Which Daikin Altherma fits your home, how efficient the propane Altherma 4 H is against the older Altherma 3, how loud it is on Daikin UK's data, how the grant works by nation and what the Stand By Me warranty asks of you.
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A Daikin heat pump for a UK house is a Daikin Altherma, an air-to-water heat pump that heats your radiators and hot water; Daikin's air conditioners are different products. The current range, the Altherma 4 H, runs on propane (R290) with flow temperatures up to 75 °C, and in the MCS product directory its 8 kW model (EPSK08ARV3) has a SCOP of 4.89 at a 35 °C flow and 3.83 at 55 °C.
Daikin Airconditioning UK Ltd, based in Weybridge, Surrey, sells through installers and runs its warranty through an online platform called Stand By Me: 2 years as standard, 5 years at no extra charge once your installer registers the unit, you activate it and it is serviced every year, and 7 years as a paid option with some installers. Daikin suits you if you want a propane heat pump with a high MCS SCOP at 55 °C (3.83 for the 8 kW) and will keep up the yearly maintenance its warranty requires.
What we like
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Sorted by overall score, highest first.
How to read the ranking Scores out of 5. Quality: efficiency at 55 °C, outdoor sound power and maximum flow temperature of the model listed in our heat pump comparison. Warranty: 3.5 is the usual two-year manufacturer warranty; longer cover at no extra charge scores more, unclear terms or no cover at no extra charge score less. Price: our editorial price tier for the brand in the UK (5 = most affordable), an estimate rather than a price list. Overall: quality 50%, warranty 25%, price 25%. The full method is on our editorial method page.
Compare the specifications and warranties of the exact model.
Heat pump · 4 Versions
| Specifications | Daikin Altherma 3 M EDLA08EV3 (8 kW monobloc, heating only, single phase, R-32) | Daikin Altherma 3 M EDLA11DAV3 (11 kW monobloc, heating only, single phase, R-32) | Daikin Altherma 3 M EDLA14DAV3 (14 kW monobloc, heating only, single phase, R-32) | Daikin Altherma 3 M EDLA16DAV37 (16 kW monobloc, heating only, single phase, R-32) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Output and type | ||||
| Maximum flow temperature | 65 °C | 60 °C | 60 °C | 60 °C |
| Type | Monobloc | |||
| Power supply | 230 V 1~ 50 Hz | |||
| Rated heat output (Prated) at 55 °C | – | 10 kW | 11 kW | 12 kW |
| Efficiency on the EU label | ||||
| Energy class at 35 °C | A+++ | |||
| Energy class at 55 °C | A++ | |||
| SCOP at 35 °C | 4.56 | 4.64 | 4.62 | 4.62 |
| SCOP at 55 °C | 3.32 | 3.32 | 3.37 | 3.33 |
| Seasonal efficiency ηs at 35 °C | 179 % | 182 % | 182 % | 182 % |
| Seasonal efficiency ηs at 55 °C | 130 % | 130 % | 132 % | 130 % |
| Noise | ||||
| Outdoor sound power | 62 dB(A) | |||
| Refrigerant | ||||
| Refrigerant | R32 | |||
| Refrigerant charge | 1.85 kg | 3.8 kg | 3.8 kg | 3.8 kg |
| Dimensions and weight | ||||
| Dimensions (H × W × D) | 770 × 1,250 × 362 mm | 870 × 1,380 × 460 mm | 870 × 1,380 × 460 mm | 870 × 1,380 × 460 mm |
| Weight | 88 kg | 147 kg | 147 kg | 147 kg |
Heat pump · 4 Versions
