If you’re considering heat pumps and you wish to have a technician or contractor install one for you and get the most from it, a number of conditions must be met. To begin with, your home should be well insulated. When you’re considering heating and you wish to get a specialist to install a heat pump, you should note that these units only work properly and optimally at low temperatures. Consequently, specific radiators will be required.
There are different types of heat pump systems, which are used mostly in homes to either heat air or water. However, there are also other pumps that perform both functions. The ideal choice of a heat pump is mainly determined by the heat source and what you wish to heat. Below we explore some of the different options you might want to consider.
- Water heat pump
Such pumps are used to recover heat from an underground water source. Therefore, it involves drilling a well and the ideal depth largely depends on soil composition. The water recovered from the underground water source is then pumped by a motor. The solution might not be a practical option for cities or towns unless your home has a garden.
- Ground Water Heat Pump
This is yet another superb geothermal solution when considering heating for your home. While it also requires the drilling of a well, the pump works differently, as it recovers heat from underground in order to heat up a water circuit. Probably the main downside of this system is that you would need a large surface area twice the size of your home, which makes it unsuitable for cities and towns.
iii. Air Water Heat Pump
These heat pumps collect air from outside and heat it up then supply it to a water circuit to enable home floor and domestic water heating. The solution is affordable and suitable for homes in cities and towns.
- Air Heat Pumps
While the system also collects air from outside, it blows it straight into the interior of a home. The investment in an air heat pump is fairly small and the system is simple to install. The pump must be used in combination with air heating. However, it cannot be used with radiators or floor heating.
- Ground Heat Pump
The pump draws heat from the ground after which it returns the collected heat back to the ground onto heated floors.
Any heat pump that draws its energy from underground is commonly known as a geothermal heat pump. If your home is well insulated, the surface area must be approximately twice the size of the area you need to heat.
The heat pumps in Victoria, BC, which draw energy from outside, are called aero thermal pumps. Since their efficiency levels vary considerably, the pump is commonly used for the purpose of backup heat units. It would be difficult to put an estimated figure on the yearly average consumption of these heat pump systems. Even so, you should note that the system is completely different from the traditional HVAC systems, mainly because a typical heat pump system uses less energy. This partly explains the popularity and advantage of using a heat pump system.