Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP) work by extracting heat from the air. They then absorb the heat in the same way that a fridge uses refrigerant to extract heat from the inside to keep your food cool. An air source heat pump extracts heat from the outside air, and uses it to heat your property and hot water. As with Solar Thernal (Hot Water) there are some common urban myths / beliefs surrounding Air Source Heat Pumps. People often find it difficult to believe that heat can be extracted from the air when it is relatively cold outside. It most definately can be and we have numerous successful installions where tthe heating system is both efficient and productive. Our range of Air Source Heat Pumps are designed to extract useful heat from air at temperatures as low as minus 15°C.
Heat pumps offer greater energy efficiency over traditional heating products that use non renewable energy, such as gas or oil fired boilers, thus reducing the cost of heating. The efficiency of a heat pump is measured by something called “The Coefficient of Performance or CoP as it is commonly referred to. This is the ratio of units of heat output for each unit of electricity used to drive the heat pump, so if a product has a COP of 3 then it produces 3 units of heat for every unit of electricity it consumes.
Typical CoPs range from 2.5 up to 4,however the COP is only an indication of the highest performance the heat Pump has to offer. The type of building, quality of insulation, type of heating and electricity tariff all have a bearing on the overall efficiency and as a result each Heat Pump installation needs to be suitably designed and installed to maximize the energy efficiency of the application.
Flexibility
Unlike a Ground Source Heat Pump, Air Source Heat Pumps don't require a ground loop, since they take the heat from the outside fresh air. A typical Air Source Heat Pump consists of the heat pump unit being housed outside the property. The Heat Pump is then wired and plumbed in to your existing heat system and domestic hot water system. In exceptions the Air Source Heat Pump can be housed within the property and ducted to outside in order to draw air in from the atmosphere. A typical domestic Air Source Heat Pump is about the size of an under counter fridge and is comparable in noise when operating.
Efficiency
Air Source Heat Pumps are not as efficient as Ground Source Heat Pumps, but are typically cheaper to install since there are no ground works to carry out. A good way to increase the energy efficiency of an Air Source Heat Pump, and to exceed the performance of a Ground Source Heat Pump, is to combine the energy from the Air Source Heat Pump with Solar Thermal. The combination of the two energy sources gives outstanding results. It also negates the requirment of running the Air Source Heat Pump during the warmer months when central heating is not requried, but domestic hot water is needed. At these times of the year the Solar Thermal will provide domestic hot water, therefore saving the electricity costs of running the Air Source Heat Pump.
We have considerable expertise in effectively combining different energy sources in to one system, in order to maximise the efficiency and save you money on your energy bills. We offer a range of Air Source Heat Pumps from a number of market leading manufacturers. We have a technical understanding of combining Heat Pumps with existing heating systems and also in combining Heat Pumps with other renewable energy sources such as Solar Thermal to increase the energy efficiency and ultimately cut your energy bills.
Your Satisfaction Is Paramount To Us!
We place a high priority on customer service and as such our engineers are trained to the highest standards in all aspects of Heat Pump installation, application and service / maintenance. Since each installation is different, we prefer to keep your options open, as a result we specialise in a number of different heat pump manufacturers. Some properties may have underfloor heating, some may not. Some may want to keep their existing boiler, some may not, also the construction materials and insulation differ from one property to the next. Similary no two Heat Pumps are the same, different products from different manufacturers offer alternative outputs and options. Here are just a few of the brands that we recommend and install. We have chosen them because they are the real market leaders, who understand their own products implicitly.
Stiebel Eltron: Established since 1924 the state-of-the-art German manufacturer have become a wold wide supplier and have earned themselves the enviable reputation as a manufacturer of faultless quality products. Stiebel Eltron offers an innovative and impressive range of Ground Source and Air Source Heat Pumps, that make them one of the market leaders in the field of Heat Pumps. Stiebel Eltron also specialise in Solar Thermal, Mechanical Ventilation Systems and Heat Recovery products.
Kensa: UK Manufacturer, ISO9001 approved for the design and manufacture of heat pumps and hold an unique status as being accredited by the BERR (Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, formally DTI) for the manufacture and installation of Ground Source Heat Pumps. Kensa were also a founding member of the Ground Source Heat Pump Association. Kensa also advise many Government Departments on GSHP applkication and have become well known within the market for their honest and straightforward advice.
Nibe: NIBE Energy Systems Limited are a Swedish manufacturer that has become one of Europe's leading manufacturers in the domestic heating sector. They design, manufacture and supply a range of Heat Pumps and Heat Recovery systems that offer high-tech solutions for heating, ventilation, cooling and heat recovery that reflect today's demand for sustainable construction.
Rehau: Rehau are a market leader in underfloor heat products. Energy efficient underfloor heating is increasingly being specified over traditional radiator systems and has established a reputation as the preferred modern-day heating solution.
Gledhill Torrent: Gledhill provide a range of "Thermal Store" hot water cylinders, which maximise the efficiency of combined energy sources. The Gledhill Torrent RE is an advanced range of "primary" open vented hot water cylinders that offer mains pressure hot water, without the safety risks associated with an unvented hot water system. Being a "Primary Store" the product offers the advantage of being able to combine and utilise energy inputs from a number of different sources such as Heat Pump, Solar Thermal, Wood Burning Stove, Traditional Fossil Fuel Boiler - reducing the energy required to provide heating.
Chelmer Heating Products: Chelmer provide a range of advanced, energy efficient Thermal Store Cylinders which includes the new Ecocat, Thermocat, Multicat and Electrocat. All the cylinders are designed to incorporate Solar and are regulated to make the most efficient use of combined energy heat source.
