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If you’re considering installing a heat pump, you might be wondering how do they work, how do I incorporate heat pump technology into my home and which one is the best fit.
In this guide, we'll help to answer those questions and why you should consider replacing your boiler with a heat pump to help provide heating and hot water for your home.
Heat pumps work by extracting of 75% heat from a renewable resource with only 25% of electricity needed for operation. The three options for heat pumps are air source, ground source, and water source.
Heat pumps are more energy efficient compared to gas boilers because they do not use fossil fuels to operate, making them a more sustainable option for heating your home.
Here is a quick breakdown of how a heat pump system operates:
1. The heat from your chosen source is led through a system of pipes with our R290 natural refrigerant, which then evaporates.
2. A compressor increases the temperature.
3. A condensor then transfers this heat to the heating circuit of your home.
4. Having passed the heating circuit, the vapour then reaches an expansion vessel.
5. This expands (or decompresses) the vapour, cools it down and ultimately liquifies it.
6. This allows the refrigerant to absorb the geothermal energy over and over again.
When it comes to installating any type of heating system, the overall cost can depend on a number of factors. These include, the type of heat pump, overall output, and installation cost. According to the Energy Saving Trust, an air source heat pumps can cost between £14,000 to install.
You can get support with the cost of installing a heat pump through the government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) where you can receive a grant of up to £7,500. This is applied for through your MCS installer (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) and will be deducted from your overall bill.
When you've had your heat pump installed, you should notice a reduction in your energy bills as because heat pumps use electricty to operate, it should bring your gas usage down.
Regardless of which type of heat pump is installed, the energy efficiency is similar, with 75% of the total energy coming directly from the existing heat source. The remaining 25% of energy is drawn from your home's electricity supply. This means that 75% of the energy you use to heat your home and hot water will come from a renewable source. Heat pumps can also be paired with pre-existing renewable technologies for greater efficiency.
One of the key differences between the three types of heat pump is the heat source that they draw from. As the names suggest, this is drawn from the air, the ground or a water source. Which type of heat pump is most suitable for you may greatly depend on the amount of space or land you have available. We’ll look at this in more detail below.
For all heat pumps, the primary pump unit is located outside the home. The specific location will be dependant on the chosen energy source.
Your local Vaillant Advance installer will advise you on the best location for your heat pump. It's important to note that heat pump site should be away from drains, lightwells and other openings, windows and doors. It’s also important to consider noise levels and neighbours.
Some internal space is also required when looking to upgrade our heating system. This will likely include a hot water cylinder, buffer, and hydraulic module. Ground source and water source heat pumps are often paired with our flexoTHERM internal unit.
Air source heat pumps are the most common heat pumps in the UK. They have a great amount of flexibility for installation location and are often the easiest and quickest to install. The outdoor units can be installed on the ground, on a structurally stable balcony, or mounted on an exterior wall. Covers can also sometimes be used to disguise the outdoor units, particularly for projects and listed buildings where aesthetics are particularly important.
Ground source heat pumps require significantly more outdoor space, but this can be achieved either through boreholes or a ground array system. These typically offer a cleaner outdoor aesthetic than air source heat pumps. However, they can take longer to install and are only suitable for those with the required space available.
A ground array is created by burying horizontal collectors in the ground. These often require the property to have sufficient land available for installation. These collectors are installer approximately 1.2m below the surface. Borehole systems use vertically installed collectors and are typically dug around 100m deep.
The land being used for the heating collectors will also have to be accessible for the digging equipment.
For the installation of a water source heat pump, the property ideally needs to be within 100m of a water source. Suitable water sources include lakes, rivers, ponds or streams.
The pipework required for a water source system is submerged, reducing the visual impact of the installation.
Don't forget to check if there is any planning permission required when installing a ground or water source heat pump.
They most certainly are! Given the right conditions, modern Vaillant heat pumps are extremely efficient. Up to 75% of the energy generated comes from ambient heat. Only the remainder is powered by electricity.
Just a minute! It’s true that the initial costs for a heat pump are higher than for other heating systems. But with the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, offering grants of up to £7,500 in England and Wales, heat pumps are more affordable than you think.
It’s true that heat pumps work particularly well with underfloor heating, which requires low flow temperatures thanks to a relatively large transfer area. But it’s by no means a must: heat pumps also work for heaters that need higher flow temperatures. Vaillant’s product portfolio has heat pumps that work for everyone.
Vaillant heat pumps are designed with both new buildings as well as old in mind. They are an ideal solution for new constructions, which are built to be well insulated. But Vaillant also has heat pump systems that are designed to work in older buildings with radiators.
Vaillant heat pumps come in all shapes and sizes – and some heat pumps like the air source pump have both indoor and outdoor units. Sizes range from the height and width of a wardrobe (190 cm x 180 cm) to the size of a small dresser. You will certainly find one to fit.
Not with our heat pumps! Vaillant heat pumps are extremely quiet – including the air source heat pumps that have an outdoor unit. From a distance of three metres, you can expect a sound level of no more than 32dB – that’s hardly more than the rustling of leaves.
Actually, heat pumps work reliably all year round. In fact, the outdoor unit of a Vaillant air source pump can work happily at an outside temperature of -20°C. And groundwater and ground source heat pumps are unaffected by winter weather since temperatures remains constant.
In certain areas like Scandinavia, one of the most technically advanced regions when it comes to sustainable energy solutions, heat pumps have set the standard for heating technology.
At Vaillant we have been recognised experts in heating systems for almost 150 years – and continually work to improve them. Our heat pumps are made in Europe to the highest.
Climate change and energy shortages make heat pumps THE renewable energy solution for today, tomorrow – and the future. A Vaillant heat pump is the optimal way, not only to reduce your carbon footprint, but to significantly keep heating bills to a minimum. And in combination with a solar system, you can be practically energy self-sufficient.
Before deciding what heat pump is the best choice for your home heating, there are some additional factors to consider, these include:
