WHAT IS AN AIR SOURCE HEAT PUMP?
An air source heat pump absorbs heat from the outside air. This heat is then turned from low grade heat to high grade heat using electricity which can then be used to heat radiators, underfloor heating systems and hot water in your home.
HOW DOES AN AIR SOURCE HEAT PUMP WORK?
Air source heat pumps, sometimes known as air-to-water heat pumps, work as follows:
A fan blows air across a heat exchanger containing a very cold refrigerant liquid in the external ASHP unit. As the refrigerant is warmed (it will do so even if the air is as cold as -15°C) it turns into a gas, this gas then passes through an electrically driven compressor where the compression of gas generates heat. The low grade heat from the outside air is therefore converted to high grade heat suitable for use in the home.
WILL AN AIR SOURCE HEAT PUMP BE COMPATIBLE WITH MY EXISTING SYSTEM?
Air source heat pumps are compatible with both radiator and under floor heating systems and can be used together with most electric or oil-fired boilers when integrated to an existing heating and hot water system in hybrid bi-valent format. Like any heat pump system, they are at their most efficient when the emitter system is designed to work at as low a flow temperature as possible, and it may be that some of your existing radiators have to be upgraded to maximise the efficiency of the unit – this is all picked up at survey.
IS AN AIR SOURCE HEAT PUMP SUITABLE FOR ME?
To tell if an air source heat pump is right for you, there are a few key questions to consider:
- Do you have somewhere to put it?
You’ll need a place outside your home where a unit can be fitted to a wall or placed on the ground. It will need plenty of space around it to get a good flow of air. A sunny wall is ideal.
- Is your home well insulated?
Since air source heat pumps work best when producing heat at a lower temperature than traditional boilers, it’s essential that your home is insulated and draught-proofed well for the heating system to be effective.
- What fuel will you be replacing?
The system will pay for itself much more quickly if it’s replacing an electricity, oil, solid fuel or LPG heating system. Heat pumps may not be the best option for homes using mains gas.
- What type of heating system will you use?
Air source heat pumps can perform better with underfloor heating systems or warm air heating than with radiator-based systems because of the lower water temperatures required.
- Is the system intended for a new development?
Combining the installation with other building work will reduce the cost of installing the system.
WHAT MAINTENANCE IS REQUIRED?
Heat pump systems typically come with a warranty of two to three years. Many manufacturers also offer options for warranty extensions up to 7 years for a fee. Your heat pump will need to be serviced annually in accordance with manufacturers guidance.
WHICH IS THE RIGHT PRODUCT?
To help you determine the right product please contact us on 02922 402 447 and we can talk through your requirements to fully understand your needs.
There is a high level of design to be considered prior to installing any heat pump and we need to determine the needs of your building, the use of the building and the local geology to supply you with a bespoke system to exceed your expectations.
WHAT IS A GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMP?
Ground source heat pump systems harness natural heat stored underground or underwater. They achieve this by pumping cold fluid via a closed loop of underground pipes which then extracts energy in the form of heat from the surrounding ground. Once this heat circulates back to the heat pump, an electrically driven compressor turns this low grade heat into high grade heat suitable for use in home heating or domestic hot water.
HOW DOES A GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMP WORK?
A heat pump works by extracting energy from natural sources – either the ground, deep geology, lake or river. This low grade energy is transferred across a heat exchanger to a gaseous refrigerant. This now warm (ish) gas then passes through an electrically driven compressor where it is compressed. Compression of gas generates heat, how hard the compressor works (and so how much electricity is required) dictates the temperature the gas leaves the compressor. This hot gas then passes across a second heat exchanger, on the opposite side of which is the heating medium (fluid in your heating system). The high grade heat produced is suitable for providing heating and hot water.
IS A GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMP SUITABLE FOR ME?
- Is your garden suitable for a ground loop? It doesn’t have to be particularly big, but the ground needs to be suitable for digging a trench or a borehole and accessible to digging machinery.
- Is your home well insulated? Since ground source heat pumps work best when producing heat at a lower temperature than traditional boilers, it’s essential that your home is well insulated and draught-proofed for the heating system to be effective.
- What fuel will you be replacing? The system will pay for itself much more quickly if it’s replacing an electricity or coal heating system. Heat pumps may not be the best option for homes using mains gas.
- What type of heating system will you use? Ground source heat pumps can perform better with underfloor heating systems or warm air heating than with radiator-based systems because of the lower water temperatures required.
- Is the system intended for a new development? Combining the installation with other building work can reduce the cost of installing the system.
WHAT MAINTENANCE IS REQUIRED?
Heat pump systems typically come with a warranty of two to three years. Many manufacturers also offer options for warranty extensions up to 7 years for a fee. Your heat pump will need to be serviced annually in accordance with manufacturers guidance.
WHICH IS THE RIGHT PRODUCT?
To help you determine the right product please contact us on 02922 402 447 and we can talk through your requirements to fully understand your needs.
There is a high level of design to be considered prior to installing any heat pump and we need to determine the needs of your building, the use of the building and the local geology to s supply you with a bespoke system to exceed your expectations
WHAT ARE THE COMMON PROBLEMS WITH HEAT PUMPS
The common problems with heat pumps are mostly derived from poor specification of units – these come from the unit being undersized with regards to the target property, or constantly having to run at high flow temperatures due to the heating emitters being poorly specified. The results of these are a cold house, high bills or both. With ground source heat pumps undersized ground collector can also be a problem. The sizing and specification is key in order to have an efficient heating system.
WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE HEATING ?
Sustainable heating explained in simple terms, is using renewable energy sources such as heat pumps or hybrid heating systems rather than mains gas or electricity.
Spire Renewables offer unbiased solutions, innovative products and strive to identify the best system design for your project and home, that offers high energy efficiency, reliability and long-term savings with minimal carbon consumption, effectively reducing your carbon footprint.
WHAT IS SYSTEM INTEGRATION?
Spire Renewables are one of the only heat pump suppliers nationally who are MCS accredited and are capable of design, sizing, supply, provide technical support for the entire package to ensure seamless system integration.
WHAT ARE THE LONG TERM SAVINGS?
Heat pumps can offer substantial run cost savings to customers currently heated via LPG or Oil fired boilers. With properties on mains gas network there will be a small overall saving but this is harder to justify unless running in a new gas supply is prohibitively expensive. On any property Spire Renewables will provide a full breakdown of realistic running costs as part of the initial quoting process.
WHAT IS THE BOILER UPGRADE SCHEME (BUS)?
This government funded scheme provides eligible property owners, in England and Wales, a £7500 grant towards the cost of the provision and installation of Air and Ground Source Heat Pumps. Spire has an excellent track record of successful applications.