Understand it · practical guide
Which heating system fits my home? — gas, heat pump, electric or keep-and-tune
In one line: Gas, heat pump, modern electric or keep-and-tune: six questions place your home on the honest heating ladder — fabric first, cost shapes shown, no quotes invented.
The honest heating question isn’t “which machine?” — it’s “how much heat does this house leak?” A heat pump in a draughty house is an expensive way to heat the garden. So this tool puts the fabric first (insulation, draughts, glazing), then places you on the equipment ladder — keep-and-tune, modern gas, modern electric, or heat pump — and for hot climates it flips the question to cooling, which is what “heating” actually means in Lagos or a Mediterranean summer.
Why a ladder and not a brand list
Because the order of operations is the whole answer. Spending on machinery before fabric buys comfort at the highest possible per-unit price; spending on fabric first means every machine after it can be smaller, cheaper and more efficient. That’s why the tool asks about insulation and draughts before it asks what’s on the wall — and why “keep and tune” is a real recommendation, not a cop-out. The maths behind each rung: heating one room vs the house, what the EPC rating means, and the whole energy & bills cluster.
The cost shapes (directional, never quotes)
| Rung | Upfront shape | Running shape | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keep & tune | ~$0–low | Cuts bills immediately | Only fixes what’s actually wrong — not a plan for a dead system |
| Fabric first | Moderate, room by room | Permanent reduction | Payback is years, not months — it’s an asset, not a trick |
| Heat pump | High | Low per unit of heat | Wants good fabric; sizing and installer quality decide everything |
| Modern gas | Moderate | Follows gas prices | Fuel-price exposure; professional install and servicing non-negotiable |
| Modern electric | Low–moderate | Per-kWh is the pricey part | Tariff choice moves the bill more than the hardware does |
What this tool deliberately does not do
- It doesn’t size anything. Real sizing is a survey — a tool that guesses kW from six answers is guessing.
- It doesn’t touch gas advice. Boiler installs, moves and flue work belong to qualified professionals in every jurisdiction.
- It doesn’t quote prices. The shapes above are directional; local installers and your tariff decide.
- It doesn’t phone home. No analytics on your answers, no storage, no network calls.
Sources
- Energy Saving Trust — heat pumps
- Energy Saving Trust — heating controls
- U.S. DOE — home energy upgrades
External links checked 2026-09-25. Referenced for authority; not affiliated with or endorsed by any of them.
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General information, not professional advice. Homes differ — if a job is beyond your confidence or the guide’s boundary, that is what tradespeople are for.