Replacing electric heaters with a heat pump
The calculator starts from electric heaters and an air-to-air heat pump. The electricity stays the same, but each kWh produces about three times as much heat.
An electric heater turns one kWh of electricity into one kWh of heat; a heat pump produces several. Replacing heaters with a heat pump therefore divides heating consumption by its efficiency, with no change of energy or contract. There are two options. An air-to-air heat pump, with an outdoor unit and wall units in the rooms, is the simplest and cheapest: the median of the 148 quotes published by the price observatory is €7,618. It has no MaPrimeRénov’ in 2026, and its CEE bonus (sheet BAR-TH-129) is not calculated by this site; it gets 5.5 % VAT under conditions. An air-to-water heat pump means creating a network of water radiators, which costs far more, but qualifies for MaPrimeRénov’ and the basic CEE bonus. The Coup de pouce, reserved for replacing a fossil boiler, applies in neither case. For a 100 m² house in the Rhône, the saving is about €1,797 a year with air-to-air, at the DPE method’s default efficiency of 3.0 for zone H1.
Heating saving per year
€1,797
€2,696 today, €899 with the heat pump
| Estimated price (median quote) | €7,618 |
| MaPrimeRénov’ (purple) | not eligible |
| CEE bonus | not calculated |
| Out of pocket | €7,618 |
| Heating per year today | €2,696 |
| Heating per year with heat pump | €899 |
| Saving per year | €1,797 |
| Payback | 4.2 years |
| Heating need | 13,583 kWh |
| Climate (St-Genis-Laval) | 2,058 DJU, H1 |
Outside Île-de-France ceilings for 3 people: blue ≤ €30,540, yellow ≤ €39,148, purple ≤ €55,196. Estimate only: the Anah alone sets the grant, and the CEE amount is the one the firm puts in writing before you sign.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
The saving by area and climate
| Département | 50 m² | 80 m² | 120 m² |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bouches-du-Rhône | €625 | €1,001 | €1,501 |
| Gironde | €651 | €1,042 | €1,563 |
| Rhône | €899 | €1,438 | €2,157 |
| Paris | €801 | €1,282 | €1,923 |
| Bas-Rhin | €990 | €1,584 | €2,376 |
The saving is proportional to the heating used: it rises by two thirds between Marseille and Strasbourg. In a flat, choose “good” insulation if you have neighbours above and below, or enter your real heating consumption under “Refine”.
Air-to-air or air-to-water
Air-to-air is the usual choice when there are no water radiators: fitted in one or two days, a median of €1,030 per kW installed across published quotes, and cooling as an option. Air-to-water means laying pipes and radiators in every room: a heavy job, mostly justified in a full renovation. It qualifies for MaPrimeRénov’ and the CEE bonus under sheet BAR-TH-171, without the Coup de pouce.
Insulate first?
Homes with direct electric heating are often built between the 1970s and 2000s, sometimes poorly insulated. Insulating the loft and replacing windows lowers the bill whatever the heating, and lets you choose a smaller heat pump. See whole-home renovation if you are planning a full project.