Air Source Heat Pumps

Air source heat pumps can serve as a great alternative to conventional heating systems. They enable you to generate your own heat and could help you to reduce both your energy bills and your carbon footprint.

An air source heat pump system generates heat energy from the surrounding air using a similar principle to a refrigerator, but in reverse. While a refrigerator conducts the warm air outside, an air-water heat pump brings the heat from the ambient air into your rooms.

Specifically, a fan actively draws in the ambient air and transfers it to a heat exchanger (evaporator) installed in the heat pump. A refrigerant circulates inside it, changing its physical state and evaporating even at low temperatures. To raise this refrigerant steam to a level that can be used for heating and hot water production, it is compressed using a compressor. Its heat is then transferred to the heating and hot water circuits in your home.

Thanks to their highly effective and efficient design, these solutions can generate heat even when the temperature outside is a low as -15°C.

As well as providing warmth during the colder months, air heat pumps can serve as cooling systems during the summer. With an air source heat pump cooling system, you’ll benefit from a versatile solution that can help you to enjoy comfort at home throughout the year.

Generate heat energy from air

IS IT RIGHT FOR MY HOME

If you decide to go ahead with an air source heat pump installation, it’s essential that you choose the right size system to meet your heating and hot water needs.

Heat pump sizes range from 6kW to 18.5kW. Unsurprisingly, larger homes or commercial applications tend to require higher output and may require cascade operation or another form of heat generation such as a hybrid gas boiler/heat pump system to meet requirements.

The level of insulation and draught proofing in your home will also be a factor. The better your property is at retaining heat, the less warmth you’ll need to generate.

Your heat distribution system will have an impact too. Air source heat pumps perform best when connected to low temperature heat emitters, such as floor heating systems or our radiators designed for use with heat pumps. If you will be relying on traditional radiators instead and they will need to be much larger than you would use with a traditional gas or oil boiler system.

PAIRING WITH RADIATORS

Renewable technologies such as ground-source and air to water heat pumps along with solar are becoming the preferred energy source for many.

However for these technologies to work efficiently they will only heat water at a lower temperature (around 35-55℃) compared to your standard gas or diesel boiler (around 70-80℃), this is due to absorbing heat from natural environments such as the air, ground or sunlight.

This means to achieve the same heat output and comfort levels in each space you either require larger radiators to compensate for the lower water temperatures and loss of heat output or more efficient ones.

To put this into perspective, the same radiator running on a hydronic heat pump system with 50℃ flow temperatures will have an output less than half of that if it was running on a boiler system with 75℃ flow temperatures.

We have a wide range of radiators designed to run with low water temperatures as well as floor heating systems which are all suited to be used with heat pumps.

Solutions with Air-to-Water Heat Pumps

Perfect for solutions that require low temperature applications, the air-to-water heat pump will deliver hot water at efficiencies up to 400%.

Expert planning is required for this system to work for you efficiently.

Applications where an air-to-water Heat pump is used:

Heating water for central heating convectors and radiators
Floor and wall heating solutions
Domestic hot water provision
Pool and spa heating
Cooling
Commercial installations

Solutions that can be added:

Solar thermal system integrated for domestic hot water and/or heating/pool and spa heating
PV Electric solar array can be added with direct connection to the heatpump for maximum efficiency
Domestic hot water circulation pump for fast and efficient hot water service at your sanitary fixtures in your home
Heat recovery system - Passive house certified

Easy to use programming:

Weather compensation for all out comfort and energy savings of 12%
Smart and clear programmer for time control, information, and other settings

Contact us at Red Dwarf for professional advice and knowledge that will help you choose the right energy source for your system.