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Anyone installed an air-to-water heat pump in their Bulgarian house? Was it worth the cost?

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Sophie_R
Joined:
01.01.2023
Posts: 252
Topic Starter
15.02.2025 11:51
We are currently renovating an older brick house in Bulgaria and trying to figure out the best heating system. Winters here can get pretty chilly, especially in the rural areas, and electricity or pellet costs are starting to add up. I've been looking into air-to-water heat pumps, but I'm worried about their efficiency when temperatures drop below zero. Has anyone here actually installed one in a Bulgarian property, and did you find the investment worth it in the long run?
11 replies in this topic
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camilo
Joined:
29.01.2022
Posts: 1476
25.04.2025 05:05
We installed an air-to-water heat pump in our house near Plovdiv last year, and honestly, it was the best decision we made.
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chris_1982
Joined:
16.03.2023
Posts: 2226
18.06.2025 14:37
In reply to a previous post
To add to what the first user said, make sure your house is properly insulated first, otherwise the heat pump will struggle when it gets down to -15C.
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Alan_K
Joined:
30.08.2021
Posts: 258
13.07.2025 19:45
My neighbor has one in Sofia and his electricity bills actually went down compared to his old pellet stove.
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Bob_J
Joined:
15.07.2022
Posts: 815
03.08.2025 08:26
In reply to a previous post
Which brand did your neighbor install? I am looking at Mitsubishi and Daikin right now.
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Phil_G
Joined:
01.08.2020
Posts: 1993
05.08.2025 05:34
Not worth it if you don't have underfloor heating. Radiators require higher water temperatures and efficiency drops massively.
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Sophia_G
Joined:
17.06.2022
Posts: 1944
17.08.2025 20:30
In reply to a previous post
@User5 is totally right about the radiators. We had to replace all ours with oversized low-temperature ones.
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Fari_P
Joined:
12.01.2025
Posts: 1244
29.11.2025 05:50
What about the grid stability in rural areas? Sometimes the power cuts out during heavy snowstorms in Bulgarian villages.
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Iva_R
Joined:
12.03.2025
Posts: 581
13.12.2025 03:30
In reply to a previous post
Good point about power cuts, we installed a backup generator just in case.
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GrayMouse
Joined:
01.08.2024
Posts: 432
16.12.2025 03:30
In reply to a previous post
Did you manage to get any energy efficiency subsidy from the EU funds? That makes a huge difference in the payback period.
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JustAsking
Joined:
22.06.2022
Posts: 2182
14.01.2026 09:24
Even without a subsidy, the running costs are much lower than resistive heating or standard ACs.
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demian_l
Joined:
02.07.2022
Posts: 1971
14.01.2026 17:12
In reply to a previous post
Go for it, but hire a professional engineer to calculate the heat loss, don't just trust the local salesmen.

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