You might be worried if the Coefficient of Performance (COP) in the Havenwise app is lower than you expected. The good news is that Havenwise is already working hard on your behalf. This article will help you work out if there’s a real issue going on.
Havenwise is already optimising your COP
It's natural to wonder whether you could be doing more to improve efficiency. Havenwise already applies best-practice principles automatically, keeping flow temperatures as low as possible and maximising long, slow heating runs. You don't need to configure this yourself.
If you've asked an AI tool like ChatGPT or Gemini for advice, it's likely suggested exactly what Havenwise is already doing. COP figures of 4 or higher are possible in ideal conditions, but real-world performance depends heavily on your heat pump model, installation quality, and the weather.
A COP of 2.5 to 3.5 in winter is normal and reasonable for many systems and it can even drop lower on a cold week. Luckily, performance improves rapidly as things warm up. Focus on the average, rather than day to day or week to week swings.
Tariff optimisation: a small COP trade-off for a big bill saving
If you have tariff optimisation enabled, Havenwise shifts your consumption to the cheapest times of day. This can cause a minor reduction in COP, because the heat pump runs harder during cheap periods to take advantage of low energy prices and bank heat. That means we can back off when prices are expensive.
This is intentional and worth it. Cost is king. A slightly lower COP paired with a meaningfully lower bill is the better outcome. This is nothing to worry about.
Why your COP may be lower than expected
If your COP is still lower than you'd like, it's likely a combination of factors:
1. Known energy reporting issues
Some manufacturers have known bugs that affect how energy data is reported. This can make COP figures appear lower than they actually are.
2. Heat pump brand and winter performance
Different heat pump brands perform differently in cold weather. Some models are less efficient than others in winter conditions. This is a hardware limitation rather than anything Havenwise can change. Rest assured that we’re getting the best out of what you have.
3. Physical installation factors
Even a well-insulated new build isn't automatically optimised for heat pump performance. For an older property, there can be even more factors at play.
COP is significantly affected by physical factors, including:
Pipe diameter and the angles of pipework runs
Size and type of heat emitters (radiators or underfloor heating)
Whether a buffer tank or volumiser is installed
These factors are determined at installation and can only be assessed in person.
What does my COP actually mean? A quick guide
Your COP | What it likely means | What to do |
Less than 1 | Serious problem. The heat pump is consuming more energy than it's delivering. | Contact an engineer urgently. |
1 to 2 | Significant underperformance. Something is likely wrong. | Contact an engineer. |
2 to 3 | Potential issue. Worth investigating. | Check that all TRVs and any third-party thermostats are open and not blocking flow. Consider reducing the scheduled temperature |
3 or above | Normal to good performance. | No action needed. Focus on your bills rather than your COP. |
What to do next
If you want to investigate further, the most effective next step is to have a heating engineer visit in person. They can assess your pipework, emitters, and system configuration in ways that data alone cannot reveal.
If you have questions about your Havenwise settings, our support team is always happy to help via the blue support button in the app.