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 15° C. Heat pumps have some impact on the environment as they need electricity to run, but the heat they extract from the ground, air, or water is constantly being renewed naturally. Unlike gas or oil boilers, heat pumps deliver heat at lower temperatures over much longer periods. This means that during the winter they may need to be left on 24/7 to heat your home efficiently.
There are two main types of air source heat pump system:
- An air-to-water system distributes heat via your wet central heating system. Heat pumps work much more efficiently at a lower temperature than a standard boiler system would. They are therefore, particularly suitable for underfloor heating systems or larger radiators, which give out heat at lower temperatures over longer periods of time.
- An air-to-air system produces warm air which is circulated by fans to heat your home. They are unlikely to provide you with hot water as well. Heat from the air is absorbed into a fluid which is pumped through a heat exchanger in the heat pump. Low grade heat is then extracted by the refrigeration system and, after passing through the heat pump compressor, is concentrated into a higher temperature useful heat capable of heating water for the heating and hot water circuits of the houseThe benefits of air source heat pumps
- Lower fuel bills.
- Reduced carbon footprint
- No fuel deliveries required.
- Provide space heating and hot water
- Needs little maintenance.
- Easier to install than a ground source heat pump.
Is an air source heat pump suitable for my home?
To tell if a heat pump is right for you, Contact Us and we will be pleased to visit your premises. There will be no ‘hard sell’ four hour appointment. In fact providing your property is visible we can survey and produce a quotation without you opening the door. Without access we must point out that the quotation will be subject to survey.
Costs and savings
The cost of installing a solar thermal system via AES will be significantly cheaper than any of our competitors. This is made possible by low overheads and purchasing direct from manufacturers.
Savings
Using typical system efficiencies from a manufacturers field trial the following savings have been modelled when replacing an existing heating system in a 3 bed semi detached home. The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) is designed to provide financial support to encourage the uptake of renewable and low carbon heat technologies like heat pumps.
Ground source heat pumps
These systems use similar principles to air source heat pumps to extract heat from the ground. Ground source heat pumps use pipes buried in the garden to extract heat from the ground. This is usually used to heat radiators or underfloor heating systems and hot water.
