Air Source Heat Pumps – Order-Matric

Air Source Heat Pump

Air Source Heat Pump

Microgeneration: Air source heat pumps are one of the most efficient ways to heat your home.

Air source heat pumps are a greener alternative to a boiler heating system or direct electric heating system. They are very low-maintenance and highly efficient.

Air source heat pumps look a bit like air-conditioning units, and their size depends on how much heat they will need to generate for your home.

An air source heat pump works by processing air and absorbing ambient heat at low temperatures into refrigerant fluid with a low boiling point. This fluid then passes through a compressor which increases the temperature and transfers the heat into the home through pipe works to radiators and into a hot water cylinder.

The cost of a heat pump will vary depending on your homes make up. We have access to funding through the Governments Boiler Upgrade Scheme and The Energy Company Obligation scheme.

System efficiency.

When we consider the benefits of air source heating, an important consideration is system running costs compared to your homes
current heating system.

A conventional electric heating system is deemed to be 100% efficient meaning that for every 1kwh of electric you put in; you get 1kwh of heat out*. An Air Source heat pump doesn’t have any heating elements inside, they are simply a fan with grills that process air and extract warmth in the air, even at minus 25 heat energy can be extracted- they are an amazing appliance.

What makes them efficient is what is known as the seasonal coefficient of performance (SCOP). This is a measurement of how efficient the unit is with relation to its output heat for every KWh of electrical input. The SCOP ranges from 3.5 to 4 depending on flow temperature, we normally achieve around 3.8. Meaning this electrically driven heat generator could be between 300-400% efficient compared to standard electric heating

Gas and oil boiler comparison.

When expressing efficiency of gas and oil boilers it is important to know their stated efficiency. A brand-new gas or oil condensing boiler ought to be 92% efficient, whereas a 20-year-old boiler could be lower than 60%. You may be faced with a decision to upgrade what you have or upgrade to an air source heat pump, naturally we would suggest the latter, however we believe in offering a balance in our judgement to enable you to make the right decision to suit your needs.

The efficiency of a new gas or oil boiler being 92% means that for every 1kwh of gas or oil you will receive 0.92 units of heat energy. Therefore, if we compare this to the performance of a heat pump, offering as an example 1kwh of electricity generating 3.7kw of heat, this would give us 370% efficiency

How much gas or oil is required to produce 3.7kw of heat energy?

Heating type

KWh input

KWh Output in form of heat

Cost of 3.7KWh heat

ASHP

3.7

34p

Gas boiler

4 x 0.92 efficiency = 3.68kw

3.68 x 11p = 41p

Oil

1ltr = 10KWh

(10 x 0.92) = 9.2KWh £1 = 9.2KWh of heat.

9.2p x 3.7 = 34.04p

Example based upon current utility prices of 34p per KWh of electricity, 11p KWh of gas and £1 per LTR of heating oil (10KWh).

Efficiency based upon a scop of 3.7 achievable from most air source heat pumps set with a flow temperature of 45 degrees.

Renewable heat

Whilst most gas and oil central heating systems operate by passing water through radiators, the same as an air source system, both gas and oil need to burn fuel. These gases escape into the atmosphere close to your home and can lead to poor air quality. An air source heat pump does not burn anything! With more and more electricity being renewably generated by Solar PV, wind and hydro generation each year, your carbon footprint is decreasing whilst meeting your heating needs. Why not combine an air source heat pump with Solar PV to make your home sustainable and take charge of reducing your energy bills and carbon footprint.

Seasonal coefficient of performance

To make a heat pump efficient we need to set a low flow temperature. Most gas and oil boilers run at 70 degrees and as such your radiators are sized to suit. Once we decrease flow temperature, we need to increase radiator size. The lower the flow temperature, the more efficient an air source heat pump becomes as it does not need to heat the water so much.

We generally set a well-insulated home to 45-degrees leaving water flow temperature, this keeps the heat pump very efficient. Radiators need to be oversized to 3 times the size of gas/oil running at 70 degrees. If you have underfloor heating in your home, we can reduce your flow temperature to 35 degrees and this makes your heat pump even more efficient.

What are the pros and cons of an air source heat pump?

Air source heat pumps are low maintenance, and generally more environmentally friendly than the systems they replace. The main component used to create heat is air which is of course a natural, renewable resource. However, it’s good to be aware of the pros and cons.

Air source heat pump benefits:

They could lower the costs of heating your home - especially if you are switching from an electric, oil, LPG or coal-fuelled system.
They produce far fewer carbon emissions than fossil fuel boilers - potentially cutting the carbon from heating your home by 70%!
Because they use air - a renewable resource - they’ll help lower your carbon footprint
They are very efficient and run well without wasting much energy.
They typically last longer than a boiler - about 20 years.
Health: heat pumps do not emit any gases or particulates - unlike gas, oil, and lpg boilers, which can worsen air quality.
Safety: heat pumps do not burn fuels and that makes them inherently safer than boilers, which can leak gas, carbon monoxide or even be a fire or explosion risk.
Due to lower flow temperature we generally need to increase radiator size, meaning new radiators in your home.
Lower flow temperature means radiators are safer with children
Heat pumps work great with underfloor heating
The latest heat pumps are whisper quiet now and fully comply with building regulations relating to sound
Better water pressure by upgrading to an unvented cylinder.

Air source heat pumps – disadvantages and things to consider:

Air source heat pumps work best at lower heating temperatures – so it can be tricky sometimes to fit larger radiators
Because they heat to a lower temperature than traditional systems, you’ll need good insulation and draught proofing, to help keep your home toasty warm.
They only work with homes that have outside space – but bear in mind that they could free up space inside, as you will no longer need a boiler
They do use some electricity to run so they’re not completely carbon neutral. If you use renewable electricity, the environmental impact is low, and getting lower as more renewables come onto the electricity grid. You could combine with solar pv to reduce your carbon footprint further.

An air source heat pump will cost between £6000 – £15,000 depending upon your home size, existing radiator sizes and current hot water cylinder. Savings can be made if we are able to reuse the existing radiators and/or cylinder. We often need to replace hot water cylinders as their coil tends not to be large enough to cope with the lower flow temperatures. Currently we can take £5,000 off the price due to theboiler upgrade scheme.

Available grants

There are currently two grants available, and we can offer access to both.

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme:This scheme is open to all households who do not already have an air source heat pump installed. You can receive £5,000 off the price.

The Energy Company Obligation Scheme: This scheme is designed for persons on a low income or in receipt of a benefit. Please follow this link to find out more – ofgem

Air Source Heat Pump

Air Source Heat Pump

System efficiency.

Gas and oil boiler comparison.

Renewable heat

Seasonal coefficient of performance

What are the pros and cons of an air source heat pump?

Air source heat pump benefits:

Air source heat pumps – disadvantages and things to consider:

Available grants

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Heating type

KWh input

KWh Output in form of heat

Cost of 3.7KWh heat

1

3.7

34p

Heating type

KWh input

KWh Output in form of heat

Cost of 3.7KWh heat

1

4 x 0.92 efficiency = 3.68kw

3.68 x 11p = 41p

Heating type

KWh input

KWh Output in form of heat

Cost of 3.7KWh heat

1ltr = 10KWh

(10 x 0.92) = 9.2KWh £1 = 9.2KWh of heat.

9.2p x 3.7 = 34.04p