Air Source Heat Pump Installers
Repairs, Servicing & Maintenance
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Air Source Heat Pump Installers
Interested in learning more about air source heat pumps? As one of the more quiet and efficient air source heating systems available, it could be a fantastic way to keep your home warm while also taking advantage of huge savings. So here’s everything you need to know.
What is an Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP)?
An air source heat pump is an alternative to the boilers that you’ll find in a typical home. Boilers are necessary for heating water, but they also allow the radiators around the room to heat your home.
However, boilers tend to burn fossil fuels, meaning they’re not environmentally friendly. You might also find it expensive to spend money on gas or oil to heat your home and your water. So as an alternative, you might be interested in an air source heat pump.
An air source heat pump is an environmentally-friendly way to heat your home. It uses the heat from the air outside of your home and uses a compressor to transfer the energy which allows you to heat your home. It’s much like a refrigerator, only in reverse. This makes it much cheaper to run and it means you won’t be burning fossil fuels for hot water and home heating.
Both ground source heat pumps and air source heat pumps are valid options for heating your home and your water. They’re both environmentally friendly and can help you save a lot of money in the long run. But what makes an air source heat pump the more attractive option?
- An air source heat pump is one of the cheapest ways to keep your home warm.
- It’s also one of the cheapest options for heating the water in your home too.
- It offers much more efficiency and long-term savings than a traditional boiler.
- It’s great for smaller properties due to its size and lower installation cost.
- The installation process is quick and easy compared to a ground source heat pump.
- You’ll receive payments from the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme.
- There’s little to no maintenance once everything is set up.
Air source heat pumps are a great choice for most of your heating needs. They’re affordable, they offer plenty of benefits, and there are many incentives for installing one.
Benefits of an Air Source Heat Pump
Types of Heat Pumps
You’ll find that there are two common types of heat pumps; Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP) and Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP). Both of these heat pumps work in a similar fashion; they take ambient heat from the air or ground, and then it’s converted into energy that is used by your heating system. This usually means heating your radiators, but they can also be used in your hot water system as well. There are a couple of main differences to keep in mind if you’re thinking about upgrading your home heating system.
Ground Source Heat Pumps
Ground source heat pumps are most common in medium to large properties due to the way they function. They’re more efficient than air-source heat pumps, but they’re also a lot more expensive. This is because of the extra heat from the ground, meaning it usually requires a lot more extra space outside of your home to construct. In fact, you’ll usually need anywhere from two to three times the amount of floor space of your property in vacant land around your property to install a fully-functioning ground source heat pump.
The solution to this would be a borehole that involves digging deep into the ground, but you may require planning permission or doing your due diligence, both of which can increase the cost of installation. So while expensive, a ground source heat pump can be a great option if you can afford it and have the space available.
Air Source Heat Pumps
On the other hand, air-source heat pumps are often much cheaper to install and can be a great option for properties of all sizes. While there are some drawbacks, such as producing a bit more noise or requiring a physical unit near the house, they are roughly half the cost of a ground source heat pump which makes it much more affordable for the average homeowner.
However, they do require a bit more consideration. Planning permission is generally needed and you may need to install multiple air source heat pumps to cover a larger property.
An air source heat pump works much like a refrigerator but in reverse. It takes heat from the outside air then increases the temperature using a compressor. It then transfers heat to your heating system, providing hot water and warmth.
To start, the air source heat pump takes in heat from the outside air and puts it through a liquid refrigerant at a low temperature. The pump then compresses the liquid using electricity to increase the temperature. It’s then condensed back into a liquid which can release its stored heat energy. This heat energy can then be sent to various heating elements in your home, or even stored in your hot water cylinder. This heats up the tank of water and allows you to use hot water on demand.
How Does an Air Source Heat Pump Work?
Is an Air Source Heat Pump Right for my Home?
An air source heat pump can be installed in most properties. They’re suitable for properties of all sizes and it doesn’t matter if you live in an urban environment or the countryside. But should you consider installing one?
- Air source heat pumps are a fantastic choice for most homes in the UK. They offer great savings and there are many incentives to installing an air source heat pump in your home.
- Since they generate a lot less CO2 than other conventional heating systems, they’re an energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly choice for heating the water in your home and for keeping it warm. This makes it a great option if you’re looking to reduce your carbon emissions.
- They’re also very quick to install compared to other heating systems, making it a relatively quick process once the contractor arrives.
