Heat pumps are a key solution for efficient, sustainable heating and cooling. By transferring heat instead of generating it, they significantly reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Heat pumps offer reliable, year-round comfort while lessening our reliance on fossil fuels.
They work efficiently in various climates and are compatible with renewable energy sources, making them the smart choice for a greener future. Heat pump adoption means cleaner air, more energy security, and a healthier planet. Heat pump technology significantly aids a sustainable, energy-efficient tomorrow.
The first question is how do heat pumps work? By using concepts that were first formulated in the 1750’s!
In brief, heat pumps work in the same way as refrigerators by compressing and releasing gases which in turn collects heat from the surrounding atmosphere, that could be ‘heat’ inside your freezer to make it even colder on the inside or heat outside your property to warm the inside of your home, and yes, there is ‘heat’ that can be harvested outside your home even in freezing temperatures, because even at minus temperatures the air is much warmer relative to the refrigerant in the heat pump.
The real magic is the efficiency, a conventional electric heater will take 1 Watt of electricity and convert it into exactly 1 Watt of heat. But a heat pump harvests heat rather than generating heat, as such they can typically make around 4 Watts of heat for every 1 Watt of electricity used. And that in a nutshell is why there is such a big push for heat pumps to bring down our overall energy use.
But isn’t it expensive to heat with electricity? Traditionally yes that is the case, but thanks to the 1:4 energy gain an electrically powered heat pump can have the same running costs as a gas boiler, and once a house goes ‘off-gas’ there is a saving to be made on the no longer needed gas standing charges. However, running costs are very much dependant on the quality of installation and correct operating.
How about the environmental impacts? In terms of carbon emissions heat pumps operating from the UK grid will emit around 1/8ththe amount of CO2 in comparison to an equivalent Gas Boiler for each unit of heat they deliver, and as the electricity grid gets cleaner every year that margin will increase.
The refrigerants that heat pumps rely on have traditionally been in the spotlight due to ozone depleting side effects and their Global Warming Potential, but GWP’s are now far lower and decreasing rapidly as heat pump start to use R290 (propane) which has a negligible effect, and ozone depleting gases are a thing of the past.
Types of heat pump systems.
The most familiar systems are Air to Water that warm radiators around our homes, however it is not a straight swap from a gas boiler to a heat pump, homes need to accommodate additional equipment both outside and inside, typically an airing cupboard type space is needed to accommodate a cylinder that will store warm water for heating and other use around the home. It may also be required to change some radiators to larger units, all that detail would be determined by the installer in a pre-installation survey.
Another type of heat pump heating system is Air to Air. This system is best suited to properties that have not got pre-existing radiator pipework, you can read more about those systems in this blog post click here.
There are currently various grants available – depending on your circumstances – to either pay outright for a heat pump or to have a contribution of £7,500 towards an installation, get in touch with us for the latest information on those or if you would like a more detailed conversation about heating your property in the most efficient way.
You may wish to take advantage of our thermal camera loan scheme to help detect weaknesses in their properties, click here to find out more.
Lastly, for an overview of how o approach your home as a whole check out our 'where to start' blog by clicking here.
