The Alternative To Gas Boilers?
Air source pumps serve as an alternative way to heat your home, and could be the ideal solution if you want to generate your own heat and potentially save money on your energy bills.
Air source heat pumps (ASHPs) absorb heat from the outside air to heat your home and hot water. They can still extract heat when air temperatures are as low as -15°C.
Air source heat pumps need electricity to run, but because they are extracting renewable heat from the environment, the heat output is greater than the electricity input. This makes them an energy efficient method of heating your home.
How much do they cost? The typical air source heat pump cost ranges from £4,000-8,000, depending on the pump brand and its heat output.
Are they noisy? Because heat pumps come in all shapes and sizes, the sound and volume of noise they make varies between models and manufacturers. Fortunately, due to government regulations most modern air source heat pumps can work a lot quieter than older models.
Do you need planning permission for an AHSP? You do not need planning permission but do need to seek permission from the local supply authority as they need to check that the supply to your property can handle the extra draw on the electricity supply. Careful consideration must given given to the siting of the unit as there can be some noise pollution.
What brand of pumps do Carter Electrical install? We have installed Mitsubishi Ecodan and Midea pumps to date. The Midea unit is particularly quiet.
Do Carter Electrical have any accreditations? We have staff that have completed Energy Efficiency, ASHP and water regulation courses.
Types of pumps? There are two main types of air source heat pumps (ASHPs): air-to-water and air-to-heat. An ASHP works a bit like a refrigerator in reverse. The process consists of an evaporator, a compressor and a condenser. The ASHP absorbs heat from the outside air into a liquid at a low temperature, then the heat pump compressor increases the temperature of that heat. In the condenser, the hot liquid’s heat is transferred to your heating and hot-water circuits. So you can use it to warm up your home.
Many air source heat pumps are eligible for payment through the Renewable Heat Incentive, a government scheme that provides payments to homeowners who generate their own heat.
Air-to-water heat pumps These take heat from the outside air and feed it into your wet central heating system. As the heat produced is cooler than that from a conventional boiler, you may need to install larger radiators or underfloor heating in your home to make the most of it. They qualify for the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), too. Under the UK government’s scheme, you could get money towards renewable heating costs in your home. Air-to-water heat pumps may be best suited to new-build properties. It could cost less if the heat pump is included as part of the building specification, rather than having to retrofit underfloor heating later on.