Heat Pumps · Glossary
Hybrid Heat Pump
A system pairing a heat pump with a gas or oil boiler that automatically switches to whichever fuel is cheapest or most efficient at any given moment.
A hybrid heat pump combines a smaller ASHP (typically 4-6kW) with a backup gas, oil or LPG boiler. A smart controller compares real-time fuel prices and outdoor temperature, then dispatches the cheapest source: usually the heat pump above 0°C, the boiler in deep cold snaps or for short hot water bursts.
Hybrids appeal to two groups in Cornwall: customers with large period properties whose heat loss is too high for a heat-pump-only retrofit, and oil-fired homes where a stand-alone ASHP would require expensive radiator upgrades. A hybrid lets you decarbonise 70-90% of annual heat without replacing the wet system.
Important caveat: hybrids no longer qualify for the up-to-£9,000 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant unless the heat pump can meet 100% of design heat load. For most of our Cornwall hybrid installs we use Daikin Altherma 3H HT or Mitsubishi Ecodan models. Talk to us about a heat pump survey to see whether a full retrofit or hybrid suits you better.