Hello Community 👋
I've been working with one of our members to write up a post about all things Heat Pumps 😁 Huge thank you to @P962c for their help with this 🙌
This is with hopes that this provides everyone a better understanding of Heat Pumps and ease any doubts if you are thinking of switching over. So if you find yourself wanting to switch to a Heat Pump or, if you are in the process of having one fitted or you just want to know more about Heat pumps - this post is for you 👀
- How do Heat pumps work?
Air source heat pumps draw warmth from the outside and use that to heat up a refrigerant liquid. The resulting gas passes through a compressor to increase its temperature to heat the home and hot water.
-How efficient are Heat pumps?
Heat pumps are more efficient than other heating systems and generally produce around three times more energy than they take in.
-How Sustainable are Heat Pumps?
Heat pumps may be a more sustainable alternative to traditional gas boilers, but their reliance on electricity means they will never be truly carbon neutral – even if this can be somewhat mitigated by fitting solar panels.
-Can I have one fitted in a house that is older?
Yes, but how efficient this would be is dependent on if your house's insulation is effective.
-How long will my installation take? Is planning permission required?
installation times will vary depending on whether larger radiators are required and required plumbing changes i.e. to fit larger radiators and plumbing between pump and tank. Also taking into account the electrical installation we have a lovely example from @P962c for this one "My installation, which included nine new radiators and quite a large number of plumbing changes, the micro bore piping needed to be changed, took four days. The house is a large four-bedroom property around thirty years old"
-Will a rise in Electricity cost outweigh the saving of Gas for a Heat Pump?
This is dependent to an extent on the pricing of tariffs - although if when you have a heat pump fitted your house is all Electricity, the saving of Gas is something to take into account.
-Are they environmentally friendly?
If you are using renewable energy then Yes - even more so if you have solar panels.
-Are the differences between Heat pumps and Gas boilers worth the switch?
Essentially - Heat pumps and boilers do the same, albeit slightly different, you can also take into account the cost. You can take safety into account, heat pumps extract heat rather than burning fuel.
-Is there a lot of maintenance needed for heat pumps?
Well, again the lovely @P962c has given us an insight into their life with a heat pump, they have told me "I have my heat pump serviced once a year at a cost of £200. After 4 years, I have had no problems and only the filters have needed minimal cleaning".
-Will they work during very cold or freezing weather conditions?
Yes - they can work in temperatures as low as -25 °C. However efficiency is reduced at lower temperatures.
-Will the running of a heat pump be loud?
No, the noise level is very low, however there is an increase in noise when operating during cold weather conditions.
And there we are - I hope anyone thinking of having a heat pump fitted or just wanting to learn more about them finds this useful. Again, a big thank you to @P962c 😁
I've been working with one of our members to write up a post about all things Heat Pumps 😁 Huge thank you to @P962c for their help with this 🙌
This is with hopes that this provides everyone a better understanding of Heat Pumps and ease any doubts if you are thinking of switching over. So if you find yourself wanting to switch to a Heat Pump or, if you are in the process of having one fitted or you just want to know more about Heat pumps - this post is for you 👀
- How do Heat pumps work?
Air source heat pumps draw warmth from the outside and use that to heat up a refrigerant liquid. The resulting gas passes through a compressor to increase its temperature to heat the home and hot water.
-How efficient are Heat pumps?
Heat pumps are more efficient than other heating systems and generally produce around three times more energy than they take in.
-How Sustainable are Heat Pumps?
Heat pumps may be a more sustainable alternative to traditional gas boilers, but their reliance on electricity means they will never be truly carbon neutral – even if this can be somewhat mitigated by fitting solar panels.
-Can I have one fitted in a house that is older?
Yes, but how efficient this would be is dependent on if your house's insulation is effective.
-How long will my installation take? Is planning permission required?
installation times will vary depending on whether larger radiators are required and required plumbing changes i.e. to fit larger radiators and plumbing between pump and tank. Also taking into account the electrical installation we have a lovely example from @P962c for this one "My installation, which included nine new radiators and quite a large number of plumbing changes, the micro bore piping needed to be changed, took four days. The house is a large four-bedroom property around thirty years old"
-Will a rise in Electricity cost outweigh the saving of Gas for a Heat Pump?
This is dependent to an extent on the pricing of tariffs - although if when you have a heat pump fitted your house is all Electricity, the saving of Gas is something to take into account.
-Are they environmentally friendly?
If you are using renewable energy then Yes - even more so if you have solar panels.
-Are the differences between Heat pumps and Gas boilers worth the switch?
Essentially - Heat pumps and boilers do the same, albeit slightly different, you can also take into account the cost. You can take safety into account, heat pumps extract heat rather than burning fuel.
-Is there a lot of maintenance needed for heat pumps?
Well, again the lovely @P962c has given us an insight into their life with a heat pump, they have told me "I have my heat pump serviced once a year at a cost of £200. After 4 years, I have had no problems and only the filters have needed minimal cleaning".
-Will they work during very cold or freezing weather conditions?
Yes - they can work in temperatures as low as -25 °C. However efficiency is reduced at lower temperatures.
-Will the running of a heat pump be loud?
No, the noise level is very low, however there is an increase in noise when operating during cold weather conditions.
And there we are - I hope anyone thinking of having a heat pump fitted or just wanting to learn more about them finds this useful. Again, a big thank you to @P962c 😁
🌳Together we can work to achieve a more sustainable Future 🌳
