What’s so Special About an Air Source Heat Pump?
When it comes to home heating options an air source heat pump can be a great way to lower fuel bills and improve your carbon efficiency. Technology continues to improve while fuel prices only increase, making heat pumps a more attractive option for the average homeowner.
To give you an example, if you have an old gas boiler then you could save up to £495 per year on your energy bills by installing a heat pump. On top of that you could earn between £1,000 – £2000 per year from the RHI scheme (Renewable Heat Incentive) which is a subsidy paid over 7 years. The Government recently pledged even more support for heat pumps by announcing increased tariffs.
How does an air source heat pump work?
The heat pump itself works by extracting heat from the air around the unit and absorbing it at a lower temperature via a fluid (similar to the way a fridge extracts heat from its inside). This fluid then passes through a compressor where the temperature is increased and distributed around your heating system. This means that unlike a gas or oil boiler the heat pump is able work at a much lower temperature and more efficiently.
Heating is renewed constantly and cuts down on the use of expensive fossil fuels.
The benefits
Other than the obvious energy savings, installing an air source heat pump is also:
- Easier to maintain with services suggested every 3-5 years
- Profitable due to the ability to claim RHI payments and reduced energy costs
- Easier to install and more affordable than a ground source heat pump
- Highly efficient due to the fact it works at a lower temperature
- Easily fitted alongside other renewable systems
- Around 300% efficient compared to fossil fuel boilers which are only 80% -95% efficient
Why might I choose to install a hybrid system?
Deciding to install a hybrid system can help to deliver further savings due to the reduction in installation costs. In this case the heat pump no longer acts as a standalone system and would work instead beside your central heating system. This way you get to keep your gas, oil or LPG boiler, but use energy created from your heat pump to reduce your reliance on fossil fuels.
Recent work
As part of a recent project in Weston Rhyn (Shropshire) our team installed a Samsung air source heat pump in a hybrid system so that it was able to work alongside the existing oil boiler. The hybrid system meant that the owner made significant savings on installation due to the fact they didn’t need to replace their hot water cylinder or existing radiators. They can also expect significant yearly savings on their energy bills.
