Enviro Heating & Cooling Air source heat pumps
How do air to air heat pumps work?
Air source heat pumps work like a fridge in reverse by extracting heat from the outside air in the same way that a fridge freezer extracts heat from the inside.
An outdoor electric powered fan unit extracts heat from the air, the heat is sent through pipes which are filled with refrigerants.
The refrigerants are warmed up by the warm air and then they are turned into a gas.
The gas is passed through a compressor where the temperature is increased further.
Once in the cylinder unit, the refrigerant is surrounded by cool water or air.
The heat is then transferred to the water or air, it is then sent into the house through the radiator and hot water circuits.
The refrigerant then cools back into a liquid and the process begins again.
Things to consider
During cold weather the air temperature drops and air source heat pumps become less efficient. We recommend installing an air source heat pump as part of a hybrid heating system, with a gas or oil boiler as back up for when the air source heat pump cannot meet demand. The heating system will then switch between the boiler and heat pump depending on which is more efficient.
Houses need to be well insulated and draught proof for air source heat pumps to work well, this can be difficult in older houses.
The outdoor fan unit needs to be installed outside your house on the ground or mounted onto a wall.
Do you have space for a cylinder unit inside?
Pipework may need replacing to increase the flow rate around the heating system and larger radiators may need to be installed.
Air source heat pumps can cost between £9,000 and £15,000 to install and ground source heat pumps between £20,000 and £25,000 to install.
Outdoor fan unit
Indoor cylinder unit