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We are all trying to live a little greener and reduce our energy use, and our reliance on fossil fuels. Of everything we do, heating our homes is the activity that requires the most energy use. An air source heat pump is a more environmentally friendly option than typical combustion heating systems. It uses only electrical energy and less of it, and it is an efficient way of heating (and cooling) a home. Let's dig a little deeper into the mechanics of the system.
You can think of an air source heat pump as a reverse refrigeration system. It is a renewable alternative to fossil fuels (such as gas and oil). It works by drawing air in from the outside, heating it, then pumping the heat into the home or the hot water system.
Unlike a gas boiler, air-source heat pumps don't use combustion to generate heat. Instead, they convert available heat in the outside air to heat. This can then be used to increase the temperature of the home or to heat water for taps, showers, and baths.
Air-source heat pumps are becoming a more popular choice for a variety of reasons. They are energy efficient, and in fact, create up to four times as much energy as they use. This makes them an accessible, low-carbon option for heating a home.
Let's take a look at how an air source heat pump system works in more detail. There are a few different kinds of heat pumps, but the mechanism behind how each of them creates heat is the same.
An air source heat pump works in the exact same way as a fridge but in reverse. Instead of cooling the internal temperature, it heats it, using the same mechanism. Many air-source heat pumps can be used to cool as well as heat, which makes them a versatile option.
The heat pump itself is installed outside the house, usually at the front or the back. It requires a fair amount of space around it and will look like a box with an integrated fan. The pump draws in heat from the outside air. The air is then moved over the heat exchanger, which is still located in the external part of the air source heat pump.
Inside the air source heat pump is liquid refrigerant. The heat drawn in from outside causes this refrigerant liquid to heat up to the point that it starts to boil and turns into a gas.
The refrigerant gas is then passed through a compressor. The compression causes the gas to heat up even further.
The heat from the refrigerant gas is transferred into the home through a heat exchanger. The heat be pushed directly into the internal air, or it can be moved into a hot water cylinder. This cylinder will create hot water for the heating system and the hot water system.
Once the heat is in the air, heating system, hot water system, or underfloor heating, the gas cools down and condenses back into a liquid. Then the cycle repeats until the required temperature is reached (set using a thermostat).
An air source heat pump will also have a reversing valve, located near the compressor. This valve can change the direction of the refrigerant liquid. Reversing the direction will cool the house instead of heating it.
Ground-source heat pumps work in a very similar way to air-source heat pumps. The only difference is where the heat is drawn from - the air or the ground. A ground source heat pump can be more effective at drawing in heat, but it needs more power to run and the installation process is more extensive.
Dig deeper: How Does A Ground Source Heat Pump Work
Air-to-air source heat pumps transfer the outside heat directly into the home. Unlike wet heating systems, like radiators or underfloor heating, the heat does not travel through the house in pipes. Instead, it is blown into the air using fan coil units. A single fan coil unit will heat one room, so to heat the entire house using this method, you would need multiple fan coil units. All of these will each connect to the outdoor heat pump.
It is important to remember that an air-to-air heat pump can only heat the air in the home. It cannot heat your hot water system.
An air-to-water heat pump, on the other hand, does not directly pump the heated air into the home. Instead, it channels it into the wet central heating system. This heats the home either through radiators or an underfloor heating system. The existing network of pipes and radiators will often be suitable for modification to an air-to-water heat pump system, but will sometimes need upgrades for the system to work.
An air-to-water heat pump can also be used for your hot water system, to provide hot water for taps, showers, and baths.
Air-to-water air source heat pumps are the most common system seen in the UK. They are an efficient method of heating your home and your hot water, and they can be incorporated into the wet heating system of the majority of homes. If you have an air-to-air system, you will need a separate method of heating your water, because it won't connect to the wet heating system.
On the other hand, an air-to-air heat pump is much more effective at cooling than an air-to-water system. In fact, an air-to-air heat pump is an air conditioner. It is the same type of unit that is used to cool buildings when it is hot outside. An air-to-water heat pump can't be used as an air conditioning unit in the same way, and won't cool as effectively in the summer months.
Both a monobloc and split system use the same technology to power heat pumps. The difference is in how the units are installed.
A monobloc system consists of a single unit placed on the exterior of the property, and the liquid refrigerant is heated outside. A split system requires both an indoor and outdoor unit. The liquid refrigerant is heated inside the property.
Both systems are effective but can work better under different circumstances. Monobloc systems are cheaper and easier to install, and they require less space. Split systems do involve a more extensive installation process and require more available space. They also require internal space as well as external, which isn't always possible in all homes.
However, in the long term, split systems are cheaper to run. The pump has to work less hard since the unit is present inside the home instead of outside, so less electricity is needed to power the unit.
Hybrid heat pumps are a popular option that is suitable for properties that have traditional boilers. With this system, an air source heat pump is used alongside a fossil fuel heating system. The air source heat pump is usually the primary method of heating the home and water, with the traditional heating system in place as a backup.
While this system isn't a 100% green or renewable heat option, it will still drastically reduce the amount of energy needed to heat the home. And it can work well for properties where solely using an air source heat pump isn't viable. Or for properties that require a lot of heating power and/or are difficult to insulate.
