your home; an air-to-water pump heats water which is then kept in a thermal store and used for when hot water and heating are needed. As these pumps heat water to lower temperatures than a standard boiler, they are more suited to under-floor heating than to radiators; in winter they may need to be on constantly to heat your home and will work best in well-insulated, draught-free houses. They will cost around £6,000£10,000 to install. PROS Once they are fitted, you can pretty much forget about them. They could also lower your bills when compared to traditional electric heating systems and you may qualify for cashback via the RHI scheme. WORDS: KIA HANSEN | ILLUSTRATION: SHUTTERSTOCK 'WOOD-BURNING STOVES CAN BE USED TO HEAT YOUR ENTIRE HOME WITHOUT ANY FOSSIL FUELS' 28 | NOVEMBER 2015