The Google Trends data shows that UK search interest for the term ‘air to air heat pump installer’ reached its highest possible score of ‘100’ for the first time in a year, during 24-31 May.

These dates coincide with the first heatwave of 2026. The hottest day on record for this year was around 26th May, suggesting a clear correlation between hot weather and the need to install air-to-air heat pump systems.

Interest in this type of heat pump installer only began rising in mid-May (soon before the heatwave was set to arrive), suggesting UK consumers were perhaps preparing to utilise these heat pumps as a way of managing the hot weather ahead of its arrival.

Why might air-to-air heat pumps be popular in warm weather?

They double as air conditioning

Air-to-air heat pumps look a lot like traditional air conditioning systems, and in fact, they can do the same job of cooling a room, but they also work in reverse to provide heating.

With UK summers getting hotter and winters still requiring heating, such systems offer year-round comfort in one system. Units range from small, single-room setups to large multi-room installations with independent temperature control in each space.

This means these types of heat pumps can be used to cool homes, as an alternative to purchasing air conditioning units.

They’re more efficient than air conditioning units for cooling

Max Schwertfeger from The Eco Experts said: “Heat pumps are definitely a better option than gas boilers to warm your house, but they are also more efficient than air conditioning systems when you want to cool down. This means lower bills in the long term and lower emissions, and the fact you’re only using one piece of technology for both heating and cooling.'