Tory heat pump plans may be full of hot air | Letters

The units are expensive to install, and become less efficient at low outside temperatures, writes Gary Bennett. Plus letters from Frank Brown and Austen Lynch

If you search online how domestic heat pumps work, you soon find out that they are expensive to install and generate a constant noise that could be a problem with close neighbours (5,000 grants unveiled to support home heat pump installation, 18 October). What is less well known is that, although they might replace what gas and oil-fired domestic boiler systems do, they also start becoming less efficient and effective when the outside temperature is about 5C and lower - just the temperature at which you definitely need effective domestic heating.

Also, there is no guarantee that the electricity used to power each unit comes from a renewable or truly zero carbon source. So why are we wasting our time with this compromise", and at a cost to us taxpayers of 5,000 a pop? Surely it couldn't be for last minute Cop26 cosmetic reasons?
Gary Bennett
Exeter