| Specifications | Daikin Altherma 3 R W: EHBH08EA6V wall-mounted indoor unit + ERGA08EAV3H7 outdoor unit (8 kW, R-32, heat only) | Daikin Altherma 3 R W: EBBH11DF6V wall-mounted indoor unit + ERLA11DAV3 outdoor unit (11 kW, R-32, heat only) | Daikin Altherma 3 R W: EBBH16DF6V wall-mounted indoor unit + ERLA14DAV3 outdoor unit (14 kW, R-32, heat only) | Daikin Altherma 3 R W: EBBH16DF6V wall-mounted indoor unit + ERLA16DAV37 outdoor unit (16 kW, R-32, heat only) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Output and type | ||||
| Maximum flow temperature | 65 °C | 60 °C | 60 °C | 60 °C |
| Type | Split | |||
| Power supply | 230 V 1N~ 50 Hz | 230 V 1~ 50 Hz | 230 V 1~ 50 Hz | 230 V 1~ 50 Hz |
| Rated heat output (Prated) at 55 °C | – | 10 kW | 11 kW | 12 kW |
| Efficiency on the EU label | ||||
| Energy class at 35 °C | A+++ | |||
| Energy class at 55 °C | A++ | |||
| SCOP at 35 °C | 4.56 | 4.63 | 4.6 | 4.61 |
| SCOP at 55 °C | 3.32 | 3.23 | 3.22 | 3.32 |
| Seasonal efficiency ηs at 35 °C | 179 % | 182 % | 181 % | 181 % |
| Seasonal efficiency ηs at 55 °C | 130 % | 126 % | 126 % | 130 % |
| Noise | ||||
| Outdoor sound power | 62 dB(A) | |||
| Refrigerant | ||||
| Refrigerant | R32 | |||
| Refrigerant charge | 1.5 kg | 3.8 kg | 3.8 kg | 3.8 kg |
| Dimensions and weight | ||||
| Dimensions (H × W × D) | 740 × 884 × 388 mm | 870 × 1,100 × 460 mm | 870 × 1,100 × 460 mm | 870 × 1,100 × 460 mm |
| Weight | 58.5 kg | 101 kg | 101 kg | 101 kg |
Daikin also sells air conditioners and air-to-air heat pumps; only Altherma heats water for radiators, underfloor heating and a cylinder. A wall-mounted unit that blows warm air into a room is air-to-air, with its own, smaller grant in England and Wales: see air-to-air heat pumps.
| Series | Type | Sizes | Refrigerant | Max flow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altherma 4 H | hydrosplit | 6, 8, 10 kW single phase; 8–14 kW three phase | R290 | 75 °C |
| Altherma 4 H, compact outdoor unit | hydrosplit | 4, 6, 7 kW | R290 | 70 °C |
| Altherma 3 H MT and HT | hydrosplit | 8–18 kW | R32 | 65 or 70 °C |
| Altherma 3 M | monobloc | 4–16 kW | R32 | 60–65 °C |
| Altherma 3 R | split | 4–16 kW | R32 | 60–65 °C |
The Altherma 4 H's 75 °C is from Daikin's UK product page; the other maximum flow temperatures are from Daikin's catalogue.
The Altherma 4 H joined the MCS directory in September 2025, its compact 4 to 7 kW outdoor unit in October 2025, and Daikin's UK page gives operation down to −28 °C outside. Indoors you choose between two units. The wall-hung version (H W) measures 840 × 440 × 390 mm, fits a cupboard according to Daikin, and works with a separate 150 to 300-litre cylinder. The floor-standing version (H F) has a built-in hot-water tank, 180 or 230 litres in Daikin's catalogue, which saves finding room for a cylinder when you replace a combi boiler.
Propane is flammable, so Daikin's UK installer guide for the Altherma 4 H sets a protective zone around the outdoor unit: no openings into the house, such as openable windows, doors, vents or basement entrances, and no ignition sources such as sockets or lamps, and the zone must not reach a neighbouring building or a public pavement or road. Your installer checks it at the spot you have in mind.
