Home Heat pump installation Dundee
Heat pump installation in Dundee
An MCS certified installer designs and fits the system. In Dundee the strongest case is often in homes on electric heating.
Electric heating is more common in Dundee than in Scotland's other cities: 13.6% of households used it at the 2022 census. Storage heaters and panel heaters turn one unit of electricity into one unit of heat. A well-designed air source heat pump turns the same unit into several, which can make a big difference to bills in a city where fuel poverty runs high.
Dundee at a glance
- Fuel poverty
- 38% of Dundee City households were in fuel poverty in 2022 to 2024, against 31% across Scotland. 23% were in extreme fuel poverty, against 17% nationally. Source
- How homes are heated
- 75.6% of Dundee City households use mains gas central heating and 13.6% electric, including storage heaters. 3.0% have no central heating. Only 84 households heat with oil. Source
- Housing types
- 47.3% of Dundee City households live in a flat, against 34.4% across Scotland. Semi-detached houses account for 26.7% of households. Source
- Heat pump grant
- Home Energy Scotland offers homeowners up to £7,500 in grant towards a heat pump plus an optional interest-free loan of up to £7,500. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme does not cover Scotland. Source
- Energy ratings
- 58% of homes in Dundee were rated EPC A, B or C (SAP 2012) in 2022 to 2024, so about 42% were D or below. The Scottish average was 55%. Source
Paying for it
Scotland has its own funding. Home Energy Scotland offers homeowners up to £7,500 in grant for a heat pump, with an optional interest-free loan of up to £7,500 on top. You do not need to be on benefits, but the home must be your main residence. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme, often quoted online, only applies in England and Wales.
If your income is low, ask about Warmer Homes Scotland as well, which can cover heating upgrades for eligible households.
Planning and siting
Scottish permitted development allows one air source heat pump on a house or flat if it sticks out no more than 1 metre and meets the MCS planning standard. In conservation areas, which include parts of Broughty Ferry and the West End, the unit must be at ground floor level on the back of the building. Otherwise you need planning permission.
Before the survey
Get loft and cavity insulation sorted first if it is missing. The installer will size the heat pump from a room-by-room heat loss calculation, and a better-insulated home needs a smaller unit and smaller radiators.
Dundee homes and what they need
Victorian stone tenements
Siting the outdoor unit is the main challenge. A back court location needs the other owners' agreement, and solid stone walls mean larger radiators.
Four-in-a-block and postwar flats
Ground floor flats with their own garden are the easiest. Upper flats may need a wall bracket and the downstairs neighbour's agreement.
Suburban semis and bungalows
Good candidates: a garden for the unit and usually space for a cylinder. Bungalows can lose a lot of heat through the roof, so check loft insulation.
Areas covered
Engineers who cover Dundee work across areas including Broughty Ferry, West End, Lochee, Stobswell, Hilltown, Menzieshill, Downfield, Fintry, Douglas and Monifieth.
Questions people in Dundee ask
Is a heat pump cheaper to run than gas?
It depends on the tariffs and how efficient the system is. Against storage heaters, it is almost always cheaper. Our heat pump cost guide explains the numbers.
Can a landlord get the grant?
The Grant and Loan is for owner-occupiers. Landlords should ask Home Energy Scotland what support is available for rented homes.
Sources
- Home Energy Scotland: Grant and Loan
- Scottish Government: Planning Circular 1/2024
- Scotland's Census 2022, table UV407
- GOV.UK: Apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme
Also nearby: Heat pump installation in Edinburgh, Heat pump installation in Aberdeen, Heat pump installation in Glasgow