Kent · Heat pump installation
Chitty air source heat pumps
F-Gas certified and NICEIC approved, we cover Chitty for air source heat pumps. Fixed-price quotes and a 24/7 emergency line.
- Replacing a combi boiler with a heat pump
- A boiler that’s getting old
- Planning and permitted development questions
Chitty questions
Do I need planning permission for a heat pump in Chitty?
The answer turns on the property and where the outdoor unit would sit. The Chislet and Chitty Conservation Area takes in the middle of Chitty. On a house, an air source heat pump can often go ahead under permitted development, with an outdoor unit of no more than 1.5 cubic metres and an installation that meets MCS 020(a), which includes a noise check. Those rights do not reach the grounds of a listed building, and conservation areas rule out walls or roofs facing a road. If that might affect you, we ask the local planning authority (for Chitty, normally Canterbury City council).
Does being near the sea make a difference to air source heat pumps in Chitty?
It can. Chitty is within about 3 miles of the coast, and salt air speeds up corrosion on outdoor units. The outdoor unit position, its fixings and regular servicing all help near the sea.
Do you work in Chitty?
Yes. Chitty is part of the area we cover, as part of our area across London and the South East. We are based in East Grinstead, West Sussex.
What does F-Gas certified mean?
F-Gas certification shows a company is approved to work on equipment containing fluorinated gases, such as the refrigerant in air conditioning and heat pumps. That isn’t optional: it’s required by law, and we hold it.
Will my radiators work with a heat pump?
It depends on each radiator and the room it heats. At the lower temperatures a heat pump uses, radiators need more surface, and the survey checks each one.
What accreditations do you have?
AirCon Doctor is an F-Gas certified company, with NICEIC approval for electrical work and MCS certification for heat pumps. We are also Checkatrade members.
How long does a heat pump installation take?
The work takes anything from a couple of days for air-to-air to the best part of a week for air-to-water with radiator changes. We confirm the timing after the survey, so call us on 07833 053749 or drop us a line to arrange one.
Air source heat pumps in Chitty
Hot water from an air-to-water system is stored in a cylinder. If you have a combi boiler and no cylinder, the survey looks at where one could go. Air-to-air systems don’t heat hot water, so you’ll need another way to do that. The work covers air-to-water heat pumps, underfloor heating and homes heated by oil, LPG or gas, and the jobs we see most are replacing a combi boiler with a heat pump and questions about the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
In a place like Chitty, some homes are listed, because permitted development does not apply within the grounds of a listed building, so consent comes first.
For a fault on a system that may still be under warranty, send us the make, model and installation date. We will tell you how the manufacturer’s warranty is likely to apply before any chargeable work goes ahead.
- Location
- Chitty (CT3)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Guide price
- Air-to-water £8,000–£16,000 before any grant (0% VAT for homes)
- Pricing
- A fixed-price quote up front
- Response
- On the working day you ask
- Credentials
- F-Gas certified company, NICEIC approved, MCS
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 30 October 2026
How the visit works
On the day, we arrive at the time agreed with you and run through the plan before anything else. Floors and furniture near the work are covered with dust sheets, and anything electrical is made safe before work starts. On site, it takes a few days on site, depending on the cylinder, the radiators and the pipework involved. Seeing the property in pictures first means the trip to Chitty can be planned properly.
- First we talk through the property and the current system.
- We measure heat loss for every room.
- The design covers the heat pump, emitters, hot water and outdoor unit.
- You get a fixed price, with any grant and the VAT set out.
- Then it’s fitted, commissioned and registered with MCS.
Before we arrive
- Let us know if the building has a permit or sign-in process
- Name a contact who can meet us at the agreed time
- Tell us about access, such as roof hatches, high walls or locked plant areas
How to get a quote
Want a quote for air source heat pumps? Please give us a ring on 07833 053749 with a few details about the property. We will explain what we’d recommend and why, then send a fixed-price quote before you commit to anything.
Advice
Leave it or put it right?
Getting the sizing wrong causes problems that are hard to fix later. Doing the survey properly from the start avoids that. A dirty or faulty system works harder and costs more to run.
One room or a whole building, the quote is built the same way: what needs doing, how we get to it and what it needs. The price is fixed before any work starts, and the quote sets out the VAT.
Why book with us
- Members of Checkatrade
- One number for homes and businesses across London and the South East
- We diagnose before we treat
- 24/7 emergency line for breakdowns
Take a look at how installs are priced or our accreditations and certificates.
System by system
VAT on heat pumps
Please treat this as general guidance rather than tax advice.
Air-to-water heat pumps
Flow temperatures are lower than with a typical boiler, which is why radiator sizing is part of the survey.
Heat pumps in Chitty: local notes
Chitty is within about 3 miles of the coast. Salt air is hard on outdoor units, so a heat pump near the sea needs a sensible position and regular checks, and some models offer corrosion protection for coastal sites. The 2021 Census found about 76% of households in detached or semi-detached houses. Finding room for the outdoor unit and a cylinder is seldom a problem in homes like these.
Older homes near Church of St Mary the Virgin may need extra checks for planning and heat loss before a heat pump is designed. A heat loss calculation decides the size of heat pump your home needs.
Chitty is about 4 miles south-east of Herne Bay, in Kent. Homes and businesses alike in Chitty, we can help with air source heat pumps. You’ll hear back from us the same working day, and there’s a 24/7 emergency line. Chitty is one of 922 places in Kent we cover. Bromley, roughly 51 miles off, has its own page on this site.
Jobs in CT3 are looked at, quoted and booked the same way as anywhere else. If you’re just outside Chitty, we cover Chislet (1 mile west), Hollow Street (1 mile south-west), Boyden Gate (1 mile north-west), Old Tree (1 mile west) and Highstead (1 mile north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Canterbury (7 miles south-west), Margate (9 miles east), Dover (14 miles south) and Ramsgate (9 miles east).
Local landmarks in Chitty
We fit and service air conditioning in homes and premises around Grove Ferry Picnic Area, among other places. Chitty’s nearest station is Herne Bay station, about 4 miles north-west. Nearby you will also find St Martins Hospital (5.8 miles south-west). Green spaces nearby include West Blean and Thornden Woods.
Looking after your system
After the visit, a few habits help:
- Read the manufacturer’s warranty terms for your brand
- Find out the grant position at the survey
- Don’t block radiators or indoor units with furniture
Handover includes the controls and how to get the best from a heat pump. Steady running suits a heat pump better than switching on and off, and we will explain the settings for your home.
Keep the outdoor unit clear of leaves, plants and stored items. Airflow is what it runs on so keep it unobstructed.
Towns and villages near Chitty
What else we do in Chitty
A customer’s words
“Office air con broke down in the July heatwave. Called at 8am, engineer was here by noon and fixed within 2 hours. Brilliant emergency response. They now hold the service contract for the whole building.”
James T., Crawley, office manager