Air Source Heat Pumps

Air Source Heat Pumps are becoming an increasingly popular choice for home heating. They can be installed in new homes and just as easily retrofitted into renovation projects. But what makes air source heat pump such a viable heating alternative, and how do they work? Quite simply, the air source heat pump has a motor powered by electricity that supplies more energy than it consumes. For every kw unit of energy purchased as electricity, around 4.1 units of heat are delivered.

The unit itself works on pressurising refrigerant to create a heat output. Imagine a refrigerator but working backwards. Air source heat pumps use electricity to power a compressor, which forces gaseous refrigerant through small holes to create heat. This heat is transferred to your heating system, and it’s this cycle which make air source heat pumps so efficient.

We recommend air source heat pumps as a viable alternative to ground source heat pumps. Air source heat pumps do not require any land or ground works so are considerably cheaper to install. They are around 15% less efficient than the ground source heat pump alternative, but even with this taken into account the payback periods are extremely low.

A backup heat energy is often needed for air source heat pump systems to work correctly. Because of the temperamental weather, the air source heat pump will need a backup heat source in extreme loading conditions. This backup heat can be provided by many different fuel types and renewable energies. We can design a system around your wants and requirements, giving a fully automated efficient heating system all year round.

With NIBE air source heat pump systems, we would usually see the use of backup electricity for the home heating at around 200kwh’s per year; so an extremely low amount. It would usually be provided in the form of a 3-stage electric immersion heater.