A ground source heat pump converts the energy from pipes buried in the ground into useable heat; this can then be used to heat a heating and hot water system. Beneath the surface, the ground stays at a constant temperature, so a ground source heat pump can be used throughout the year - even in the middle of winter. This is by far the most economic system but the pump can only heat the water to 65°C and so will work best with under floor heating or oversized radiators, this may mean extra cost of replacing radiators and disturbance. Because of this it is best to fit this system to a new build or total renovation. Your house will need to be very well insulated as the heating temperature is lower and to get away with a slightly smaller heat pump.

An air to water heat pump converts the energy from the outside air into useable heat, this can then be used to heat a heating and hot water system. This is one of the best systems as it can supply nearly all the heating and hot water all year round, this also comes with an unvented cylinder and will have mains pressured hot water. The main disadvantage is it can only produce hot water to 65°C and so will best work with under floor heating or over-sized radiators, because of this it is mainly suited to new builds or where all radiators are to be replaced. As with the ground source it is essential to have cavity wall/loft insulation and double-glazing because of the lower heating temperature.

Boilers have come a long way since the old inefficient floor standing ones. We normally fit Worcester boilers as there are very reliable and classed as ‘sedbuk A’ which is over 90% efficient. With all installations we must chemically power-flush the heating system and fit thermostatic radiator valves (TRV's) to all radiators which haven’t got one, with a combination of the TRV’s and programmer/roomstat this will also save on your gas bill. As with all boilers they have an expected life span of at least 12 years. This is the favourite option to most as it has the cheapest, least amount of work and fine to use on all existing heating and hot water systems.

An air to air heat pump converts the energy from the outside air into useable heat, this then circulates warm air internally to provide a heating and cooling system that will provide year-round comfort. This unit is ideal for space saving and will easily do a flat or small house, the advantage to this is that it can be used as air conditioning in the summer months and is renewable. As this does not do the hot water, using solar as well might be an option.

Solar water heating systems use free heat from the sun to warm a hot water system. A conventional boiler or immersion heater is then used to make the water hotter, or to provide hot water when solar energy is unavailable. You can also use this system with a standard combi boiler. You'll need around 5 square metres of roof space, which faces south-west and receives direct sunlight for the main part of the day. A solar system will do around a third of your hot water and even work on overcast or cloudy days. This system is the most popular renewable source as it has very little disruption to the house and customers and a lot cheaper than other renewable systems. Solar has come a long way compared to 10 years ago when the systems were unreliable, now the systems are a lot easier to use and a lot more effective.