Five questions about heat pumps, now that prices are falling

Since the new coalition eliminated the obligation to buy a heat pump, Heat pump prices have fallen slightly. Is now the time to buy a heat pump?

Experts advise: make other stable investments first. Five questions about the heat pump.

“The prices of heat pumps rose when the previous government announced the duty. Now that this is no longer the case, they are falling again. That is market forces,” says Hans André de la Porte from the Eigen Huis Association. According to him, that can now save around 850 euros. A standard heat pump cost around 4,250 euros last fall. Now you have the same pump for 3400 euros.

Isabelle van der Ende from Milieu Centraal explains that prices change because they depend on different factors. “In addition to supply and demand, the price of gas also plays a role.” If the price of gas rises, families will be more likely to look at other options.

Techniek Nederland, the industry association of the technology sector, recognizes this image. “After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, interest in heat pumps increased. This led to an increase in prices,” said a spokesperson.

Finally, what also involves the arrival of new, cheaper pumps, André de la Porte knows. “We’ve seen this development before with solar panels.”

A heat pump helps you move away from gas and is therefore a sustainable option for heating a home. It also provides financial benefits, says Van der Ende.

But the amount of money a home can save as a result of a heat pump depends on many factors, such as the level of insulation and the size of the house. “With a well-insulated corner house you can save around 1,000 euros per year,” says Van der Ende.

A fully electric heat pump heats the heating and water in your home. “If your home is well or reasonably insulated, you can choose an electric heat pump,” says Van der Ende. “If your home is not so well insulated, a hybrid version is a better option .”

A hybrid heat pump works together with the central heating boiler. The hybrid heat pump then heats the home, with the central heating boiler supporting the pump when it is extremely cold. The central heating boiler also heats the water. With a hybrid pump you use around 60 percent less gas, André de la Porte knows.

A hybrid pump is often suitable for homes built before 1992 where insulation has not been installed since then.

Various modifications are often required before installing an electric heat pump. “Consider, for example, the installation of electricity and other radiators or underfloor heating,” says André de la Porte.

This is why the costs can increase significantly. “It’s more than swapping a central heating boiler for a heat pump.” This is less likely to happen with a hybrid heat pump.

André de la Porte does not recommend buying a heat pump just because of the slightly lower price. Fully insulated homes and renovations can now benefit from it, he says, “but renovations or a broken central heating boiler are often the investment option. There won’t be that many.”

A heat pump is the final step in making your home more sustainable, says Van de Ende. According to her, the greatest benefits can be achieved with insulation.

“Insulating the floor, walls, windows and pitched roof will save an average 1,740 euros per year for an average corner house. ” According to Milieu Centraal, such an investment costs more than 10,000 euros, including subsidy.