Daikin calls the Altherma 4 H and Altherma 3 H a hydrosplit: the refrigerant circuit stays outdoors and only water connections are made indoors, as with a monobloc such as the Altherma 3 M. In a split, refrigerant pipes run to the indoor unit and are connected on site by an engineer with an F-gas qualification.
The Altherma 3 R pairs an R32 outdoor unit with a wall-hung (W) or floor-standing (F) indoor unit, joined by refrigerant pipes rather than water pipes.
SCOP, the seasonal coefficient of performance, is the heat delivered over a heating season for each unit of electricity, on a standard test. The MCS product directory lists it for each unit combination and flow temperature, and under the MCS design standard MIS 3005-D your installer gives you your design's expected SCOP in writing before installation.
| Model (outdoor unit) | MCS SCOP 35 °C | MCS SCOP 45 °C | MCS SCOP 55 °C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Altherma 4 H 6 kW (EPSK06ARV3) | 4.73 | 4.19 | 3.75 |
| Altherma 4 H 8 kW (EPSK08ARV3) | 4.89 | 4.33 | 3.83 |
| Altherma 4 H 10 kW (EPSK10ARV3) | 4.90 | 4.37 | 3.87 |
| Altherma 4 H compact 6 kW (EPSKS06ARV3) | 4.76 | 3.79 | 3.65 |
| Altherma 3 H 8 kW (EPRA08EV3) | 4.63 | 3.80 | 3.35 |
| Altherma 3 M 8 kW (EDLA08E2V3) | 4.36 | 3.71 | 3.24 |
| Altherma 3 R 8 kW (ERGA08 + EHBH08) | 4.36 | 3.79 | 3.09 |
MCS SCOP
| Model | 35 °C flow | 45 °C flow | 55 °C flow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Altherma 4 H 6 kW | 4.73 | 4.19 | 3.75 |
| Altherma 4 H 8 kW | 4.89 | 4.33 | 3.83 |
| Altherma 4 H 10 kW | 4.90 | 4.37 | 3.87 |
| Altherma 4 H compact 6 kW | 4.76 | 3.79 | 3.65 |
| Altherma 3 H 8 kW | 4.63 | 3.80 | 3.35 |
| Altherma 3 M 8 kW | 4.36 | 3.71 | 3.24 |
| Altherma 3 R 8 kW | 4.36 | 3.79 | 3.09 |
Two ratios tell you most. For the 8 kW Altherma 4 H, 4.89 ÷ 3.83 = 1.28: on the test, the same heat at a 55 °C flow takes about 28% more electricity than at 35 °C, so the flow temperature your radiators need matters more than the size. Between generations at 55 °C, 3.83 ÷ 3.24 = 1.18: the older 8 kW Altherma 3 M needs about 18% more electricity for the same heat, which is why the model code on a quote matters.
Measured in real homes, results are lower: the government-funded Electrification of Heat trial found a median SCOP of 2.78 across 428 air source heat pumps. At about that level, our example home (a 1970s gas semi using 9,500 kWh of gas a year, 85% boiler efficiency assumed) would pay about the same for its heating units with a heat pump as with its boiler, on Ofgem price cap unit rates (GB average, direct debit, 1 October to 31 December 2026, no VAT on electricity in Great Britain until 31 March 2027) with standing charges left out; the result depends on the house, the installation and the tariff. The arithmetic is in heat pump running costs.
Daikin's UK page for the Altherma 4 H W gives the outdoor unit's sound pressure as down to 28 dBA at three metres. That is what you hear at that distance at its quietest, not a sound power figure, so it can't be compared with other makers' sound power. Daikin UK's technical data give the sound power: 45 dB(A) for the 6 and 8 kW single-phase units and 47 dB(A) for the 10 kW, measured at 7 °C outside with 47–55 °C water.
In England and Wales, permitted development needs the MCS 020(a) calculation to show 37.0 dB(A) or less at 1 m outside a neighbour's nearest habitable-room window or door, using sound power, never a low-noise mode.