- While an air source heat pump is great for keeping your home warm, you need to ensure that your home is already well insulated. If not, then it could lower your expected savings.
However, air source heat pump systems require planning permission, so the process of installing one can be a little lengthy. In addition, you’ll need enough space around your property for the external unit. They can also be a little loud and will blow cold air around them. This can be inconvenient for some properties, so it’s worth considering it before you decide to install an air source heat pump.
In most cases, you can expect a full installation service to cost around £5,000. This includes designing the location where the air source heat pump will be installed, and it also includes lifetime support for repairs and related technical support.
You’ll also receive help applying for the Renewable Heat Incentive which can help offset the cost of installation of an air source heat pump. This cost also includes all of the equipment as well, such as the air source heat pump itself, a hot water cylinder, circulation pumps, and all of the connecting pipes for the related components.
How Much Does an Air Source Heat Pump Cost?
What are the Running Costs of an Air Source Heat Pump?
When designed correctly and fitted in a home with good insulation, air source heat pumps can be up to 300% more efficient than other forms of heating. Here are some numbers to compare:
- ASHP has an input cost of 15.0p/kWh, a running cost of 5.0p/kWh and an efficiency of 300%.
- Mains Gas has an input cost of 4.3/kWh, a running cost of 4.8p/kWh and an efficiency of 89%.
- Electric has an input cost of 15.0p/kWh, a running cost of 15.0p/kWh and an efficiency of 100%.
- Oil has an input cost of 4.9p/kWh, a running cost of 5.3p/kWh and an efficiency of 91.6%.
Please note that these figures can change based on energy prices.
You can also expect that there will be maintenance costs much like other heating sources. In order to maintain your RHI tariff payments, you’ll need to inspect your air source heat pump each year. This can cost around £200 per year if serviced by a qualified heating engineer.
Choosing to install an air source heat pump is a great decision because it gives you access to a number of grants. This is part of the Government’s plan to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and switch to environmentally-friendly options such as air source heat pumps. As such, they have been included in the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) which allows you to reduce the cost of installation and also gain access to lower tariff costs at 10.85p/kWh.
The RHI offers homeowners quarterly payments over a seven-year period based on the annual heating consumption of their property, and also the amount of environmentally-friendly energy it produces. At the current rate of 10.85p/kWh for air source heating, you could gain a total of £7,000 through RHI payments over 7 years. This figure is based on an average three-bedroom house that uses 15,000kWh of heating per year.
Air Source Heat Pump Grants
Air Source Heat Pumps FAQs
Since it uses electricity it’s not completely carbon-neutral. However, a heat pump can be a great way to reduce your carbon emissions since it doesn’t use fossil fuels.
It’s recommended to insulate your home and have it up to modern Building Regulation standards to ensure that your air source heat pump can work efficiently.
If your building is well-insulated and you have some space outside your home to install the air source heat pump, then it can be a good choice as an environmentally-friendly way to heat your home.
Air source heat pumps are up to 300% efficient. This means that for every unit of energy it uses, it outputs roughly three times the units in heat energy for the property.
If you’re currently installing or have installed an underfloor heating system, then you’ll be glad to know that an air source heat pump can work perfectly fine with underfloor heating as well. An air source heat pump is extremely efficient when it needs to produce low water temperatures, and this makes it great for an underfloor heating system.
PHS: Air Source Heat Pump Installers
If you’re looking to install an air source heat pump in your home then PHS Engineers are here to help.
When you contact us, we’ll start by helping you find the right air source heat pump for your needs. Everyone’s home is different, meaning we need to design a bespoke system that is perfectly fit for your needs and helps you keep your running costs as low as possible. As a standard, we’ll provide all of the calculations and figures that you need to understand exactly how much you could save. We’ll also offer mechanical and electrical drawings for the installation to provide more transparency during the entire process.
Next, we’ll proceed with the installation process. Since an air source heat pump is relatively simple to install, we can carry out all of the work on the same day and will leave your property with a fully working and configured air source heat pump that represents our initial drawings.
We’ll also work with the MCS to provide support documentation that will help you apply for the RHI incentives. We’ll test the air source heat pump on the same day to ensure that it is working correctly before tidying up and handing it over to you. We’ll still be here to provide you with all the support you need should you have any questions.
You can phone us by calling 0208 252 8927, or you can send us an email via our contact page. We look forward to hearing from you!