The news recently has been dominated by the price of energy, particularly gas, and with the climate crisis dictating a move away from fossil fuels, it seems that the days of gas as a domestic energy source are numbered. The previous government planned to phase out the installation of gas boilers in new builds by 2025 and in existing properties by 2035. We don’t know how this may change under the new government.
One thing certain is that gas heating technology is on its way out, and the heat pump is a likely option to replace it.
In order to achieve Carbon Net Zero by 2050, the UK government aims to install 19 million heat pumps in new-build properties. By using support grants, the aim is to make heat pumps the preferred domestic energy source, and at some stage, gas boilers will be phased out. No new gas boilers should be sold after 2025.
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One incentive to install a heat pump is that there is currently a £7,500 grant available to install one. Together with the likely savings on energy bills – estimated at around £500 a year for the average home previously heated by gas – there are good reasons to look at heat pump technology. But how does it work and how is it fitted?
Types
There are two main forms of heat pump, Air Source (ASHP) and Ground Source (GSHP).
Heat pumps work similarly to a refrigerator, using a refrigerant liquid to absorb heat then transferring it to another medium. The ASHP works by transferring heat absorbed from the outside air to an indoor space. An ASHP can transfer heat directly into rooms through fans, or can be connected to a ‘wet’ (ie water-filled) central heating system to heat radiators and underfloor heating, and to provide domestic hot water.
Most heat pumps are placed outside the home – they look like air conditioning units – so they need some clearance from surrounding buildings. Some air source heat pumps can also work as a cooling system in the summer months.
Although heat pumps use electricity to enable energy conversion, they are much cheaper to run than gas, electricity or coal. Though the initial installation costs could be high, you may receive a grant through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. This £3.9 billion initiative was launched by the government in April 2022, as part of the Heat and Buildings Strategy, and will run until April 2025.
Efficiency
But what about efficiency in the winter? Air source heat pumps designed for use in the UK can work at temperatures as low as -25 degrees. They can usually be used with any type of heating system, such as underfloor heating and traditional radiators.
For every one kilowatt of energy it uses, an air source heat pump can create 3 kilowatts of heat energy, making it 300 percent efficient – in comparison, oil and gas are only 90 percent efficient.
The main advantage of any kind of heat pump is that it is a low-carbon energy source which would free us from reliance on gas, so there’s no cost for delivering fuel, no storage requirement, and no danger from explosion. You may have to change the way you use your heating timer settings, as heat pumps deliver heating more slowly than gas – the idea is known as ‘pre-heating’.
Small-scale trial installations of heat pumps suggest that it was possible to improve economy by moving electricity consumption to different points in the day in a way that participants found acceptable, and that using ‘pre-heating’ the majority of temperatures reported at the end of the pre-heating window were greater than normal thermostat setpoints, suggesting that pre-heating worked.
Installation
Up until now, switching to clean energy has been anything but easy. Aira changes that with an all-inclusive plan that makes switching from a boiler to a heat pump completely hassle-free. From a free home energy assessment and installation to flexible payment options and a 15-year guarantee.
It’s simple. Affordable. And all under one roof.
At the heart of Aira’s mission to get Europe off gas is the Aira Heat Pump. Intelligent, affordable and sustainable. It’s everything a gas boiler isn’t. And it’s 4x more efficient, delivering up to 25% savings on heating bills and a 75% reduction in home heating CO₂ emissions.
See more at www.airahome.com.
See also: 7 Reasons Why Aluminium Roller Shutters Are a Smart Investment for Your Home
