Heat pump installations will slash energy bills by replacing fossil fuels with free, clean heat from the air or ground.
Heating systems have traditionally been powered by inefficient, unstable fossil fuels. As such, customers have been subject to higher energy bills and price fluctuations. Switching to a heat pump will reduce annual heating bills and increase price security.
Heat pumps run off direct electric but output far more energy than they consume, hence the significant savings that can be made (see SCOP below). Energy savings incurred by installing a heat pump will vary depending on the existing system. Typical savings range from £250 to £1500 per annum.
Heat pumps operate at lower flow temperatures than traditional alternatives. As a result, they generate space heating and hot water at lower costs.
Heat is produced at flow temperatures as low as 35 degrees, resulting in energy savings. Traditional heating systems tend to have flow temperatures as high as 60 degrees. Flow temperature depends on a variety of factors. Including:
– Desired level of heat – homeowners preferring rooms temperatures of 21 degrees demand more work from their system than a customer only requiring 18 degrees. Installing companies should consider how temperature demand impacts system efficiency.
– SCOP – Seasonal Coefficient of Performance is a rating of output versus input. SCOP is basically an efficiency rating for heat pumps that indicates how much energy the system generates compared to what is consumed. Different heat pumps have differing SCOPs. More efficient the systems will have higher SCOPs and be cheaper to run.
– Ambient temperatures – heat pumps are designed to work in cold temperatures . As such, SCOPs will usually be calculated at temperatures below zero. How hard the heat pump has to work on a daily basis will depend on ambient temperatures. For example, Cornish climates rarely reach the -1 degree temperature at which Mitsubishi’s SCOP factors are calculated.
– Wet central heating system – radiator systems need higher flow rates than underfloor heating. Large radiators require lower temperatures than a system of small radiators. It’s important that size of heat emitter is considered when installing an air or ground source heat pump. Read more below.
Customers thinking of switching to a heat pump must consider the impact of their existing heat emitters. Correctly sized heat emitters will result in larger energy savings.
Underfloor heating requires the lowest flow temperatures. Large radiators can operate at lower temperatures than smaller radiators where higher levels of heat are required to counteract smaller surface area.
Following a full heat loss calculation of a property, heat emitters can be accurately sized. The calculation accurately equates total heat demand and then heat emitters can be quoted to meet demand.
Customers switching to a heat pump alternative are often required to replace or upgrade existing radiators. Doing so will maximise the financial benefits of an installation. Radiators typically need to be upsized by 10-15 percent to guarantee maximum system efficiency.
GreenGenUK considers the impact of heat emitters before undertaking installations. Recommended amendments will be put forward as part of a quotation.
Customers new to renewable heating often misconceive that underfloor heating is required for a heat pump to be efficient and generate energy savings.
Heat pumps installed by GreenGenUK most commonly run in tandem with radiators.
Customers should be aware of the impact of radiators versus underfloor heating when installing a heat pump. Underfloor heating requires lower flow temperatures, regardless of the heating system, and this can result in increased outputs. However, efficiencies comparable to underfloor heating are achievable with correctly sized radiators.
Customers considering making the switch to renewable heating need as much information as possible to make a justified decision.
GreenGen’s quote pack provides the following information:
– Installation costs and parts specification
– Estimated annual running costs
– Predicted energy savings over other alternatives
– Predicted 10-year system benefit
– Calculated payback period
Customers should contact us today to learn how a heat pump can benefit them, their home or business.