What Is An Air Source Heat Pump?

An air source heat pump is designed to take heat from the air outside which it then uses to power your radiators and other heating systems within your house. An air source heat pump does this in exactly the same was as a fridge extracts the heat from the inside and can work in temperatures as low as -15 Celsius. They do run off electricity, but as the warm air they are using is being constantly renewed they are still able to save you money and help the environment. An air source heat pump should allow you to lower your bills and could even provide you with another source of income by means of the government's renewable heat incentive scheme. They are designed to lower carbon emissions and are very easy to run, requiring little in the way of maintenance.

Can I Get an Air Source Heat Pump?

There are several things to be taken into consideration to see if your property is suitable for the installation of an air source heat pump. Do you have a good place that this can go? It needs to be kept outside the house and will need to be fitted to the wall or to the ground. There should also be plenty of air flow in this area to increase productivity. Additionally, air source heat pumps work best when the house is well insulated and draught proofed. These pumps power under floor heating and warm air heating systems better than they do radiators. If the system is intended for a new build property then it is even more suitable as this will reduce installation costs as it can be fitted at the right time and in a good chosen place.

How Much Does It Cost?

To install an average system will cost in the region of £6,000 - £12,000. The running costs will vary depending on the size of your home, how you are heating the home and how well insulated it is. The amount that you set to save on the system will also depend on a number of factors. If an old heating system was not working correctly, you are likely to notice good savings, but this will depend on what exactly you are trying to heat, taking into account that the system does work better with under floor heating that it does with radiators. You will also need to learn how to control the system properly in order to get the maximum amount of savings from it. You will have to set the system to come on for longer hours than a conventional system but you should be able to keep the temperature lower than before. The company that installs the machine should be able to give you a good deal of help and advice in the running and the operating of your machine.

Do I Need Planning Permission?

Up until very recently, planning permission was required for this sort of system. However, the rules were relaxed from December 2011. Domestic systems are now classed as permitted developments as long as they comply with certain rules. They must be installed in a property where there is no wind turbine. An outside system should be no more than 0.6 cubic metres in size and the unit must be more than 1 metre from the side of the property. It should not be placed on a pitched roof or near to the edge of a flat roof. In some cases, such as with a listed building or buildings within a conservation area, more rules may need to be complied with. The above rules are applicable for England only and do not apply in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.