Heat Pumps Offer Home Cooling Amid Growing Heatwaves

Homeowners in the United Kingdom and the United States are increasingly turning to reversible heat-pump systems to keep indoor spaces comfortable during hotter summers. In Maidenhead, Berkshire, the Ingrams installed an air-source heat pump that can both heat radiators and cool the living room, calling it a “lifeline” during the current heatwave. In King County, Washington, the Energize program now funds heat-pump installations in adult-family homes, child-care centres and multifamily housing, while many U.S. contractors still default to single-mode air-conditioners.

The Guardian

Heatwaves are straining traditional “heat-trap” homes. A Climate Change Committee report warned that 92 % of existing UK homes could overheat by 2050, outpacing passive measures such as curtains or window opening. In the United States, heating and cooling account for 35 % of national energy consumption, prompting a shift toward electric-powered heat pumps that move heat rather than generate it.

The Independent

• The Ingrams’ full home-energy retrofit cost roughly £18,600, with £1,700 for the cooling component.

The Guardian

• The UK’s boiler-upgrade scheme provides £7,500 grants for air-to-water or ground-source heat pumps, rising to £9,000 for off-grid homes; an additional £2,500 is earmarked for units that can heat and cool.

The Guardian

• Of the 358,000 heat pumps installed in the UK, about 323,000 are air-to-water systems (Microgeneration Certification Scheme).

The Guardian

• Laboratory testing at the University of Salford showed indoor temperatures staying between 19 °C and 24.9 °C when a heat pump operated at an external 32 °C, costing £2.50-£3 per day.

The Guardian

• The Energy Saving Trust estimates that a dedicated heat-pump electricity tariff can save households £330 – £800 annually, especially when paired with solar panels.

The Guardian

• In the United States, window-type heat pumps retail for $3,000-$4,000, with capacity up to 9,000 Btu, suitable for single rooms.

The Independent

The UK government’s boiler-upgrade scheme, administered through the Microgeneration Certification Scheme, aims to accelerate low-carbon heating and cooling by subsidising eligible installations. King County Executive Girmay Zahilay highlighted the program’s expansion, noting grant funding of $11 million to $14 million for 2026-2027 projects.

The Guardian

In the United States, home-performance expert Nate Adams warned that “every eight seconds in the US, an HVAC contractor installs an air conditioner that has only one mode, cooling,” emphasizing that market inventory, not consumer rebates, limits heat-pump adoption.

The Cool Down

• “If it is 35C outdoors, I can get the temperature down to 21C,” — Andrew Ingram

The Guardian

• “We thought about it because the sitting room gets really hot, and that’s the room we spend time in,” — Andrew Ingram

The Guardian

• “Every eight seconds in the US, an HVAC contractor installs an air conditioner that has only one mode, cooling.” — Nate Adams

The Cool Down

The UK government plans to introduce £2,500 grants for air-to-air heat-pump units that can both heat and cool, expanding the market for compact cooling solutions. King County’s Energize program will allocate $11.1 million for heat-pump installations in adult-family homes and child-care centres, and $14 million for multifamily rentals, with projects slated for 2026-2027. Utility companies and some local governments continue to explore incentives for window-type heat pumps, though federal subsidies expired in 2025.

King County’s Energize program expands to help in-home childcare providers and adult family homes with energy-efficient heat pumps, providing healthy heating and cooling