An example: an 8 kW unit (45 dB(A)) on the ground against your house wall (two reflecting surfaces, factor 4), 3 m from a neighbour's bedroom window, no fence: 45 + 10 × log(4 ÷ (4 × π × 3²)) = 45 − 14.5 = 30.5 dB(A), well inside the limit, and 34.0 dB(A) even at 2 m. Your installer takes the sound power for the unit supplied from its product fiche, energy label or the MCS database. Placement and the other planning conditions are in heat pump noise; check with your local planning authority before you commit to a spot.
The Altherma 4 H combinations are in the MCS product directory with certificates to December 2034 or October 2035, and the Altherma 3 M and Altherma 3 H to 2030–2032. Several Altherma 3 R certificates end on 30 November 2027 or 31 March 2028, so near those dates ask the installer to confirm the certificate is current at commissioning. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme in England and Wales also needs a SCOP of at least 2.8, which every model in the table clears at 55 °C. Daikin's partner statuses change your warranty options, not the grant.
In England and Wales, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme takes £7,500 off an air source heat pump if your home qualifies; some off-gas-grid homes replacing oil or LPG may qualify for £9,000 instead, for applications properly made from 21 July 2026 to 31 March 2027. Your installer, who must be MCS-certified and in an approved consumer code such as RECC or HIES, applies to Ofgem and deducts the grant from your bill, so get the voucher before work starts. A heat pump supplied and installed in your home also carries 0% VAT until 31 March 2027, then 5%. Scotland and Northern Ireland differ: Scotland has its own grant and loan through Home Energy Scotland, and Northern Ireland has no grant open to every homeowner; the details are in heat pump grants.
Daikin's UK Residential End User Warranty Policy (July 2025) sets three levels, each counted from commissioning and activated by you on Stand By Me within 24 months:
| Cover | Total length | Installed by | Cost to you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard warranty | 2 years | any installer, if its engineer is Daikin-trained | no charge on activation |
| Extension | 5 years | any installer with a Daikin-trained engineer, with or without partner status | no extra charge on activation |
| Paid extension | 7 years | an installer with one of three Daikin partner statuses named in the policy, such as D1+ Premium Partner or D1 Partner | payable on activation |
The conditions that matter:
Three points to settle in writing. The policy's list of covered products names Altherma 3 codes but not the Altherma 4 codes (EPSK, EPBX, EPVX), and says products not on the list get the cover your installer gives you; Daikin's warranty web page offers the 5-year extension for any air-to-water heat pump. Its FAQ ties the extension, and the 7 years, to particular partner statuses, while the policy is wider. Ask your installer to confirm with the quote which cover your exact model gets.
Altherma 4 H and Altherma 3 connect to Daikin's Onecta app and, according to Daikin's UK pages, to Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. Daikin's UK pages name no tariff feature; what you use on a time-of-use tariff is a schedule that heats the cylinder in the cheaper hours.
For a fault under warranty, call Daikin UK's Customer Contact Centre on 01932 879271 with the fault code.
A gas semi with radiators. The 8 kW Altherma 4 H matches the 8 kW median size of air source heat pumps whose Boiler Upgrade Scheme grants were paid from July to September 2026, and the 75 °C gives headroom if a few radiators are small. Efficiency is best when your radiators let the flow temperature stay at 55 °C or below.
A combi home short of space. The floor-standing H F puts tank and hydraulics in one unit.
A smaller home. The compact 4, 6 and 7 kW outdoor unit covers low heat losses; the heat-loss survey decides the size.
Less suited if you live in a remote postcode with parts-only cover, won't commit to yearly maintenance, or your installer won't register the unit on Stand By Me.
