[Han_EONNext]

Hey everyone! Have you all heard of an Air Source Heat Pump? Well jump on in, and let me tell you...

Making more eco-positive and sustainable choices is something that we like to shout about over here at E.ON Next 🌍. I know that our lovely Community values those things too! So I thought it would be a good idea to start a discussion on Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP).

What are ASHPs?

ASHPs are simple to understand really, imagine a fridge , it works just like that! (but in reverse) Taking the air found outdoors, ASHPs then convert this air into water, and then pump out hot air that will heat the home, not to mention they also have a built in cylinder that can store and heat up some of that water for you!

So the principle sounds pretty cool right? Well how does a potential reduction in annual bills sound?
- If you have an old gas boiler (G-rated) You could save up to £910 on your annual fuel bill.
- If you have an old oil boiler (G-rated) You could save up to £2,200 on your annual fuel bill.
- If you have an old LPG boiler (G-rated) You could save up to £3,400 on your annual fuel bill.
Replacing an expensive system such as electric storage heaters, oil, LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) or coal can be more cost effective, but you can still switch and save with a standard gas boiler.

Did you know that... - The running costs with a heat pump could be significantly lower than your current heating system. For example if you use an old oil-fired system using oil at 43p per litre, you could save up to £435 per year on your heating bill 🤯. But remember, a well-insulated home is essential – otherwise the heat the pump is generating escapes more easily.

With an ASHP they are a cleaner and more efficient energy source that is set to lower your reliance on gas by using air and electricity to produce instead. And before anyone is concerned: YES they do work in winter, and can still produce heat in temperatures as low as 17c!

​​​​​​​Still not sold? 😮​​​​​​​ Why don't we use the community as a place to discuss? Let us know what you think and we can have the battle of the heat pump here in our comments!

[Andy65]

I believe there was an article in The Daily Telegraph which said that a recent study suggest that on average, ASHP cost about a third more to run than a gas boiler.

From the little I know about the subject, a full and proper survey/installation is vital. ASHPs will and do get negative press, probably due to poor/cowboy installations which could well be the result of the £5000 Government grant.

Then there's the subject of hot water and the associated issues.

ASHPs do work in the right property and if they're installed correctly. As long as a property has a gas supply a gas boiler will do the job, this certainly is not the case with ASHPs. Then there's the simple fact that you've got this big lump sitting against one of your walls.

I think that they'll improve over the coming years but they're not for me, there's far too many negatives.

[Han_EONNext]

Good afternoon Andy! how are you this week? 🤗

You sure do raise some very true and interesting points about ASHPs, thank you for this! 🤔

With poor/cowboy installations and the apparance of ASHPs its right for us to take a look at the supply and demand in this situation - so ASHPs are very rare right now right, so supply companies have less time to focus on innative ideas for the pumps. And vice-versa that if the demand picks up, more companies will invest in them, more sleek designs, more cost effective they will become etc.

I guess you can say that currently ASHPs are not a major financial investment in terms of making your money back (right now), but a eco investment and an investment into the future environment (if you have the financial capabilities to do so).

You're right, I do also hope they improve with the coming years! Lets hope they gain enough interest right now for those changes to happen.

Our Community members also discussed ASHPs over 👉here if you want to check it out and get involved. (I think theres some great points on there), they could possibly change your mind 😉...

[Karln]

Heat pumps are a huge waist of time and money.
They will cost you more to heat your home and water than any combi gas boiler.
Heat pumps are ok if the are fitted into a totally 100% eco house where if you turn i light on it will heat the room (so to speak)

UK housing stocks are way to draftee for heat pumps.

My UK home is insulated to the max but my energy bills never went down and you can stand outside with a thermo gun and see the heat escaping.

The wort thing about heat pumps is the gases inside them. if they leak they will do more damage to the environment than any gas boiler will ever do.

[Han_EONNext]

Thank you @Karln for sharing your thoughts!

Do you think that's the same for majority of UK houses? I know that new build properties are far more advanced with keeping the heat in, rather than letting it out but its something I have never really thought about before! So thank you for sparking my interest ✨

I have never heard of the gasses they can leak/are held inside - have you got a link to anything that I can read more around this on?

​​​​​​​Hannah

[Karln]

@Han_EONNext

Watch this video about the gasses inside heat pumps.

​​​​​​​https://youtu.be/nmBa_x8PQ8g

[Andy65]

This might be a more neutral view on the subject @Han_EONNext. I don't think it's any different to the restrictions that were placed on the gases used in car air conditioning systems, although in my experience they don't cool as well as the old stuff used to.
I would guess though that with air source heat pumps development will be such that alternative gases will barely affect the performance of the pumps.

​​​​​​​As for gases leaking, it's a non issue in my opinion.

[theunknowntech]

That first video is extremely badly done and feels too much like speculation to me.

So I'll challenge you with this then. If you're not willing to back heat pumps, then I challenge you to come up with another idea @Karln . Only one rule, it cannot run on mains gas AT ALL and must be powered by electricity in some way (but the source of electricity for it can be anything).

[meldrewreborn]

re the original post, ASHPs do not convert air into water, and if they only work well down to 17c (which is 62F in old money) we'd freeze in winter.

An alternative of course is the other flavour of heat pump the ground source, where the heat input from the ground is more stable than in the air source variety. The big issue is the price of electricity relative to gas and this makes decision making on this at the moment virtually impossible.

They are used widely in other countries and any notion that they will getter better in the future or sleeker in appearance is wishful thinking in my book- this is a mature technology.

EDIT

Any figures relation to savings from an alternative fuel source equipment should state clearly the relative prices they are based on. Prices are moving rapidly at the moment and prices go out of date quickly.