R32 & R290 Heat Pumps (Explained)

In Summary: R32 & R290 Heat Pumps

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When you see reference to “R290” or “R32” on a heat pump, it relates to the type of refrigerant that’s being used. For example, the Vaillant aroTHERM R290 uses R290 and the  Ideal Logic Air R32 uses R32.

The properties of different heat pump refrigerants vary, and naturally this means they’ll also vary when it comes to their impact on both global warming and efficiency. 

R410A is another type of refrigerant, but not commonly used in top-tier heat pumps. It has a GWP (Global Warming Potential) of 2,088, R32 sits at 675, and the most eco-friendly is R290 sitting at just 3. 

One of the best air source heat pumps using R290 is the Vaillant aroTHERM Plus. Typical installation costs sit around the £11,000 mark. That said, by utilising the government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme, the average installation cost can drop below £3,500.

You can get prices on a range of R32 / R290 heat pumps, including the Vaillant aroTHERM Plus, by using our clickable tool here. 

Top R32 / R290 Heat Pumps & Installation Costs

In this section, we’ll cover some of the most popular heat pumps using R32 and R290 refrigerants, and their expected installation costs.

Put simply, R32 and R290 are some of the most eco-friendly and efficient refrigerants; they’re used in the best heat pumps available in the UK.

‍If you want to understand what R290, R32 and R410A refrigerants are, jump to the next section (“Understanding Heat Pump Refrigerants”).

Top R32 / R290 Heat Pumps

We’ve written a range of guides including this one covering the best air source heat pumps available in the UK. 

In that guide, we’ve shortlisted the likes of the: 

• Vaillant aroTHERM Plus R290
• Samsung EHS HT Quiet R32
• Ideal Logic Air R32
• Grant Aerona R32

Deciding on the best R32 or R290 air source heat pump isn’t a one size fits all scenario. Whilst the Samsung R32 might be the best for one property, the Vaillant aroTHERM Plus R290 might be the better choice for another. 

You can use our heat pump configuration tool here, which will suggest the best R32/R290 heat pump for your property. 

Or, you can read our Vaillant aroTHERM Plus review, one of the most popular heat pumps we install. 

Installation Costs

Installation costs associated with a top rated R32 and R290 heat pumps aren’t exactly low. A typical installation is going to sit somewhere in the region of £10,000-£14,000. This will get you a quality unit such as the Vaillant R290. 

However, there are plenty of heat pump grants available that slash the overall price of your installation. 

The grant that most households in the UK will be eligible for is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. This government grant allows those looking to upgrade their heating system to a low-carbon solution to get funding of up to £7,500.

To be eligible, you need to own your property and not have had a government grant for a heating upgrade in the past. Use an MCS installer and make sure it’s installed and commissioned within 120 days of your application. It’s that simple!

Using the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant, you’d be able to drop the price of a 5kW installation from £10,742.33 down to £3,242.33!

We have a detailed guide covering air source heat pump installation costs here. Or simply use our heat pump tool; that’ll suggest the most suitable heat pump for your property, with fixed prices on-screen.

Understanding Heat Pump Refrigerants

Below we’ll uncover 3 well known heat pump refrigerants including: R290, R32 and R401A. We’ll look at their impact on the environment, as well as just how efficient they are. 

Buying a heat pump with a combination of a low GWP (Global Warming Potential) and a high SCOP (Seasonal Coefficient of Performance) rating will reduce your impact on the environment, as well as slashing your energy bills!

You can use our heat pump configuration tool here to get prices on eco-friendly pumps, using either R32 or R290 heat pump refrigerants. 

What Does GWP Mean?

How eco-friendly a heat pump’s refrigerant is, is determined by its GWP (Global Warming Potential). The higher the GWP of a heat pump refrigerant, the more negative the impact it has when it comes to global warming.

GWP is measured by determining how much heat is trapped by a gas (such as R32 or R290), and how that would directly compare to C02 when using the exact same mass during a test. 

What is a R290 Heat Pump?

A R290 heat pump is one that uses R290 refrigerant. This is a propane based refrigerant that offers much better efficiency as well as lower GWP, when compared to the likes of R401A. 

R290 has a GWP of 3, whereas R401A has a GWP of 2,088.

One of the most popular R290 heat pumps is the Vaillant aroTHERM Plus. Thanks to the hugely efficient R290 refrigerant being used, the Vaillant aroTHERM Plus is able to operate with a SCOP rating of 4.36 when flow temperature is set to 35°C. 

SCOP rating is based on performance of a heat pump over a period of time (rather than a single point in time). 

For the aroTHERM Plus mentioned above, a 4.36 SCOP rating means it produces 4.36kWh of heat for every 1kWh of electricity it uses. In comparison, an average gas boiler has a low SCOP rating of below 1.

What is a R32 Heat Pump?

R32, like R290, is simply a refrigerant. But instead of propane, it's hydrofluorocarbon based and has a GWP of 675, much higher than R290 which has a GWP of just 3.

If you see an air source heat pump model with “R32” in its name, it’s simply referring to the fact this is the type of refrigerant that’s used. 

Popular examples of R32 heat pumps include: 

• Samsung EHS HT Quiet R32
• Ideal Logic Air R32
• Grant Aerona R32

What is R410A?

R410A is another type of air source heat pump refrigerant. But its performance is much lower than the likes of both R32 and R290. It also has a much higher GWP of 2,088.

The most popular air source heat pumps use either R32 or R290 rather than R410A. These have a much lower environmental impact than R410A.

Which Heat Pump Refrigerant is Better, R32 or R290?

Most installers would suggest that R290 is better than R32, simply because it has a lower GWP rating. R290 has a GWP rating of 3, whereas R32 has a rating of 675. 

However, it depends on the exact type of heat pump you’re using. Some R290 heat pumps are better than others. The most popular R290 heat pump from a leading brand is currently the Vaillant aroTHERM Plus. 

You can get prices on a range of R32 and R290 air source heat pumps using our configuration tool here. 

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