Air Source Heat Pump Reviews
An air source heat pump is another way to heat your home. It will allow you to generate your own renewable heat, potentially saving you money on your energy bills in the long run.
They provide heat at lower temperatures than gas and oil boilers. Therefore, you need to run them longer to heat your home to a comfortable temperature.
A well-insulated home is crucial, otherwise the heat generated by the heat pump can escape more easily and you may find that the temperatures are not as high as you are used to.
If you are replacing an expensive system such as an electric storage heater, oil, LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) or coal, a heat pump will save you even more on your heating bills.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Air Source Heat Pumps
Air source heat pumps require little maintenance and can provide heating and hot water, but they are not perfect systems. Here are some of the main pros and cons:
Advantage
1. Heat pumps are highly efficient because they produce more energy than they consume. For example, if the COP is 3.0, consuming 1kW of energy is equivalent to inputting 3kW of energy into the heating system. Efficiency varies with system design, system size, heat loss and weather.
2. Air source heat pumps produce less carbon dioxide than many traditional heating systems
3. Less disruptive than installing a ground source heat pump, especially when retrofitting
4. You can save on heating bills compared to some older systems, and your operating costs may be lower compared to a gas boiler.
Shortcoming
1. Your garden needs enough space to accommodate an external condenser unit
2. The condenser unit may make noise and blow cold air into the area around it
3. Electricity is required to run the pumps, so they are not zero carbon (unless the electricity comes from a renewable energy source like solar panels or wind turbines).
4. You may need to install new, larger radiators suitable for heating your home with lower water temperatures, or install an underfloor heating system.
5. Installing a heat pump requires a lot of effort, as heat loss calculations and careful design of your heating system are crucial to ensuring you're happy with your comfort and your bills. You will need an MCS certified installer.
How does an air source heat pump work?
Air source heat pumps absorb heat from the air and raise it to a higher temperature using a compressor. It then transfers the heat to your home’s heating system.
1. They work a bit like a reverse refrigerator.
2. The air source heat pump absorbs the heat of the outside air into low-temperature liquid refrigerant.
3. A pump uses electricity to compress a liquid to increase its temperature. It then condenses back into a liquid to release its stored heat.
4. The heat is transferred to a radiator or floor heating system. The remainder can be stored in a hot water cylinder.
You can use stored hot water for showers, baths and taps.
The pump uses electricity to run, but the amount of electricity it uses should be less than the heat it generates. This makes them an energy-efficient way to warm your home.
Air source heat pumps can work even when temperatures are well below zero.
Geothermal heat pumps can also harness natural heat and increase the temperature to warm your home. Learn how geothermal heat pumps work.
What is an air source heat pump?
Air source heat pumps are a low-carbon way of heating your home. They absorb latent heat from the outside air and use it to increase the temperature in your home.
Air source heat pumps look similar to air conditioning units. Their size depends on how much heat they need to generate for your home - the more heat, the larger the heat pump.
There are two main types of air source heat pumps: air-to-water and air-to-air. They work in different ways and are compatible with different types of heating systems.
Air-water heat pump
Air-to-water heat pumps absorb heat from the outside air and transfer it to a wet central heating system.
They are best suited for large radiators or water underfloor heating as they produce less heat than traditional gas or oil boilers. To function most efficiently, they require a large surface area to release heat.
When you extend your home or build a new property, it is simpler to fit a larger radiator or underfloor heating system to your heat pump. It also costs less than retrofitting floor heating later.
air to air heat pump
An air-to-air heat pump absorbs heat from the outside air and delivers it to your home via a fan. You need a warm air circulation system to move heat into your home.
These systems cannot produce hot water, so you will need a separate immersion heater or other water heating system.
In the summer, air-to-air heat pumps can run in reverse. In other words, you can use it like an air conditioner to provide cool air to your home.
Air source heat pump installation
Air source heat pumps are usually installed outdoors on the side or back of the house. There needs to be enough space around them for air to circulate.
Inside, you'll typically have a unit that contains a pump and hot water.
They are less disruptive to install than ground source heat pumps as they do not require any digging in the garden.
You don't usually need planning permission for an air source heat pump, but if you live in a listed building or conservation area then you will usually need local authority consent. You'll also want to check that your installation complies with building regulations in your area.
Also check with your home insurance provider to check if your policy covers changes to your heating system.
If you are going to use an air source heat pump, it is important to ensure that your home is well insulated so that it can retain heat. Underfloor heating or larger radiators are often installed along with a heat pump to better distribute heat.
Your installer should tell you how to use your heat pump's controls to help you use it most efficiently. You may need to heat your home at a lower temperature for longer.
When your system is complete, you should obtain a commissioning certificate from your installer. Once your system is registered, you should also obtain a Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) installation certificate (the installer must complete this within 10 days). You will need this information to qualify for most funding programs.
Are air source heat pumps efficient?
A typical heat pump should produce 2.5 - 3 units of heat for every unit of electricity used, effectively making the heat pump 250% - 300% efficient. The coefficient of performance can be higher than this, but it can also be lower, especially in the middle of winter.
The Seasonal Coefficient of Performance (SCOP) tells you the average efficiency of your heat pump over the entire heating season. Your installer should calculate this and provide you with a SCOP estimate before installing the heat pump. This gives you a realistic picture of the costs and efficiencies that account for the cumulative warm, mild, and cold weather we face during the fall and winter.
To get the most out of your heat pump, you need to know how to use it most efficiently. Typically, you'll need to set your heating for a longer period of time than with a traditional system. Your installer should show you how to control your heat pump system.
You should also have your heat pump serviced every two to three years. Regularly check all grills to be free of leaves and debris and follow any other maintenance checks recommended by your installer.
An air source heat pump system can help reduce your carbon footprint because it uses a renewable natural heat source – air. How much CO2 you will save depends on the fuel you switch to. For example, this number will be higher if you replace a coal or oil boiler instead of natural gas.
Heat pumps require a power source (usually electricity) to power the heat pump, so some CO2 emissions are still generated.
Get more help
Leomon is a professional heat pump manufacturer. If you need to purchase an air source heat pump, please contact us. Our heat pump experts will give you the best advice.
