The future looks bright for air source heat pumps.
Their efficiency is far ahead of gas boilers, which will be a thing of the past in newly constructed homes as of 2025. Furthermore, they’re energy efficient, since they’re driven by electricity.
The costs of air source heat pumps are also dropping especially since it is the case that administration’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme provides homeowners with a discount of 5% for replacing the gas-powered boiler they have with a heating system.
We’ve explored how energy efficient the air source heat pump is compared to the other types of heating system, and also what is it that makes them superior.
How efficient are air source heat pump?
Heat pumps that are air source usually have an efficiency of 300%, although the most efficient ones have greater rates.
This means that on an average the Air source heater will generate the equivalent of three units energy per unit of energy it absorbs.
In order to put this into perspective to understand the situation, the average UK house uses around 12,000 kWh of electricity per year for heating. Your heat pump will be able to supply the equivalent amount of heat for only 4000 energy units.
For comparison the electric boiler is four times less efficient and have an efficiency of 100%. In contrast, the most efficient gas boilers only achieve 98% efficiency or less.
Electricity is typically four times more expensive than gas, and this eliminates any benefits you could gain by your heat pump’s amazing efficiency, but times are changing.
With the cost of gas rising and electricity becoming the most efficient option to help the UK to meet its target of zero emissions by 2050. You’d be investing into a future that’s already here, and will help you save a huge sum on your heating bills when it arrives.
However even though it is a huge advantage, even so, our National Home Energy Survey found that only 25% of the population would own a heating system even if it was free.
Why do air source heat pumps so efficient?
They are 4 times as efficient as electric and gas boilers since they don’t need to burn fuel or laboriously transform electricity to heat.
Instead, they transport warm, airy temperatures from the outside within your home, permitting it to flow through the compressor, and then undergo a heat exchange. Then, it’s changed to hot water.
You can determine the heat pumps efficiency of a model by examining it’s coefficient of Performance (CoP) – but you should also look at its Seasonal Performance Factor (SPF) to get a complete picture.
While the CoP gives you the high efficiency of the unit while the SPF will reveal the average efficiency of a heat pump throughout the entire year.
How efficient are ground source heat pumps?
Ground Source Heat Pumps range from 300 percent to 400 percent efficient, as per The Ground Source Heat Pump Association.
These machines, which draw heat from at least a metre beneath the surface of the Earth, within the same league as the air-source heat pump.
Certain designs are better than air-based counterparts, while others aren’t as efficient It all comes down to the specific heat pump and its capabilities.
What is the efficiency of air source heating pumps during winter?
Air heat sources are about 20percent less effective in the winter months, as they require more power to draw warmth from the air.
This implies that, despite misconceptions that claim they’re not as efficient as boilers during winter months, they’re around 2.5 time more effective than conventional gas boilers, even in snowy weather.
There’s no need to fret regarding your heating system’s air source failing at any point, regardless when temperatures fall below the freezing point.
Modern heating systems continue to work even when temperatures drop to 10 degrees Celsius, and the most efficient models can keep you warm when temperatures drop to -25degC.
It’s because there’s warmth in the air right now. To have any heat the temperature would need be at least -273 degrees Celsius. And even the most severe British winters aren’t as awful.
In winter you may need to conduct periodic maintenance checks as the weather is typically worse during winter.
In areas that experience extreme weather in the winter seasons, homeowners may want to think about purchasing a heat pump cover that protects the exterior unit from snow and other debris.
Can heat-pump boilers be more effective than natural gas?
Yes, they are more efficient than gas boilers.
Heating systems that use air source Efficiency ratings for air source heat pumps are generally three times higher than the gas boilers’ ratings up to five times higher.
Ground source heat pump may reach the same heights in terms of efficiency, however, they are typically 3.7 times as efficient as gas boilers.
The obvious advantage of heat pumps is due to their capacity to generate around three heat units per each unit of electricity given, while their fossil fuel-powered counterparts create around 0.96 Units of heat per one gas unit.
Which is an air heat source?
The most effective Air source heat pump is the enticingly named Hitachi Yutaki M RASM-4VNE, in accordance with our assessment of the top heat pump of the year.
This amazing machine is efficient at 500%, which means it generates five units of energy for each amount of power.
Hitachi’s latest market-leading model puts out 11 kW of heat that is more than enough for homes of average size and even provides enough heat to heat an area of 200 square metres.
If your supplier is a member of this government-sponsored Boiler Upgrade Program, then you can avail the discount of £5,000.