Considerations Before Installing a Heat Pump

Fabric First

Regardless of which type of heat source you have, the easiest way to keep your home cosy is to prevent heat escaping. To do this you will need to insulate the perimeter of the building or ‘building envelope’. For most people, this is easily achievable as a DIY project and will bring your heating bills down (significantly in some cases) as your heat source won’t have to work as hard. There are a number of professional contractors who can advise on the best course of action which is especially helpful for more difficult house types. I would always advise fabric first before installing a heat pump and insulation should be the priority. Ask Home Energy Scotland for advice if you’re unsure.

House Type

There is a common misconception that heat pumps only work on newer houses. This of course is untrue. Obviously newer houses are well insulated but old houses can be retrofitted to achieve a comparable standard. AAS have retrofitted dozens such buildings with SCOP’s of over 4. There is no stereotype to what cannot work.

Design

One of the most critical parts of any heating system is design. This is especially true for heat pumps! A full heat loss survey should be completed to calculate the size of emitters for each room. The emitter is specified to produce the same amount of heat being lost through the building fabric. Once each room has been calculated, the heat pump size can be determined. It is also important to size the pipework correctly to allow the optimum flow rate to run efficiently. System volume is another consideration to be taken into account.

Sadly, most heating systems in the UK are oversized which leads to inefficiency. 80% of the UK population has a combi boiler with most being massively oversized. This of course leads to higher carbon emissions and reflects on bills. Having a boiler that is capable of producing three of four times more heat than is required just doesn’t make sense. It’s wasteful!

Cost

For most people, the cost of installing a heat pump is the ‘dealbreaker’, even with the generous grants available. Sure, the capital costs are more expensive than fossil fuelled appliances but the ongoing running costs will offset that relatively quickly. In Scotland at time of writing, every household is entitled to £7,500 as a grant with a further £7,500 as a zero percent interest loan. This rises to £9,000 for rural uplift (communities with no mains gas).

Installation

This is obviously another critical part of the journey. Your system can be designed and costed to your satisfaction but if it’s not installed properly, all the good work has been undone. At AAS we pride ourselves in top quality workmanship. From laying out dustsheets and keeping the house tidy to ensuring the heating and hot water are kept on for the duration of the job. Ensuring pipes are clipped and insulated and plant spaces look aesthetically pleasing as well as functional. For many older properties it may not be possible to upgrade pipework without removing parts of the décor. This can mean cutting channels in walls which may put some people off. Our installers have done this on several occasions and all our customers have said it has been worth it. The thought of upheaval can be too much to bear for some but if you’re willing to see the long-term goal then it’s not a big deal in the grand scheme of things.