Guide to Heat Pumps | A Team Heating & Cooling

Heat pumps offer an energy-efficient and low-carbon method to heat your home. They are compatible with nearly all types of residences and, depending on the heating system being replaced, can potentially reduce your energy expenses. Currently, there are financial incentives available for early adopters of this technology. Whether you’re merely exploring this option or you’re already enjoying the benefits, we have valuable information for you.

Consider these factors when deciding if this system is right for you:

– Installation Space: You’ll need a suitable outdoor location for the unit, which requires adequate airflow and can be wall-mounted or ground-placed near your home.

-Heating Method: Unlike homes that use radiators or underfloor heating (wet systems), air-to-air heat pumps distribute warm air via blowers or ducting pipes. Blowers are wall-mounted, saving wall space, while ducts are often hidden in ceiling voids in new builds.

Air-to-air systems come in:

– Single-head: Featuring one outdoor unit connected to a single indoor blower, suitable for compact homes or single-room spaces.

– Multi-head: Consisting of one outdoor unit linked to multiple indoor blowers, ideal for larger homes.

By eliminating the need for a wet central heating system, blower-based air-to-air systems are typically quicker and cheaper to install. Multi-head systems require piping from the outdoor unit to each blower, akin to piping in radiator systems. These pipes are discreetly channeled along the room edges.

Water Heating Solutions:

Given that most air-to-air heat pumps do not heat water, consider these alternatives based on your household’s hot water demand, space, and budget:

1. Install a hot water cylinder with an electric immersion heater.
2. Opt for electric showers or “point of use” water heaters.
3. Select a specific air-to-air heat pump model capable of water heating.

Can an Air-to-Air Heat Pump Save You Money?

The potential savings from an air-to-air heat pump depend on its design and how you use it, as well as the heating system it replaces. predicting exact savings can be challenging. Despite this, we can offer some general insights into what you might expect.

Installing and Positioning the Blowers

The blowers inside your home connect to the outside unit, usually through pipes. To minimize the length of piping, blowers are often installed on the interior side of an exterior wall, close to the outside unit. In multi-head systems, the installer typically aims to shorten the pipe length to each blower, so it’s a good idea to discuss potential pipe routes with anyone surveying your house before installation begins. Find out more about how heat pumps work.

Installing Ducted Systems

Ducted systems are commonly found in energy-efficient homes, like those built to the ‘Passivhaus’ standard. Some systems serve as exhaust air heat pumps (EAHPs) and may also supply hot water. Because air doesn’t carry as much heat as a wet central heating system, ducted systems might not be suitable for older or larger homes with significant heating demands.

In these systems, ducts discreetly distribute large volumes of air throughout the house via slim pipes hidden in ceiling voids, leaving only two ceiling-mounted grills visible in each room—one for air entering and one for air exiting. The air handling unit, which warms the air, is about the size of a traditional boiler and is typically located in a loft or utility room.