In a nutshell, an air source heat pump – sometimes shortened to ASHP – is an electrical system that enables heat from outside a building to be transferred inside, or vice versa. Any air that is above the point of absolute zero in temperature will contain some energy, and this energy can be transferred as heat between locations using a pump. When taking heat from the air, it is able to boost it to a higher temperature by using a heat pump. In theory, this should require less electrical energy than the heat is able to produce.
Air source heat pumps are often placed to the side or back of a property, and can be used in both residential dwellings and commercial properties. They range in price from the lower end of the scale at £592 upwards to prices above and beyond £3,500. Installing them can sometimes cost between £7,000 and £11,000, depending on whether or not it is a retrofit and how it is being integrated into a building. Depending on the air source heat pump in question, you may be eligible for payment as part of the UK government’s Renewable Heat Incentive scheme.
It is worth keeping in mind that air-to-air heat pumps are unable to produce hot water. If you opt for an air-to-water pump, they work best with underfloor heating systems – although, if this is not possible then you can always use large radiators instead. The reason for this is because the heat pump is not able to generate as high a heat as a conventional boiler can, and therefore a larger surface area is required for the heat produced in order for it to reach similar levels of temperature.
There are a number of benefits to installing heat pumps in your home or workplace – most notably the money that they can save you compared with an electric, LPG, coal or oil system. It is important that the space you are heating with an air source heat pump is well-insulated though, because otherwise any heat generated will just escape the space and it will be a wasted effort. Heat pumps don’t require much maintenance, so once installed and with the space adequately insulated, they will run easily and efficiently on their own.
Get in touch with us today to find out more about how we can help you get an air source heat pump for heating and cooling installed in your building.
