Air Source Heat Pump Systems

[clarethomer]

Anyone on here got one, or familiar with them?

[Clovius Boofus]

No, but from what I've heard, your home has to be near enough airtight and well-insulated in winter, or else they cost a fortune to run.

[clarethomer]

I know there are a lot of different views. I think that's right in terms of you need to have had cavity wall insulation and have things like double glazing in etc. I don't think it has to be passivehaus standards though.

Also know that if the technology moves on too and the way its set up can make a massive difference to the cost of running.

[bfcjg]

A few years ago I had some interest in them,however an electrical contractor who went on the manufacturers installation course was quite dismissive of them and wouldn't have one in his home as a marketing tool. Might have improved since then but C B has nailed it.

[BennyD]

Yet another ‘green’ fad that will wither and die. Most of these ‘great ideas’ will end up costing the planet more than they save. Electric cars, solar panels, and wind turbines will all cause major problems down the line.

[Lowbankclaret]

Yet another ‘green’ fad that will wither and die. Most of these ‘great ideas’ will end up costing the planet more than they save. Electric cars, solar panels, and wind turbines will all cause major problems down the line.

Solar panels work just fine. That’s why I bought them.

Heat pumps are crap from all the research I did.

[Bosscat]

Solar panels work just fine. That’s why I bought them.

Heat pumps are crap from all the research I did.

Love our solar panels and charging our electric car when the suns shining

[aclaretinstevenage]

On a new build Air Source Heat Pumps will be the new thing, no good in retro fit in existing houses. From the little I know the hot water produced is lower temperature than a conventional boiler will give so requires bigger radiators served by bigger pipework to give lower temperatures.

The outdoor fan unit will need some acoustic treatment to nullify the droning of the fan in quiet times.

Ground source Heat Pumps require drilling deep into the ground to achieve the heat source then the same issues as Air Source would still be encountered.

Unless "you" are a committed environmentalist these things are a long way off being popular although local authority planning departments will be looking to push or even impose them on people.

[NottsClaret]

The previous owners of our house had been badly mis-sold one. It was noisy, expensive and never heated the house sufficiently. We replaced it with a gas boiler, which felt like a backwards step but they simply won’t work in a huge percentage of the housing stock in the U.K.

If you’ve got a properly insulated new build, then go for it. And solar panels are brilliant, definitely recommend those.

[Clovius Boofus]

AFAIK, they don't drill for a heat source, as such. It is just deep enough for the soil to be slightly warmer than the surrounding outdoor air in winter. Electricity does all the heating.

[Squidgy]

I’ll throw my hand in to this one. We had one fitted last year and we absolutely love it. HOWEVER……..It very much depends on your property. We have it in a converted barn which has full roof, wall and floor insulation. We live at the top of the Lake district just off the Northern Fells and get the worst of the weather. Our costs are very low and the barn is, at times too warm.
This will not work in a house with poor or even average insulation. As we have no gas supply here we had to look for alternatives and this is great.
It’s quiet and, so far, has caused us no issues. Paid £8,900 for it and due £5,000 back as a grant. Bills dramatically lower than the same time last year. BUT! as stated the property has to be properly insulated.

[the_great_orange_one]

The rush to save the planet is interesting to say the least.
Green cars! That weigh a tonne due to the size of the batteries that will need to be replaced in a few years and we strip mine Africa for the resources and still burn fossil fuels for the electric?!?
Solar panels that will need replacing in 20 to 25 years and the tech to recycle is limited, possible but very few companies do it. France alone installed 232,000 ton of panels last year! Potential big issue to resolve.
Insulate your house, what with rock wool? Do you know how much energy goes into making it?
We need more science and less let’s call it green and sell it!

[clarethomer]

Thanks all.

I am also looking at battery storage as I would like to run my house using my cheap rate tariff that I get with having my EV.

I understand that technology more so.

Sounds like that may be the priority over ASHP.

[Commy]

I have one and find it expensive. It is quite old though. When it is freezing outside it takes an eternity to get up to 18 degrees. I had it on 23 last winter all day and it never went over 18. You have to put it up high to get it to 20. Drives me mad. It is also on the outside wall next to the telly so I can hear it when it kicks in. The place is well insulated as well. I am in a housing association so have no choice but I wouldn't have one thrown at me if it was my place. My friend's daughter has just had one fitted and she loves it although she is in a small flat. I am guessing that the newer ones are greatly improved.

