Heat pumps are too loud to comply with current regulations, according to experts.
The Government aims to install 600,000 heat pumps a year by 2028 to hit net zero targets.
But a new report by sound specialists says that most of the units – which take heat from the ground or air and increases it to a temperature that keeps buildings warm inside – are too noisy for built up areas, reports The Telegraph.
The report has been sent to the Government to contribute to a review into heat pump noise being run by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
Air source heat pumps – which are typically positioned outside a home – can produce a low constant hum of between 40 and 60 decibels which is similar to the level of noise made by a fridge or dishwasher.
However to qualify for the government grant of £7,500 heat pump installations must comply with regulations set out by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) that says a heat pump must not generate a noise louder than 42 decibels within one metre of a neighbour’s door or window.
This means that people who live in flats, terraced properties or semi detached homes might struggle to comply.
The report concluded that “there is clear objective evidence that the sound emissions from [air source heat pumps] have the potential to cause annoyance and give rise to complaints”.
But it also said manufacturers were making quieter products.
Charlotte Lee, chief executive of trade body the Heat Pump Association, agreed saying the industry will continue to invest in product development.
She said: “Our industry will continue to support the installation of the most appropriate heat pump solution in all situations.”
A spokesman for the department Department for Energy Security and Net Zero told Express.co.uk: “These claims fail to recognise that heat pumps have got significantly quieter over the past decade, with ultra-low noise emission models now available.
“Heat pumps can be installed in the overwhelming majority of homes without the need for planning permission or additional acoustic insulation.
“We remain committed to our ambition of 600,000 heat pumps a year installed by 2028, backed by a 50 per cent increase in the Boiler Upgrade Grant – the most generous of its kind in Europe.”
The report was compiled by experts from the consultancies Apex Acoustics, Sustainable Acoustics and ANV Measurement Systems.
In late October households were able to receive extra help to install a heat pump as the Government increased its grant by 50 percent following criticism the rollout has been too slow.
This will provide families an extra £2,500 in support – on top of the £5,000 offered.
