Homeowners Are Choosing to Retrofit with a Hybrid Heat Pump

5 August 2025 | by Chloe Brine

Efficiency, sustainability, and cost savings have become top priorities for homeowners, particularly in the current cost-of-living crisis. Rising energy price caps and worsening climate change make finding affordable, low-carbon heating an urgent need.

This is where the Intergas Xtend Hybrid Heating Solution comes into play.

Unlike a complete system overhaul, the Xtend allows you to retrofit a hybrid heat pump alongside your existing boiler. This means you can benefit from the best of both worlds: the low-carbon efficiency of a heat pump and the reliability of your current gas boiler when extra heating power is needed.

What is a Hybrid Heat Pump?

A hybrid heat pump system combines an air source heat pump with a conventional boiler. The heat pump provides highly efficient heating for most of the year, while the boiler steps in during the coldest days or when there’s a sudden demand for hot water.

The Intergas Xtend system is designed to integrate into your current setup. This offers less disruption and lower costs for installation than stand-alone heat pumps.

The gas boiler handles hot water on demand, while the heat pump maintains your home at a comfortable internal temperature. When it is combined with good insulation and quality glazing, this may be the best heating system for retrofit homes.

5 Reasons to Retrofit a Hybrid Heat Pump with Xtend

Significant Energy and Carbon Savings

Air source heat pumps (ASHPs) are often three times more efficient than a gas boiler, generating three heat units for every unit of energy used. Gas boilers typically run at 94% efficiency, so it’s less than 1:1. Boilers also burn gas directly to heat water, while ASHPs are powered by electricity.

As the national energy grid decarbonises, ASHPs will have fewer associated greenhouse gas emissions, where gas boilers are responsible for up to 14% of the UK’s carbon footprint. If you have solar panels installed as well, you can decarbonise your home heating with an ASHP.

However, heat pumps can struggle to generate enough heat in extremely cold weather, with initial research showing that households with ASHPs use much more electricity than usual when temperatures drop below 7°C.

Replacing a gas boiler with a hybrid system is a good middle ground. With the Xtend hybrid solution, the heat pump does the heavy lifting for most of the year, slashing your carbon emissions and cutting your energy bills at once.

Keep Your Existing Boiler

Replacing an entire heating system can be expensive and disruptive. ASHPs also run at a slightly lower temperature than boilers, heating water to around 50°C rather than 75°C. This means the home takes longer to heat up, particularly on colder days.

With a hybrid heat pump upgrade, the Xtend connects to your current Intergas boiler, eliminating the need for a full boiler replacement. When you need immediate heat during cold snaps or frosty mornings, the boiler can take the weight. Retrofitting is a low-cost and practical route to more sustainable heating.

Lower Running Costs

By switching to the heat pump for day-to-day heating, you can reduce your gas consumption by up to 82.5%, especially during milder weather. You only rely on your boiler when absolutely necessary, helping you save on your gas bill without sacrificing comfort.

For the same amount of heat generated, you’ll use a third of the energy. Combined with improvements in insulation and glazing, you’ll use even less. While electricity is much more expensive to use than gas, these efficiencies make the Xtend an affordable, low-carbon heating system.

Future-Proof Your Home

The UK government is pushing towards low-carbon heating solutions, with increasing incentives to move away from gas. Retrofitting a hybrid system now ensures you have future-proof home heating while helping you meet upcoming energy efficiency standards.

While the 2025 gas boiler ban makes no difference to existing boilers, new builds will be fitted with low-carbon systems without a boiler at all. In the next 15 years, ASHPs will likely be considered the norm for those moving on from their starter home, and properties without them will be harder to sell.

Experts also predict that hydrogen-ready boilers will be more prevalent on the market in case the government decides to introduce hydrogen into the gas supply. There is still a lot to be worked out in this area, but if it does, your hybrid heating upgrade will be ready.

Quiet and Reliable Operation

The Xtend heat pump is engineered for quiet performance. It integrates into your home environment seamlessly without creating additional noise outside your home. Many people’s main concern about ASHP technology is that the fans will contribute to noise pollution. Intergas Xtend heat pumps typically register at only 34dB(A) from 5 metres away, which is slightly louder than a soft whisper.

This reliable system also removes some of the maintenance concerns associated with older boilers, reducing the annual cost of servicing and repairs.

Why Choose Intergas Xtend?

The Intergas Xtend isn’t just another hybrid solution. It’s designed with homeowners in mind:

Seamless integration with Intergas boilers
Compact and efficient design, making it ideal for properties with limited space
Smart controls to automatically switch between the heat pump and boiler for optimal efficiency

With the Xtend, you don’t have to choose between a boiler and a heat pump — you can enjoy both in a single, efficient system.

Ready to Upgrade?

Retrofitting a hybrid heat pump with Intergas Xtend is one of the smartest steps you can take to lower your energy bills, reduce carbon emissions and get future-proof home heating.

👉 Learn more about the Intergas Xtend Hybrid Solution here:

Xtend Monobloc – Intergas Heating

FAQs About Hybrid Heating for Homeowners

What is a hybrid heat pump and how does it differ from a standard heat pump?

As discussed above, a hybrid heat pump is designed to connect into an existing boiler system and work alongside the boiler. Rather than using a standard heat pump that stands alone, the hybrid heat pump system operates with or without a hot water storage cylinder to maintain internal temperatures, while the boiler handles hot water on demand.

For more information, read ‘what are hybrid heat pumps?’ and how do air source heat pumps actually work?

What’s the difference between a hybrid boiler and a heat pump?

In the same vein as above, a hybrid boiler is part of an affordable, low-carbon heating system that includes a heat pump as well. The hybrid boiler heats water on demand and can take over heating when the heat pump is less effective, such as during cold snaps.

For more information, read: Hybrid Boiler vs Heat Pump

Are there government grants or funding options for hybrid heating systems?

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, there is no government funding currently available for hybrid heating systems. The financial incentives on offer at the moment are designed to encourage complete decarbonisation, funding a portion of the installation costs for heat pumps.

In Scotland, homeowners can access the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan scheme to help with a hybrid heat pump upgrade. With a grant and optional interest-free loan, the Scottish funding system covers more of the initial investment and gives homeowners more flexibility.

For more information, read: Hybrid Heat Pump Government Grant Guide

What certifications should a hybrid installer have?

Hybrid heat pump installers must be MCS-certified (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) and qualified in Gas Safe installations. This is because they will be working with both your boiler and your heat pump.

Installers should also have experience working with your desired technology. We offer full training on Intergas hybrid heating systems for free, including boiler installation courses, including:

There are plenty of Intergas qualified engineers throughout the country to help you with a hybrid heat pump upgrade.

👉 Learn more about the Intergas Xtend Hybrid Solution here:
Xtend Monobloc – Intergas Heating