Conservatory Heating: Make It Usable All Winter

Ask anyone with a conservatory when they actually use it, and the answer is usually “spring and autumn”. It's too hot in summer and freezing in winter. For the cold half of the year, the room ends up as storage with the door shut.

A Haier heat pump deals with the winter problem fast. Switch it on and warm air arrives within minutes, which suits a glazed room that loses heat quickly and gets used in bursts. Because it's reversible, the same unit sorts out the summer problem too.

Why radiators and plug-in heaters struggle

Glass loses heat far faster than a solid wall, and a conservatory is mostly glass. A radiator or a plug-in heater works slowly against that and costs a lot to keep going. A 2kW plug-in heater costs about 52.6p an hour at the October–December 2026 cap of 26.32p per kWh. A 3.5kW Haier heat pump at full heating output costs about 25.6p an hour and puts out considerably more heat.

Separate controls, and the Building Regulations question

Many conservatories are exempt from Building Regulations because they're thermally separated from the house by external-quality doors and have their own heating controls. Extending the house's central heating into the conservatory can affect that exemption. A heat pump with its own thermostat and controls keeps the conservatory's heating independent. If your conservatory's status matters to you, check with your local building control. We're happy to explain the options at survey.

Sizing a conservatory for winter

We size conservatories on glazing area, roof type and orientation, not just floor area. A fully glazed conservatory with a polycarbonate roof needs much more capacity than a newer one with a solid or insulated roof. It's also why we generally size for the heating load as well as the summer cooling load. Undersizing is the most common mistake we see from other installers.

Where the unit goes

Wall space is limited in a conservatory, so the indoor unit usually goes on the wall adjoining the house. That keeps the pipe run short and routes it through the house wall rather than the conservatory frame. The outdoor unit sits nearby on the ground or on a bracket.

For the summer side of the story, see conservatory air conditioning.

Haier systems, certified installers

We install Haier exclusively. Keeping to one brand means our engineers know the range inside out, we hold the right spares, and costs stay down. Haier systems come with a 6-year warranty as standard when installed by a certified engineer. Our engineers are F-Gas certified, the business is REFCOM registered, and electrical work is carried out to Part P standard. We're based in Buckingham, MK18, and cover Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire and the surrounding area.

Heat pump installers near you

Milton Keynes Buckingham Bletchley Newport Pagnell Aylesbury Bicester Northampton Oxford

See the full list of areas we cover, or check recent installations for real examples of our work.

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Common questions

What is the most efficient way to heat a conservatory?

A reversible air to air heat pump is usually the most efficient electric option. It delivers several units of heat per unit of electricity, heats quickly, and also cools the conservatory in summer.

Can I extend my central heating into the conservatory?

You can, but many conservatories are exempt from Building Regulations only while they are thermally separated from the house and have independent heating controls. Extending central heating can affect that. A heat pump with its own controls keeps the heating separate. Check with local building control if the exemption matters to you.

What size heat pump does a conservatory need?

It depends on glazing area, roof type and orientation more than floor area. Fully glazed conservatories with polycarbonate roofs need noticeably more capacity. We size it at survey.

How much does it cost to heat a conservatory with a heat pump?

A 3.5kW Haier unit at full heating output costs about 25.6p an hour at the October to December 2026 price cap of 26.32p per kWh, and less once the room is up to temperature.

Will the same unit cool the conservatory in summer?

Yes. Every system we install is reversible, so it heats in winter and cools in summer.