How Daikin fares in our comparison. In our comparison of air source heat pumps we score the model nearest 8 kW from each brand on four published criteria: MCS SCOP at 55 °C (40%), outdoor sound power (25%), the warranty you get at no extra charge (25%) and maximum flow temperature (10%). For the Altherma 4 H EPSK08ARV3, the 3.83 SCOP at 55 °C, the 75 °C flow and the five-year extension at no extra charge raise the score, and the 45 dB(A) sound power raises it too; the five years depend on registration, activation and a yearly service, and the July 2025 warranty policy does not list Altherma 4 codes. Manufacturers and installers don't pay for placement; how we score is in our editorial method.
How to put two quotes side by side, and what consumer-code protection to ask about, is in choosing an MCS installer.
No. Daikin Altherma heat pumps are air-to-water: they heat radiators, underfloor heating and a hot-water cylinder. Daikin's air conditioners and air-to-air heat pumps heat or cool the air in a room and can't make hot water. In England and Wales the two types get different grants under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, if your home qualifies.
Two years as standard, extended at no extra charge to five years with parts and labour once your installer registers the unit on Stand By Me and you activate it within 2 years of commissioning. Seven years is a paid option through installers with certain Daikin partner statuses, such as D1+ Premium Partner or D1 Partner. Every level needs a Daikin-trained installer and yearly maintenance, and Daikin's July 2025 policy doesn't list the Altherma 4 codes, so get your model's cover in writing.
Daikin doesn't publish homeowner prices; the installer prices the whole job. Across all brands, the median installed price of an air source heat pump in England and Wales, for jobs whose Boiler Upgrade Scheme grants were paid from July to September 2026, was £12,826 before the grant, as reported by MCS installers, with VAT included. In England and Wales, if your home qualifies, the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant comes off that.
Daikin's UK page gives a sound pressure of down to 28 dBA at three metres, which is not a sound power figure. Daikin UK's technical data give a sound power of 45 dB(A) for the 6 and 8 kW single-phase units, which in our example, on the ground against a wall with no fence, clears the 37 dB(A) test in England and Wales at 3 m from a neighbour's window. Your installer works from the figure for the unit supplied.
The Altherma 4 H and the Altherma 3 models are MCS-certified and list a SCOP above 2.8 at 55 °C, which the scheme needs along with an MCS-certified installer. Whether your home qualifies for the £7,500 grant in England and Wales depends on the property, and the installer applies. Scotland and Northern Ireland have different schemes.
Altherma 4 H uses propane (R290), reaches 75 °C and, at 8 kW, lists an MCS SCOP of 3.83 at 55 °C. The Altherma 3 range uses R32, reaches 60 to 70 °C depending on the model and, at 8 kW, lists 2.91 to 3.35 at 55 °C (single-phase combinations). Check which one your quote names.
Reading time: 15 min
Air-to-air heat pumps explained: the difference from air-to-water, the £2,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant in England and Wales, why no price statistic exists, hot water, running costs and a quote checklist.
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Heat pump running costs in our example 1970s semi: 2,884 kWh and £759 a year at SCOP 2.8, £850 at 2.5 and £686 at 3.1 (Ofgem price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026), against £865 for gas including a £108 standing charge that ends only if the gas supply is disconnected, as we assume.
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Reading time: 15 min
Heat pump noise explained: sound power and sound pressure, how distance, walls and fences change the level, the MCS 020(a) test for permitted development in England and Wales with a worked example on a UK datasheet, placement, what reduces noise and how to handle complaints.
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The Boiler Upgrade Scheme in full: amounts in England and Wales, the £9,000 for oil or LPG homes to 31 March 2027, who qualifies, the six steps from quote to voucher, Scotland and Northern Ireland, loans and 0% VAT to 31 March 2027.
Read moreHeat pump grants
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Seven air source heat pumps around 8 kW ranked from MCS certificate data, UK warranty terms and makers' documents, with our weights, every model's values, a worked score, a noise example and a quote checklist.
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How to choose an MCS-certified heat pump installer: checking certification and consumer-code membership, what a complete quote and design must show, warning signs, deposit protection under RECC and HIES, and cancellation rights.
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