Description
Air-to-water heat pumps are an economical heating method with low carbon
emissions. They can be used to meet building codes or to help improve the
comfort and efficiency of existing houses.
1. The operating cost is lower than gas or oil-fired boilers
2. Reducing carbon emissions is of great benefit to future generations
3. Excellent solution for part L compliance in new buildings
4. Higher installation cost than gas or oil boiler
5. Older houses may need to be upgraded in advance
How does an air-to-water heat pump work?
Heat pumps work best in mild climates. The efficiency of the
air-to-water heat pump is best at 7°C, rather than in dry and cold places where
the outdoor temperature is below -20°C. Keep in mind the working principle of
the air-water heat pump, the temperature drop will affect the operating
efficiency.
In climates with very low winter temperatures, ground-source heat pumps
seem to be a more appropriate choice because they extract heat from the ground
and perform well in freezing temperatures. However, it is said that the
technological development of cold climate heat pumps using the air-to-water
principle can meet heating needs even at low temperature set points below
-25°C.
How efficient is the air-to-water heat pump?
By using an air-to-water heat pump, you can reduce your carbon footprint
by 50%. This is because although it runs on electricity, it mainly uses
supplementary green energy. It captures low-level air, then transmits it within
the system, and provides the best heating and hot water for your home.
In order to obtain the best price/performance ratio, considering the
cost of the air source heat pump, careful planning of the heat pump
installation is a must, whether it is in refurbishment or new construction.
Air-to-water heat pumps work well with floor heating because they operate at
lower temperatures.
Initially, the cost of combining a floor heating system with a heat pump
seemed to be a serious investment. However, within the first year of
installation, you will be able to see the difference between lower electricity
bills and increased property comfort.
Even if your existing heating system uses water-based radiators,
consider using air-to-water heat pumps. If you do not want to upgrade, it is
worth noting that the efficiency of the combination of heat pump and radiator
will depend on whether their size is suitable for heating needs. In this case,
a larger size or double-sided radiator will be the most suitable.
Is the heat pump suitable for my home?
In the new building, the heat pump was considered very advantageous
during the BER assessment. The new "NZEB" (Near Zero Energy Building)
building code approach has seen their positive contribution to the improvement
of building ratings. Therefore, they are a good choice for meeting the
requirements of Part L during the construction of self-built and multi-unit
houses.
Heat pumps can work well in older houses, provided that the insulation
level of the building has been improved. In some cases, it may be necessary to
increase the size of the heat sink.
What size heat pump do I need?
How much energy your building consumes and whether there is a secondary
heat source will affect the size. In a house, although the existing gas or
oil-fired boiler may have a capacity of 24 or 32 kilowatts, there are few heat
pumps on the market that are 14-16 kilowatts larger than the actual capacity, because
this is the upper limit. Typical single-phase power supply will allow. This
means that even the largest heat pump has about half the capacity of a gas or
oil boiler.
More restrictively, the ability of the heat pump to extract heat from
the air decreases as the outdoor temperature drops. This means that the size of
the heat pump needs to be adjusted to meet the heat loss in the coldest
expected weather. In this case, the design heat loss of your house may be
greater than the possible capacity of the heat pump. In this case, you either
need to reserve an auxiliary heat source for the coldest weather, or proceed to
further upgrade the building’s insulation before installing the heat pump.
Before.
Advantages and disadvantages of air-to-water systems
Air-to-water heat pumps are an excellent choice for distributing heating
and hot water to your home with minimal impact on the environment. By using
renewable solutions, you will save bills over time, and over time, RHI rewards
will cover most of your costs. If you want to estimate your savings, Ofgem, the
government electricity and gas regulator will regularly update their RHI
tariffs. In order to make an informed decision about the perfect system, let's
take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of air source heat pumps.
Benefit
1. The installation planning of air-water pumps is easier because they
are smaller and do not take up much space. However, their energy efficiency is
twice that of huge oil or gas systems. With this high efficiency, you can significantly
reduce water and electricity bills, and the additional income that RHI brings,
you can save even more.
2. In view of the fact that the air-water heat pump uses air to generate
energy, the operation system is simple and risk-free.
3. The air source heat pump of suitable size and good quality can save
you electricity, and the heating cost is low, but it will not affect the heat
output and comfort.
4. Air source heat pumps dominate the renovation market, but they are
also very suitable for new construction.
Shortcoming
1. There is a risk of low efficiency when air source heat pumps operate
in very cold weather conditions, so it is very important to check the seasonal
coefficient of performance (SCOP) to understand the annual average performance.
2. If you are considering investing in air-to-water devices because they
are compact and easy to maintain, please consider the noise level before
placing the internal device in a place other than the utility room.
3. Another planning consideration is the cost of good insulation,
because this will have the greatest impact on your future savings by using
air-to-water heat pumps.
4. Finally, depending on the condition of your existing radiator or
floor heating system, you may need to pay for replacement, which will
significantly increase installation costs.
Maintenance and maintenance for the best performance:
Proper maintenance and upkeep will ensure that the system reaches its
full potential. The outdoor unit needs to be kept free of debris in order to be
used for a longer time. make sure:
1. The filters in the external components should be cleaned regularly to
ensure that the system uses clean water and avoids damage.
2. The unit should be kept dry and the surrounding area should be kept
clean to ensure proper air inlet and outlet.
3. The water tank should be cleaned with the scale (according to the
local water quality), and the system should be regularly checked for leaks.