[Clovius Boofus]

I don't think they have improved, Commy. I'm hearing similar from people who had them installed last year. Heat Pumps are not the way forward for the majority of households here in the UK. It would be better to give grants for something that is proven to work as intended, like having a govt led drive for solar panels.

[clarethomer]

I have one and find it expensive. It is quite old though. When it is freezing outside it takes an eternity to get up to 18 degrees. I had it on 23 last winter all day and it never went over 18. You have to put it up high to get it to 20. Drives me mad. It is also on the outside wall next to the telly so I can hear it when it kicks in. The place is well insulated as well. I am in a housing association so have no choice but I wouldn't have one thrown at me if it was my place. My friend's daughter has just had one fitted and she loves it although she is in a small flat. I am guessing that the newer ones are greatly improved.

The technology has definitely improved and I know from the little research I have done that the units now on the market are quieter and more efficient than they used to be.

I am also aware that sometime the install and/or building suitability can have a massive influence on how well they run and therefore people's views are that its the tech that is the problem when it isn't really that.

Norway is largely run by this technology so I can't imagine for one minute the technology doesn't work in cold weather for example. However, I think it's more likely the fact that houses are not properly insulated, or have sufficient radiator sizes or pipe sizes as people have already called out. Older systems may struggle compared to newer ones.

I know that Gas Boilers are rarely sized correctly for the install and often as a result are not 100% efficient as a result.

A properly installed system in a house that is right for these systems can be 300-400% efficient.

[Commy]

There isn't a timer on mine either so I can't set it to be warm when I get home from work. I've bought a small radiator so I can get instant heat when I get in.

[Cirrus_Minor]

My daughter has had heat pumps installed last year and they are fine. They did qualify for grants that I think have expired now, new radiators, etc., but they working no problem

[clarethomer]

My daughter has had heat pumps installed last year and they are fine. They did qualify for grants that I think have expired now, new radiators, etc., but they working no problem

The grants are still available.

I have had a quote from Octopus Energy and it’s fixed price too so if radiators need upgrading or pipe work then it’s all included.

Financially though it’s like any other green initiative in the sense that it’s years for break even on your capital outlay.

My motivation was more for removing gas from the house and moving to solar and batteries so I can be more self-sufficient in the longer term.

It’s been good to read other posters thoughts and experiences on it though.

[IanMcL]

I have an ASHP.

Double unit LG. Massive. Also, a wooden structure, built round the exchange unit. Also pipework up yhe wall and controls inside, together with a massive meter. The company suggested my radiators were OK, despite me suggesting otherwise. They turned up on the day, to install one radiator change out....replacing like with like!!!

It does work but savings ..don't think so. Cost a fortune. Too much clutter.

[Foshiznik]

If i was to have the money to afford a heat pump system, i'd pay that little extra and get a HVAC system.

[Stayingup]

Very good for underfloor heating and thats about it according to my son who works in this area of heating and aircon etc.

[Clovius Boofus]

I'd love to have the option to have aircon throughout our house.

[BennyD]

Solar panels work just fine. That’s why I bought them.

Heat pumps are crap from all the research I did.

Electric cars ‘work fine’ as well, but both have a limited life span. When that happens, there’s going to be many millions of solar panels that are going to need recycling without the required facilities to handle them.

[Lowbankclaret]

Electric cars ‘work fine’ as well, but both have a limited life span. When that happens, there’s going to be many millions of solar panels that are going to need recycling without the required facilities to handle them.

An engineer somewhere will work out a way to recycle.

[Caballo]

An engineer somewhere will work out a way to recycle.

Especially if there's money to be made doing.

[BennyD]

Indeed. They’ll set themselves up, corner the market, recycle what they can, and dump the rest in landfill. That’s what tends to happen in ‘green’ issues.

[Lowbankclaret]

Especially if there's money to be made doing.

As a retired engineer, I have seen some unbelievable people do unbelievable things.

[Squidgy]

The first (I’m led to believe) solar panel recycling plant has opened in France. It’s stated that 99% of the components are recyclable. Reported in the Times I think.
If this is the case it’s a massive step forwards. A lot of work to be done here. No doubt it will all be done abroad. We can’t even sort out the much trumpeted battery factory in the North West that appears to be going down the tubes again without ever getting started.
With regards to ASHP it does seem to work best with underfloor heating. The underfloor heating does take a little getting used to and you have to keep one eye on the weather forecast because of warmup time but we’ve had one for a full year now and only been slightly caught out once. Delighted with it.