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Replacing traditional gas boilers with heat pumps is becoming more and more common. The UK government is committed to reducing the carbon emissions of the country, and heating our properties makes up a sizeable portion of this. Updating your heating system to something new can feel daunting, and many people wonder if their air source heat pump is compatible with their existing radiators and other heating components. Heat pumps can work with your current radiators but some factors could complicate the situation.
You may see debates raging online about whether or not you can use a heat pump with your current radiators but in the majority of cases you can. There are some factors to take into consideration that could affect the performance of the heat pump, but they can almost always be overcome.
Air source heat pumps are powered by electricity but they are still considered a green method of heating a home. This is because they create many times more heat output than the power used for the pump. Heat pumps have an average of 300% to 400% efficiency, which means that they create three to four units of heat for every unit of electricity. In contrast, gas boilers have an efficiency level of 95%-98%.
In the outdoor unit of a heat pump is an evaporator coil which absorbs heat from the air. This process can work even at temperatures of much less than freezing. The heat is absorbed by a refrigerant liquid. This is the same liquid that you have in your fridge.
The heat makes the liquid turn into a gas which then flows to a compressor which compresses it and causes the temperature to rise further.
The gas is taken to a heat exchanger which transfers the heat into the central heating system's water, which then flows through to the radiators or underfloor heating.
It is also used to heat the water that is used in the taps, bath, and shower, which is stored in a hot water cylinder.
Once the heat has been released by the heat exchanger/condenser, the refrigerant turns into a liquid again and flows back outside to start the process once more.
Discover more: How Does An Air Source Heat Pump Work
Ground source heat pumps operate in exactly the same way but they obtain their heat from underneath the ground rather than the outside air. They are more efficient because ground heat does not vary as much as the outside air temperature but they are more costly to install.
Explore in-depth: How Does A Ground Source Heat Pump Work
Heat pump installation will involve replacing your existing gas boiler with the heat pump, and it can be connected to your existing radiators. There are a few key steps to the process to ensure that the heat pump system works well with your central heating system.
Check out: Can Air Source Heat Pump Replace An Oil Boiler
Before starting the heat pump installation, your heating engineer will inspect your current system and property. They will first conduct a heat loss calculation before fully inspecting your central heating and its connection.
Heat loss calculations will give your engineer a clear idea of the heating demands and heat loss of your home. This will help them determine the size and power of the heat pump and whether or not you need to improve your insulation.
The components, connections, pipework, and electrical work of your system will also be inspected to see if anything requires repair or upgrade.
Once the size of the heat pump has been determined, the installation process can start. There are two units: an outdoor unit and an indoor unit. The outdoor unit will be placed against a wall of the property and is around the size of a washing machine.
The indoor unit is smaller and should be placed as close as possible to the outdoor unit to create the most efficient heat pump system.
Now the heat pump system can be connected to the central heating system pipework. This is done through the use of hydraulic connections. The heat pump has flow and return pipes. The flow pipe carries the heated water from the heat pump to the central heating system.
The return pipe brings the cooled water back to the heat pump to be heated again.
If the heat pump is also powering the property's hot water, there will be a three-way valve that can direct the hot water either to the radiators or to the hot water cylinder.
Gain insights: How Much To Install Air Source Heat Pump System
The heat pump will need to be connected to the electrical system. Your engineer will ensure that the electrical system meets the power requirements of the heat pump and that it will work as it should.
If you don't already have a thermostat, it is recommended to install one. Thermostats work well will heat pump systems because they require maintaining a consistent temperature.
Once the heat pump is connected to the radiators and central heating system, it will be flushed to ensure that there is no sludge or debris, and then its performance will be tested. The radiators may need to be balanced to make sure that the heat is distributed evenly throughout the home.
While it is fully possible to connect your air source heat pump directly to your current radiators and start using it straight away, it is a good idea to consider some potential issues you could encounter. In some cases, you may choose to replace your radiators with ones that will help make the heat pump system more efficient or you may choose to overhaul the system altogether and use underfloor heating instead.
Radiators work by radiating heat (hence the name!) but the ones in your house will be designed to work best with gas boilers. This isn't always an issue for installing an air source heat pump, but it can be in some circumstances.
Gas boilers create heat at a higher flow temperature. This is usually between 60 and 80 °C. Air source heat pumps work differently. Rather than cycling on and off with high temperatures, they remain constantly on at low flow temperatures of between 35°C and 45°C.
This can mean that the radiator flow temperature isn't at a high enough heat for it to efficiently heat the space to the desired room temperature.
The problem often is that the radiators are too small. The low temperature of an air source heat pump requires a larger surface area for it to radiate through the room and heat it efficiently.
In some cases, you may need to do nothing at all. Your original radiator installers may have already placed oversized radiators as a "just to make sure". If this is the case, then they will just need to be turned up to ensure that the low flow temperatures of the heat pump can heat the room.
The way you can tell if this is the case is to close all of the windows, then turn the radiators and the heat right up. If the house becomes uncomfortably hot, then your radiators are probably oversized for your current gas boiler, and they may be suitable for a heat pump.
If your radiators are not oversized, then you could look at getting new ones. Replacing radiators will add some expense to the installation but it will allow the heat pump to work at its highest efficiency which will save you money on energy costs in the long run.
You can get specific heat pump radiators that are specifically designed to work well with heat pumps. They have a larger surface area to accommodate the lower flow temperature. Some will also have additional fins to further increase the surface area, and you can even get fan-assisted models that will help to distribute the heat.
If you are committed to modifying your central heating system to fully accommodate a heat pump, investing in underfloor heating is probably the most effective step you could take.
Underfloor heating works by placing a network of water pipes underneath the floor that carry the heating water from the air source heat pump. It has a large surface area and will distribute the heat evenly throughout the room, rather than radiating it from a single source. This makes it perfect for use with an air source heat pump and will allow it to work at maximum efficiency while still maintaining the desired room temperature.
Another key factor to consider is insulation. Many properties in the UK have insufficient insulation. New build properties will have good insulation as it is a key element of building regulations nowadays, but older buildings won't have the same level of insulation.
This causes an issue with energy efficiency for all types of heating systems but it is a larger problem for air source heat pumps. Again, this is because the heat output of air source heat pumps is lower and they are designed to remain at a constant low flow temperature.
When there is a large amount of heat loss, the heat pump will be forced to work harder than its optimum efficiency. This will make it less efficient and will cost you more energy.
It is a good idea to improve your insulation regardless of whether you are having an air source heat pump installed. You can get your insulation assessed by a qualified energy auditor or you could commission an energy performance certificate (EPC) rating.
The insulation levels of your property will be assessed as will any areas of heat loss, and you will receive a report with recommendations for insulation improvements.
If your EPC rating is D to G, you can get free or cheap insulation through the Great British Insulation Scheme.
Our heat pump installation team is here to help. We will visit your property and assess your current central heating schematic and system to see how compatible it is with an air source heat pump in its current state. If it does require modifications, like heat pump compatible radiators, we will help to source cost-effective and efficient radiators that will suit your property's heat demands.
Once we have determined the best course of action for aligning an air source heat pump with your current system, we will work closely with you to ensure that the installation meets your needs. Heat pump technology is improving all the time, and we keep on top of the latest innovations and trends so that we can provide you with the most cutting-edge and dependable heat pump.
Contact us today to find out how we can help you with your heat pump installation.
Can heat pumps be used with existing radiators? They definitely can. They are designed to be an alternative way of heating the water in your central heating system. To get the most efficiency out of your heat pump system, and lower your energy bills and carbon footprint, it can be a good idea to invest either in larger radiators or an underfloor heating system.
