Understand heat pumps before you decide
No marketing, no half-truths. The points that decide in practice whether a heat pump will work for you and what it will cost.
Heat pump news
What is happening with public subsidies, the market situation and technology in Austria — every detail with source and date.
Read more → CostsHow much does a heat pump cost?
Realistic price ranges for Austria, which items belong in the quote and what really drives the price.
Read more → Public grantPublic subsidies — current status
Federal budget exhausted since July 2026, federal state public subsidies are still running. What this means for your planning.
Read more → PortalHow the matchmaking works
From the form to the quote: who gets your data, what it costs and how we select installers.
Read more →For further reading
Detailed articles on the points that cause bottlenecks in practice. Every detail with source and check date.
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Flow temperature: the number on which almost everything depends
How warm your heating water needs to be determines power consumption, choice of device — and in several federal states whether you get a public subsidy at all.
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Application before or after installation? It depends
For the federal government, the rule is: first the application, then the installation. Several federal states do it exactly the other way around. If you mix up the rules, you lose money.
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What your device must be able to do to receive a public subsidy
Quality seal, refrigerant, product database: three requirements are found in almost every Austrian public subsidy guideline. How you can check them yourself in advance.
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Air or geothermal energy? The decision has four levels
Geothermal energy is more efficient, air is cheaper — so much for the short version. More interesting are the permit, public subsidy conditions and installation location.
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Checking a quote: What needs to be in it before you accept
The public subsidy forms reveal which details a system must prove. This turns into a checklist you can use to cross-check every quote.
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After installation: the two numbers you should know
Heat meters and electricity meters are mandatory for some public subsidies — and the only way to find out if your system is really running efficiently.
The questions that really matter
Does a heat pump work in an old building?
Usually yes. The crucial factor is not the year of construction, but the flow temperature your house needs in the coldest case. If it is below about 55 °C, a modern heat pump works economically. Larger radiators in a few rooms often bring more than an expensive full renovation.
Air or geothermal — which is better?
Geothermal energy is more efficient and quieter, but costs significantly more and requires drilling or collector area including a permit. Air source heat pumps are the norm: cheaper, installed faster, and hardly worse in operation if well designed. The surcharge for geothermal energy pays off especially with a high heat demand.
How loud is an air source heat pump?
Modern devices run very quietly in night mode. The crucial factor is less the device than the installation location: distance to the neighbour, no installation in corners or between reflecting walls, no alignment towards bedroom windows. A good installer calculates this in advance instead of guessing.
Do I need a photovoltaic system with it?
It is not necessary, but often sensible. However, a relevant part of the heat pump electricity is required in winter when PV delivers little — the self-consumption share is therefore lower than many expect. Calculate with realistic numbers, not with annual balances.
What is hydraulic balancing and why is it in the quote?
This adjusts how much water flows through each heating circuit. Without balancing, some rooms get too warm, others too cold, and the system runs with an unnecessarily high flow temperature — directly at the expense of efficiency. If the item is missing from the quote, ask about it.
How long does the whole thing take?
The replacement itself usually takes two to four days. Realistically, you should plan for several weeks from the first quote to commissioning — for comparing quotes, the public subsidy application and the delivery date of the device.