The Government plans to replace gas boilers with environmentally-friendly alternatives in the coming years, with Boris Johnson today setting out his new green agenda. But many households fear they'll be left to pick up the bill. ~ a #thread 👇

By 2025, builders will be banned from fitting conventional gas boilers in new-build homes. New boilers will then be banned for all households by 2035. Instead, homes will likely be heated by heat pumps or hydrogen systems…

The Government plans to offer £5,000 grants for those switching. But critics have warned just 90,000 homes will benefit

❓ What are the alternatives to gas boilers? Hydrogen boilers are still in development, but up-front costs are estimated to be slightly more than gas, with additional purchase costs of around £250

❓ So will your energy bills go up? Heat pumps are usually powered by electricity, which is more expensive than gas or oil, but they're also three to four times more efficient than traditional boilers. This means running costs are similar

❓ What about installation? While a replacement gas boiler can cost as little as £1,000, a full air source heat pump system installation can cost between £7,000 and £14,000, with ground source #HeatPumps costing between £15,000 and £35,000…

❓ How will the Government's grant scheme work? ❓ What other incentives are there to switch? ❓ What else do you need to know? Read our comprehensive guide to the gas boiler ban here 👉

@MoneyTelegraph This sounds absolutely ridiculous. Or maybe just have nuclear power plants and use the hot water from them for the households

@MoneyTelegraph I would think that the unit would require fresh clean water from the mains and the old heated water should go back to the water pump station to be cleaned again then so that it could be used for tap water but to be fair we would build a underground water tank for that unit

@MoneyTelegraph So Mr/Ms Average will be left to pick up the bill whilst the @amazon billionaire & super-rich @ManCity & @NUFC owners jet around the globe 🌎 contributing more to global emissions in a day than I expect the average person in the UK does in one year. Something needs to change.

@MoneyTelegraph Heat pumps are shite. They vaguely heat one room and that's it.

@MoneyTelegraph Where is the red arrow showing the leak of heat out of the house? Most UK housing stock isn't thermally suitable for heat pump technology.

@MoneyTelegraph But with my combi boiler I can have hot water whenever I want a shower / bath. Is that also the case with these #HeatPumps ? (Genuine question) as the way the old water tank system looks similar to this and I remember as a kid having to wait for the hot water tank to fill up.

@MoneyTelegraph If you like a chilly house enjoy your #heatpump . I spent 3 #miserable #winters with a heat pump in #Delaware . It’s fine for much of #Texas or the #Carolinas . Been to #London in fall & winter many times - methinks it’s time to bundle up!

@MoneyTelegraph BUT These are probably only suitable for new homes that are fully insulated For Older properties - they will probably be totally unacceptable without some other means of heating WHAT is need is some reliable independent trustworthy form of assessment

@MoneyTelegraph This drawing is oversimplified, the hot water leaves the heat exchanger and goes to the radiators or underfloor heating coils but that water would not be used for hot water taps/showers etc. That would require a separate cleaner system.

@MoneyTelegraph For new builds constructed with the best insulation, heat pumps, underfloor heating and solar panels, it’s a no brainer but to retro fit to an old house, it’s not viable for the average family. Concentrate on good insulation first.

@MoneyTelegraph Err....I'm not sure if you have that right. Either your graphics producers were having a bad day, or you just don't fully understand how these things work.