We have seen the popularity of Air Source Heat Pumps gained significantly over oil and gas heating. This is because they produce heat and electricity for your home in a way that lessens the negative impact on the environment, but also tends to cost you less. There is a government contribution which isn't salary based. Air source heat pumps could be a great investment for you.

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An Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) is a system that absorbs heat from the outside air and turn it into useful heat energy. They can even absorb heat when the outside temperature is as low as -15 °C. This heat energy can be used for both space heating and domestic hot water.

Some benefits of ASHPs are:
* Lower energy bills than traditional oil or gas systems. Switching from an oil boiler to an air source will reduce your heating bills by approx 30-40%.
* A reduction in your carbon footprint when changing from oil or gas.
* Maintenance is minimal.
* No more fuel deliveries.
* Easier to install than ground source heat pumps.
* Lower energy bills than traditional oil or gas systems.
* A reduction in your carbon footprint when changing from oil or gas.
* Maintenance is minimal.
* No more fuel deliveries.
* Generally more efficient than ASHPs.

For more information about sustainable heating solutions using air source heat pumps with underfloor heating visit the National Energy Savings Trust website.

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An air source heat pump heats your house (via radiators or underfloor), bath or swimming pool water. As fully trained and qualified installers we have many years of experience, undertaking new installs, replacements, maintenance and repairs.

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What is a heat pump?
You have already been using a heat pump for decades without realising it. Your fridge. It is using the same basic heat pump technology to remove the heat from the food inside the ‘box’, ejecting it to the outside and keeping the food cold. A heat pump reverses this process and extracts heat energy from the outside air, ground or water and moves that heat into your home (hence ground source or air source heat pumps). Using the same ‘vapor compression cycle’ as your fridge to produce heat, the heat pump takes the ambient outside air and boosts it to provide all the heating and hot water you need.

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What is an air source heat pump?

An Air Source Heat Pump is the simplest and least expensive heat pump system to install. It’s a stand-alone unit which can be placed outside your premises. Air Source Heat Pumps don’t require any digging or underground pipework. Most domestic units are roughly the size of an air conditioning unit. An Air Source Heat Pump draws heat from the outside air and will provide 100% of your heating and hot water, even when the outside air temperature is well below zero

An Air Source Heat Pump, such as the market-leading Ecodan range, is essentially a compact ‘box’ that sits outside your home and uses a fan to draw air through the refrigerant piping, where the heat energy is harvested and upgraded.
 

An Air Source Heat Pump is a device which extracts energy from the air and uses it to heat water. The heat pump absorbs low temperature energy from the air (usually outside air) raises it to a higher, more useful temperature using a refrigerant cycle and uses water to deliver the heat. A heat exchanger transfers the energy from the air to a refrigerant with a low boiling point which evaporates and circulates in a closed system. The pressure of the refrigerant gas is raised by a compressor, which also raises the temperature to a useable level. The refrigerant then condenses in a second heat exchanger and releases heat to a water delivery system. The pressure of the refrigerant is then reduced by an expansion valve, its temperature falls, and it is ready to start the cycle again and absorb energy from the air.

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What about when it’s freezing outside?
Ecodan has been manufactured in the UK for more than a decade now and Mitsubishi have invested heavily in to make sure that it is designed specifically for UK conditions.
The system will continue working to maximum efficiency down to -15C and will carry on working to -25C or more, so you can rely on a warm and cosy home even when there is snow on the ground.
 
Are they noisy?
The outdoor part of the system does have a fan which draws the air across the internal components and this will make a whirring noise in operation.  The amount of noise depends on the quality of the product and this is where the Ecodan range has led the market in the UK. Ecodan has always been amongst the quietest heat pumps available and our latest model is ‘Ultra Quiet’, running at a noise level almost equivalent to the noise in a typical library. This increases the choice in where the outdoor unit can be sited, making it even more flexible in terms of installation.
 
What do you need to know to select a product?

The building heat loss — it is important to size the heat pump accurately. Heat pumps can be sized to meet all or part of the heating load.

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Do I need planning permission?
Under Permitted Development regulations, an air source heat pump noise level must not exceed 42dB(A) 1m away from a neighbour’s nearest room. With Ultra Quiet Ecodan air source heat pumps can be located much closer to your neighbour’s property and pass planning.

 

The latest models offer superb style, market-leading energy efficiency and sound levels and are 3 times quieter than previous models virtually eliminating planning restrictions. Should you have a large property that requires more than one heat pump, planning will be required.

 

Domestic hot water
Heat pumps able to provide supply water in the range 60-65 Deg C and can provide full water heating.

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Air source heat pumps
* Reduce energy consumption by up to 75% compared to electric heating systems
* MCS approved for the Renewable Heat Incentive
* Quiet operation

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Advantages
● Relatively low capital cost (higher than gas condensing boiler, lower than ground source heat pump).
● Low running costs.
● Easy to install.
● High efficiency.
● Low energy consumption.
● Low carbon emissions (lower than gas condensing boiler)

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Financial Incentives

You will be eligible for RHI payments (paid over 7 years following the installation). Grants are available for domestic and commercial installations (Low Carbon Building Programme, or from Electricity suppliers). MCS — See Microgeneration Certification Scheme and installer criteria.

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