Get prices for a heat pump hot water cylinder in Sittingbourne
An existing cylinder needs its heat exchanger checked before it can be paired with a heat pump. Say where the cylinder will stand.
Tell us what needs doing at your property in Sittingbourne, and up to four independent heat pump businesses may respond, depending on who covers your postcode. Matching costs nothing, and every quote can be declined.
What the installer will check
A heat pump works at lower water temperatures than a boiler, so it needs a cylinder with a much larger heat exchanger coil to transfer the heat. The installer fits the cylinder, connects the primary flow and return, adds safety and expansion equipment, and sets controls and a periodic high-temperature cycle for legionella protection.
What you might be planning
- No cylinder in the house at present
- An old cylinder with a small coil
- More people or bathrooms than the old cylinder was sized for
- A cylinder in a tight airing cupboard
- Heat losses from an old tank
What the installer does
The old cylinder has to come out before the new one can go in. A typical job includes:
- Isolating the supplies before draining the old cylinder.
- Taking out the old cylinder and any redundant pipework or tanks.
- Setting the new cylinder, checking floor strength, clearance and a safe discharge route.
- Plumbing in the primary pipework, cold feed, expansion vessel, tundish and discharge pipe.
- Commissioning the cylinder, controls and legionella cycle, and showing you how to set the temperature.
Vented or unvented, indirect or direct
Most modern heat pump cylinders are unvented. They deliver mains-pressure hot water and need a discharge pipe to a safe place. Vented cylinders use a loft tank and give lower pressure. Your installer should explain why they suggest one, and what size cylinder and coil they have chosen.
Access and finishing up
Clear the airing cupboard or plant space and tell the installer about hatches, stairs and narrow doorways. Ask who removes the old cylinder, who makes good any pipe holes and whether the discharge route from an unvented cylinder needs a new wall hole.
Cylinder handover
Ask the installer to explain the hot water controls before leaving. Keep the cylinder model, commissioning record and notification paperwork together. Agree who removes the old cylinder and any redundant tanks.
Paying for heat pump cylinder installation in Sittingbourne
Across the UK this work typically costs £1,200–£3,000. Treat it as a national guide rather than a local rate. A like-for-like swap of an existing cylinder for a heat pump cylinder sits at the lower end. A first cylinder in a house with a combi, with new pipework and a discharge route, is in the middle. Large cylinders, long pipe runs or moves to a new location take the job to the top of the range or beyond.
Have each business explain its equipment and labour costs, any survey fee and the VAT position. Allow 1–2 days as a guide for the work itself; equipment lead times and awkward access can add to it.
What to tell the business
Say how many people live in the house, how many bathrooms and showers there are, and how big the existing cylinder is, if there is one. Mention the available space, including ceiling height and the width of any door or loft hatch.
When replies arrive, check what each one includes. Ask for the cylinder make, volume, coil area and heat-up time, the controls included and whether a tundish, expansion vessel and discharge pipe are in the price. Check the installer is qualified to fit unvented cylinders.
Qualifications and consents
Use an installer competent in unvented hot water systems and ask how the work will be notified. Approved Document G for England explains hot water safety requirements there; the other UK nations have their own guidance. Agree the expansion, temperature controls and safe discharge route before fitting. MCS paperwork does not replace any building regulations notification required for the cylinder.
Council questions for this area can go to Kent County Council. Ask your installer which consents they will deal with and which are left to you.
Visits and access in Sittingbourne
Businesses covering Sittingbourne, Kent need the full postcode. Say whether a van can park close to the property. Include a picture of the existing cylinder and its pipework. Even adjoining homes can have different heating layouts, so describe your own system.
Looking beyond Sittingbourne
Businesses choose their own travel areas within Kent. Neighbouring postcodes can reach different businesses.
Gillingham, Faversham, Chatham, Maidstone, Rochester, Whitstable, CanterburyStart your enquiry
Use the free enquiry form to describe the job. Give the household size and the cupboard dimensions so the cylinder can be sized and priced to fit. Businesses that join are asked for insurance details and references. Before booking, check insurance and recent experience of similar jobs. We only pass the enquiry on: advice, pricing and the work itself come from the business you pick.
Questions about heat pump cylinder installation
How can I compare quotes for heat pump cylinder installation in Sittingbourne?
Fill in one enquiry form with your postcode, the space for the cylinder and the number of people in the house. It can reach up to four independent heat pump businesses working in Sittingbourne. Replies depend on the job and availability. You decide whether to book anyone.
Roughly how much is heat pump cylinder installation in Sittingbourne?
We use £1,200–£3,000 as a UK guide. Businesses in Sittingbourne price their own work, and the cylinder size, the position and the discharge route affect the total. A written quote should list equipment, labour, VAT and any survey or call-out charge.
Why does a heat pump need a special cylinder?
A heat pump heats water at a lower temperature than a boiler. The cylinder needs a larger coil to absorb that heat quickly. An unsuitable coil can slow reheating and increase reliance on the immersion heater.
What size cylinder do I need?
It depends on the household’s hot water use. Many homes need 150 to 300 litres, but bathrooms, showers and the pump’s output all matter. The installer should explain how they chose the size.
What is the legionella cycle?
A programmed heat-up of stored water to help control legionella risk, sometimes using the immersion element. The installer should set the temperature and frequency to suit the system and manufacturer’s instructions.
How long should I allow for heat pump cylinder installation?
Allow 1–2 days as a guide. Ask for the cylinder volume, coil area and reheat time to be written on the quote. Equipment deliveries, pipework changes and electrical work can add time. Agree how long heating or hot water will be unavailable.