East Sussex · Heat pump installation
Heat pump installation in Playden, East Sussex
We cover Playden for heat pump installation. A look at the job first, a fixed-price quote and written records at the end.
- Choosing between air-to-water and air-to-air
- Questions about where the outdoor unit can go
- Working out where a cylinder could go
Air source heat pumps in Playden
Hot water from an air-to-water system is stored in a cylinder. Homes with a combi boiler may not have a cylinder, so finding space for one is part of the survey. Air-to-air systems don’t heat hot water, so you’ll need another way to do that. If you are dealing with an oil, LPG or gas boiler near the end of its life and deciding on the outdoor unit position, we can help.
Space for an outdoor unit is rarely an issue near Playden, so the design comes down to heat loss, radiators and hot water.
Whatever the visit, you get a written record: commissioning details and F-Gas records for a new system, a note of the fault and the fix for a repair, or a service record. File it with the manual, because it helps with any later warranty question.
- Where
- Playden (TN31)
- Wider area
- East Sussex
- Certified
- F-Gas certified company, NICEIC approved, MCS
- Guide price
- £8,000–£16,000 before the grant, 0% VAT on homes
- Quotes
- A fixed-price quote up front
- Telephone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 30 October 2026
Looking after it afterwards
Looking after it is simple, and it helps at the next service:
- Check what your manufacturer’s warranty asks of you
- Keep radiators clear
- File the MCS certificate safely
In cold, damp weather the outdoor unit runs a defrost cycle from time to time. You might see steam or hear the unit change note, and that’s normal.
Heat pumps prefer steady, low-temperature running, using the settings agreed at handover.
Also near Playden
More services for Playden
FAQs for Playden
Does being near the sea make a difference to air source heat pumps in Playden?
It can, as Playden is within about 3 miles of the sea, where salt in the air is hard on coils and fixings. The outdoor unit position, its fixings and regular servicing all help near the sea.
Does the Boiler Upgrade Scheme cover homes in Playden?
Yes, if the home and the heat pump meet the scheme’s rules: Playden is in England, where it applies. It gives £7,500 towards an air-to-water or ground source heat pump, or £2,500 towards an air-to-air heat pump that replaces the fossil-fuel heating and meets the whole home’s heating need. You don’t apply yourself: the MCS certified installer does, which is us.
Why use an F-Gas certified company?
Certification shows a business is approved to work on systems that hold F gas refrigerant. That is not optional: it’s required by law, and AirCon Doctor is certified.
Can we book visits on a schedule?
Yes. Send details of the systems and how they’re used and we’ll propose a schedule and quote for it. That can include the leak checks the F-gas rules require for larger systems.
Can you look at a system you didn’t fit?
Yes. We look at it first and tell you what we find, including any issues with how it was fitted. You get a fixed price before any work goes ahead.
When will I hear back?
On the same working day you contact us. Then we agree a date that works for you, and you get a fixed price before any work goes ahead.
Is a heat pump permitted development?
It depends on the property and where the unit goes. Flats have different limits, conservation areas have extra conditions, and an Article 4 direction can remove the rights, so we check during the survey.
Air source heat pumps in Playden: the local picture
The coast is only about 3 miles from Playden. Coastal sites are worth mentioning at the survey, as salt air affects the outdoor unit and its fixings. Central Playden is inside a conservation area. On the National Heritage List, around 20 entries fall within 0.5 miles of the middle of Playden; The Parish Church of St Michael (grade I) is one. So the heat pump survey asks two extra questions here: is the home listed, and is it inside a conservation area?
Homeowners near Rye station often ask whether a heat pump can take over from the boiler, and the heat loss survey answers that.
Playden is about 10 miles north-east of Hastings, in East Sussex. We cover Playden for air source heat pumps and across the rest of East Sussex. Count every place we list in East Sussex and you reach 289, with Playden on the list. Eastbourne, roughly 23 miles off, has its own page on this site.
Our nearest recent job to Playden was on Mermaid Street, Rye (TN31), about 1 mile south: installing three Fujitsu wall-mounted units in guest bedrooms, with the outdoor units positioned in the hotel’s walled rear garden.
Streets in the area include Rectory Lane, New England Lane and Saltcote Lane, and we cover them all. Our working area takes in TN31 in full. Close to Playden, our area also takes in Houghton Green (1 mile north-east), East Guldeford (1 mile east), Rye (1 mile south), Iden (1 mile north) and Rye Foreign (1 mile west). Further out, we also cover Hastings (10 miles south-west), Bexhill-on-Sea (14 miles south-west), St Leonards (11 miles south-west) and Hastings Old Town (10 miles south-west).
Near you in Playden
We fit and service air conditioning in homes and premises around Rye College, Kings Head Inn and St Anthony of Padua Church and the streets around them. Playden’s nearest station is Rye station, roughly 0.7 miles south. Nearby you will also find Ypres Tower (0.9 miles south) and Rye Castle Museum (East Street) (0.8 miles south). For a walk, there’s Rye Harbour Nature Reserve.
How the job changes from property to property
Heat loss surveys
The survey works out the heat needed room by room. It’s the basis for sizing the heat pump and the radiators.
Outdoor unit position and planning
Under permitted development, the outdoor unit must be 1.5 m³ or less and must meet MCS 020(a) and not be used solely for cooling. It cannot be within the curtilage of a listed building.
Common problems we fix in Playden
People also ask about air-to-air heat pumps because they heat and cool. They warm rooms directly through indoor units, and can cool them when it’s hot. The grant only applies in some cases, so we check first.
If any of these sounds familiar, it’s worth a diagnosis:
- A boiler that’s getting old
- No space for a hot water cylinder
- Wanting to stop using oil, LPG or gas for heating
Lamb House, roughly 0.9 miles south, is a reminder to check your home’s listing status: permitted development does not cover listed buildings.
Comparing quotes
- How VAT is shown, and which rate applies
- The make and model of any parts or equipment being quoted
- Whether you get F-Gas records where refrigerant is involved
How it works
Testing is the last part of the visit wherever the system can be switched on. Then we explain what was done and answer your questions, and anything that needs attention later is pointed out. The visit 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. A note on how to find the property and where to park makes a visit to Playden easier.
- We talk through your home, your current heating and what you want from a heat pump.
- On the visit we calculate what every room loses on a cold day, then check the radiators, room for a cylinder and outdoor unit options.
- We send a fixed-price quote that shows the equipment, the grant position and the VAT.
- We fit the outdoor unit and connect it to the heating, hot water and controls.
- Once it’s running correctly, the MCS certificate is issued and we show you the settings.
Before we arrive
- Keep pets and children away from the work area
- Mention any parking restrictions near the property
- Make sure we can reach the consumer unit or fuse board
How to get a quote
Every quote shows the VAT clearly, and the rate that applies to your job is stated. Homes, businesses and different kinds of work can be treated differently for VAT, so we confirm it on the quote. To get one, phone us on 07833 053749 or write to us at info@aircondoctor.co.uk.
Advice
What a customer said
“Excellent service from start to finish. Two wall-mounted units installed in our home. Clean, tidy work: they protected all the floors and left no mess. The systems work brilliantly. Would highly recommend.”
Sarah M., East Grinstead