That’s not how this works. Even without decent insulation, a heat pump is still the most efficient way to warm a home. I have shit insulation in my house; the heat pump is my only source of warmth and it does a damn fine job.
My understanding is that heat pumps are too slow for old Victorian houses for them to be more efficient than gas boilers (which are pretty fast comparatively). I’m glad your heat pump was viable though!
That’s not how this works. Even without decent insulation, a heat pump is still the most efficient way to warm a home. I have shit insulation in my house; the heat pump is my only source of warmth and it does a damn fine job.
Efficiency =/= load capacity
Which can be solved by installing a bigger heat pump. No boiler can compete with 300% efficency.
Which brings us back to efficiency, this time cost efficiency.
If the heat pump costs more than insulating would have, then obviously you’ve not so much solved the problem but rather made it bigger.
My understanding is that heat pumps are too slow for old Victorian houses for them to be more efficient than gas boilers (which are pretty fast comparatively). I’m glad your heat pump was viable though!