We live in the UK, which is not renowned for having glorious weather. In fact, the winters here can get pretty cold. The average winter temperature is between 2 and 7 degrees, and it will often drop below freezing. This leads some people to believe that an air source heat pump is not suitable for our climate, but this isn't the case.
Even cold air contains some heat, and an air source heat pump can extract heat from air that is even well below freezing. Even as low as -20 degrees. So it can be used all through the winter.
Of course, the heat pump will use more electricity during the winter months because it will need to work harder. It may also need to use power to defrost if the external unit freezes during very cold weather.
Find out more: How Efficient Are Air Source Heat Pumps In Winter
Using an air source heat pump will lower your carbon footprint, compared to using a traditional gas boiler. The majority of the energy that we use is in heating our homes, and buildings account for 40% of global emissions. So finding a renewable heating system is an effective way of reducing energy use and carbon emissions.
Air source heat pumps create more heat than the energy they use. In fact, they can create two to three times more heat output than the electricity input used to heat the air.
Using electricity as a source of power is, in itself, more environmentally friendly. Renewable electricity is becoming an ever greater percentage of the energy created in the UK. In 2023, renewable energy sources like solar or wind power accounted for 47% of the electricity created. And this percentage is likely to increase every year.
Moreover, some air source heat pumps can be powered using solar panels. This will mean the energy used to run the unit is renewable, making the carbon footprint zero.
There has been a push in recent years for more energy-efficient condensing gas boilers. A-rated boilers are usually 92-94% efficient. This is a great improvement over earlier less energy-efficient models. But comes nowhere close to the energy efficiency of an air source heat pump.
An air source heat pump is three to four times more efficient than a boiler fuelled by LPG, oil, electricity, or gas. On average, they are between 250% and 450% efficient. This is far beyond the efficiency of even the highest-rated gas boilers. So you will use far less energy using an air-source heat pump than a traditional boiler.
If you're worried about the cost of upgrading your heating system, there is a government grant available. This is to pay for an air-source heat pump or ground-source heat pump installation. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme will pay £7,500 towards the installation of a heat pump, as long as it meets certain efficiency levels.
Note that you cannot get this grant for the installation of a hybrid heat pump that works with a gas boiler. It is for full heat pumps only.
Uncover more: How To Apply For Air Source Heat Pump Grant
There is no doubt that heat pumps are far more energy efficient than gas boilers, but what does this mean for you financially? The situation is a little more complicated than it first appears.
Electricity is a much more expensive fuel than gas. Approximately four times more expensive. So the reduction in your energy bills may not be as dramatic as it would first seem. With the growing use of renewable energy sources for electricity, the situation is likely to change as electricity prices go down.
The average cost of installing a gas boiler is £2,750 - £5,000. Heat pumps are a lot more expensive, with the cost of the heat pump unit plus installation coming closer to £10,000 - £12,000.
However, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme does change the landscape. With the £7,500 grant included, the cost of installing an air-source heat pump is around £4,000, depending on how much work is needed in the home.
Discover: Why Are Air Source Heat Pumps So Expensive
Air source heat pumps aren't easy to install in all situations. There needs to be enough external space for the condenser unit and, for split systems, there will also need to be enough indoor space for the hot water cylinder.
It is also highly recommended that the property is properly insulated. An air source heat pump won't reach its efficiency capabilities if there isn't proper insulation. If you are using an air-to-water heat pump, then you may need to upgrade your radiators and some of your pipes (but not always).
Underfloor heating heat pumps can be a good option if you want to aim for maximum efficiency, but this isn't viable for everybody. An underfloor heating system works well with an air-source heat pump. It requires less heat energy to reach a higher temperature than radiators.
Check out: Can Air Source Heat Pumps Work With Existing Radiators
An air-to-water heat pump will work to heat the water that comes out of your taps, but it will heat it to lower temperatures than a gas boiler would. This may mean that, for instance, if you are running a bath, you would need to use more water from the hot tap than you would for a gas boiler.
Many people already have an electric shower with water heated separately from the rest of the hot water system. This would also work well alongside an air source heat pump.
If you are looking to upgrade your heating system to an energy-efficient, sustainable, and eco-friendly method that helps to save money on your energy bills, an air source heat pump could be the perfect solution for you.
At Heat Pump Heroes, we use the latest heat pump technology to ensure that every system we install works to the highest of standards. During your initial consultation, our team of experienced installers will assess your home to determine what type of heat pump would be suitable. They will also look at placement options, and whether or not internal upgrades will be needed.
Once you have decided on the option that works for you, we will begin the installation at a time that suits you with as little disruption to your life as possible. Contact us today to find out how we can help you improve your heating system. Our friendly team is ready to answer any questions you may have.
Air-source heat pumps are an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly method of heating buildings. They work by drawing in air from the outside, extracting the heat from it using an electrically powered pump. They compress the heat and use it to boil a liquid, which then transfers the heat inside the building. This can either be through fans that blow directly into rooms, or it can be connected to the existing wet heating system.
