an air source heat pump?

An air source heat pump is an energy-efficient system that heats your home and provides hot water by drawing warmth from the outside air.

It works a little like a refrigerator in reverse. Rather than removing heat from inside, it collects naturally occurring heat from outdoors and increases it to a temperature that can be used throughout your home.

This heat can then supply radiators, underfloor heating and hot water. Because the system transfers heat rather than creating it by burning fuel, it can use considerably less energy than a traditional heating system.

Vaillant air source heat pumps are designed to operate efficiently throughout the seasons, including during colder winter weather.

Steady warmth throughout your home

Air source heat pumps work slightly differently from traditional boilers. Instead of producing short bursts of intense heat, they provide a gentler and more consistent level of warmth over longer periods.

This helps your home maintain a comfortable temperature throughout the day, without the noticeable rises and falls often associated with conventional heating.

The Vaillant systems installed in Hopkins homes can operate at flow temperatures of up to 75°C, supporting strong performance while continuing to work efficiently.

Many of our homes with air source heat pumps also feature underfloor heating to the ground floor. By gently warming each room from the floor upwards, this creates an even and comfortable temperature across the living space.

Without radiators on the ground floor, rooms can also feel more open and flexible, giving you greater freedom when positioning furniture and planning your interiors.

Reliable hot water for everyday living

Your air source heat pump provides hot water for baths, showers and everyday household use, as well as heating your home.

A dedicated hot water cylinder stores water ready for when it is needed, supporting the demands of family life even when several taps, showers or baths are being used.

The system’s higher flow temperatures also support safe hot water delivery without relying heavily on electric back-up heating.

Energy efficiency that could help reduce running costs

Vaillant air source heat pumps are designed to operate with a high level of efficiency. Across the year, they can provide more than five units of heat for each unit of electricity used.

Depending on how your home is used and the electricity tariff you choose, this can help to reduce overall energy consumption and household heating costs.

The system can also work alongside other energy-saving technology, including solar panels and smart electricity tariffs, helping homeowners make greater use of lower-cost electricity where available.

Independent research referenced within our homeowner guide also indicates that new-build homes can be around 21% cheaper to run than older properties, potentially saving homeowners more than £420 each year on their energy bills.

Combined with modern insulation and construction methods, an energy-efficient new home can also produce considerably fewer household carbon emissions than an older property.

A lower-carbon approach to heating

Unlike a traditional boiler, an air source heat pump does not burn gas or oil inside the home.

This helps reduce the carbon emissions associated with heating and hot water, while also supporting the UK’s wider transition away from fossil fuels.

Living in a gas-free home may also mean there is no gas standing charge, no requirement for an annual gas safety inspection and no risk of carbon monoxide being produced by the heating system.

As more electricity is generated from renewable sources, the environmental benefits of heat pump technology are expected to increase further.

Designed for cold weather

It is understandable to wonder whether a system that draws heat from the air will still work during the colder months.

Vaillant air source heat pumps are designed and tested to operate reliably in outside temperatures as low as −25°C. Even when the weather is freezing, there is still heat energy in the air for the system to collect and use.

Heat pumps are already widely used in colder European countries, including Norway and Sweden, where they provide dependable heating through demanding winter conditions.

Quiet and unobtrusive

The external air source heat pump unit is designed to sit neatly within the garden and operate quietly, with selected Vaillant models offering sound power levels as low as 54 decibels.

Inside the home, the system’s key components and hot water storage are incorporated into a compact unit approximately the size of a fridge-freezer.

Simple Vaillant controls allow you to manage heating temperatures, schedules and hot water in much the same way as a traditional heating system.

Once the controls have been set, heat pumps generally work most effectively when left to run steadily in the background, maintaining an even temperature throughout the home.

Why don’t the radiators feel very hot?

This is one of the most common questions homeowners have when using a heat pump for the first time.

Because air source heat pumps provide a steady supply of heat over a longer period, radiators may feel warm rather than very hot to the touch. This is completely normal and does not mean the system is failing to heat your home.

Rather than quickly heating and cooling, the system is designed to maintain a comfortable and consistent indoor temperature.

Proven expertise from Vaillant

Vaillant has more than 140 years of experience in heating technology and over 40 years of expertise in heat pump development.

Its air source heat pumps are designed and manufactured in Europe, with homeowners also supported by an established UK service network.

By choosing Vaillant, we can provide our customers with a heating system designed for long-term performance, reliability and everyday comfort.

Looking after your air source heat pump

As with any heating system, regular servicing helps an air source heat pump continue to operate efficiently and reliably.

An annual service is recommended to maintain the warranty, support optimum performance and provide reassurance that the system is working as it should.

Servicing costs are generally comparable with those of a modern gas boiler. As heat pumps do not use combustion and contain fewer moving parts, they can also be relatively straightforward to maintain.

Built for comfort. Designed for the future.

An air source heat pump is more than a different way to heat your home. It forms part of a considered approach to creating homes that are comfortable, efficient and ready for the years ahead.

With dependable heating, reliable hot water and lower-carbon technology working quietly in the background, it is designed to complement everyday life without compromising on comfort.

Explore our developments and discover a thoughtfully designed Hopkins home built for today and the future.