Air Source Heat Pump FAQs

 Are heat pumps safe and what about servicing?
The technology that heat pumps adopt is completely safe as being tested and developed. No hazardous gas emissions, no flammable oil, LPG or gas pipes, no unsightly fuel storage and no flues or chimneys with heat pump installations. There is no need for regular servicing or expensive annual safety checks.

How do running costs in comparison with conventional energy sources?
In a well insulated property, an air source heat pump gives you industry best efficiencies and low running costs. The very best of modern condensing gas boilers may only be a little more expensive to run but with ever increasing gas prices, regular servicing and maintenance, the costs soon add up so remember to add these into your financial calculations when comparing costs. An oil boiler or LPG system will cost considerably more to run and electric heating can be as much as three times more expensive!

What is a heat pump and how do they work?
A heat pump is an electrically powered appliance which uses compressor and refrigeration technology to transfer heat from one place to another.

Will I need a new boiler?
In most cases an Air pump air source heat pump can provide all hot water and heating requirements, without the need for top-up from a boiler.

How much hot water is produced each day by an air source heat pump?
Hot Water is stored and made available in a thermal store allowing for daily usage requirements. The systems provide large amounts of hot water quickly and at low cost.

How do air source heat pumps work?
An air source heat pump extracts heat from the outside air in the same way that a fridge extracts heat from its inside. It can extract heat from the air even when the outside temperature is as low as minus 10° C. The heat energy in the air is transferred to a sealed system of refrigerant inside the unit. Which is pumped through a compressor, which compresses the gaseous refrigerant? As the gas is compressed, it is heated up, much like when air is compressed. It is this heat which is transferred to the central heating water, to be used in the property. The cycle of refrigerant cooling and then being compressed is completed many times to give a constant heat.

The efficiency of air source heat pump systems is measured by a coefficient of performance (CoP) the amount of heat they produce compared to the amount of electricity needed to run them. A typical CoP for an air source heat pump is around 3.8 at 20 degree.

The benefits of air source heat pumps

• Reduce your fuel bills: air source heat pumps tend to be cheaper to run than gas, electric storage or oil heating.
• Cut down on wasted electricity: heating your property with an air source heat pump is much more efficient than using electric heaters or storage heaters.
• Save space: an air source heat pump system is compact, and requires no fuel tanks like LPG gas or oil.
• Renewable Energy: the energy is extracted from the air outside.
• Carbon Reduction: A carbon reduction of up to 60% can be achieved.
• Zero Local Emissions: No flue gas is given off by a heat pump and there is no carbon monoxide risk.
• Is an air source heat pump suitable for my building?
• Our advanced heat pump technology ensures that all properties can benefit from an Air Source Heat Pump in some way. There are other factors to consider.

You should take the time to insulate your property as efficiently as possible to save even more fuel cost.
Is your property well insulated? Since air source heat pumps produce less heat than traditional boilers, it's essential that your property 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 electricity, Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG), oil or coal heating system than an up to date High Efficiency Mains Gas System. (but the gas will still have the high emissions)
On a retro fit or upgrade a heat pump can be successfully integrated with the existing heating but some general upgrades may be essential.
Is the system intended for a new development? Take advantage of our technical support to help optimise and simplify the build.
What are the design considerations for my property?

As long as there is a free flow of air around the unit there are few restrictions.
For installation details and technical support information, please call us or find the information in the product related page.

How much noise do Air Source Heat Pumps generate?
There is some fan noise, and the other components are about as loud as a large domestic freezer.

Does the Air Source Heat Pump work all year round?
The system performs down to air temperatures of -10°c which means that they are more than suitable for installations within the UK. Hot water and Heating can be provided 365 days a year. In properties with larger heat demand, boilers or multi fuel burners can be successfully integrated. Our technical staff will provide an installation schematic.

How efficient are Air Source Heat Pumps?
A reduction of CO2 emissions of up to 60% would be expected. The Energy Efficiency rating assessments of new builds using Air Source Heat Pumps rated as "A" which is the highest level for heating and hot water production. An additional benefit is the residual value to the property in the event of a transfer of ownership. Air Source Heat Pumps have a CoP (Coefficient of Performance) of 4:1. This means for every unit of energy consumed by the Air Source Heat Pump you would get a return of 4 usable units of usable energy, making the property cheaper to run and attractive to purchasers.

Do Air source heat pumps work in winter?
Yes, our air source heat pumps will still have high output even down to -25 degrees external temperature.

How long will an installation take?
Air source heat pump installations may take 2-3 days.

Can air source heat pumps be fitted indoors?
A good air flow is essential for air source heat pumps, so outdoor will be the best option.

How can the efficiency be greater than 100%?
To calculate the system efficiency we divide the amount of heat output by the amount of electricity that the system runs on and multiply the result by 100. So if the system generates 4kwh of heat and uses 1kWh of electricity the system efficiency is 400% (COP of 4). The reason the efficiency is greater than 100% is because we do not include the heat from outside in the equation, we consider this as completely free, which it is.

What is a Coefficient of Performance (COP)?
The COP is the same as the system efficiency.  A COP of 4 is the same as a system efficiency of 400%.