Confused on what the heck an air source heat pump is? We’re here to help! Heat pumps are basically a type of efficient energy technology that helps regulate the temperature of your home. The best thing about it… it saves you both money and energy. Sounds perfect right? Read on so you can really understand why you would need such a thing.
What does the air source heat pump do?
As we said before, it does two jobs. But how? There are basically two types of heat pumps: air-source and ground-source. Air-source heat pumps extract heat from the outside when it’s cold. Ground-source heat pumps or geothermal systems are connected to the ground beneath your home and regulate the temperature of your flooring and extract heat from the ground and use it to heat radiators, underfloor heating systems and hot water.
Is this a new concept?
Actually these heat pumps are not new at all, but have been used as a way of heating homes for some years now. The very first ground source heat pump was developed in the late 1940s. However, the last few years have seen a large increase in the number of homes being fitted with heat pumps instead of traditional gas or oil boilers.
Why the heck do I need a heat pump?
Well now we know what it is, why the heck do you need one? Well, heat pumps could actually be the best choice for your home in many different ways. We’ve listed just a few.
Heat pumps can be safer.
Heat pumps are actually much safer than systems based on combustion. They’re safe to operate and rely on electricity, so they don’t need to burn fuel to generate heat. Which is why they come with fewer safety concerns compared to the others systems.
Lower running costs.
Heat pumps are much cheaper to run than systems based on combustion. This however does vary depending on the system you select.(1) Ground source heat pumps (GSHP) are widely known as environmentally-friendly investments that can help you save up £790 - £1,425 per year on your heating bill when replacing an old electric system.(2) Despite the high cost compared to conventional heating systems, the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) payments in the UK will help downplay the impact of the high initial price and reduce the running costs of the heat pump. The more energy efficient the systems are, the greater long-term savings on energy. However, the prices range from £3,000 to £20,000. But it’s a much more environmentally-friendly investment that can actually help you save up to £1,400 per year.(1) It also requires less maintenance than combustion heating systems. Regularly, once a year, certain details within the system have to be checked.
Heat pump explainers: What a heat pump installation looks like.
Learn about how an air source heat pump works and how we would install a heat pump in your home. A heat pump is an energy-efficient technology that can provide heating and hot water for your home.
Heat pumps reduce carbon emissions.
You’d literally be reducing your carbon emissions without even thinking about it. A heat pump system has an efficient conversion rate of energy to heat. For example, water source heat pumps reach reasonably high efficiencies, close to 600%.(3)