THE DISADVANTAGES OF AIR SOURCE HEAT PUMPS

Air source heat pumps can be a way to generate heat for your home. Like the majority of heat pumps, they are often better for the environment too, leaving less of an impact and little to no emissions. While it comes with a wide range of benefits, everything has a set of disadvantages – and air source heat pumps are no exception. Make sure you take some time to read through the disadvantages of this system here before you make your choice.

Maintenance

Generally, you will find that heat pumps will come with a warranty that lasts around two or three years. You can also get workmanship warranties, which tend to last for up to ten years through schemes such as QANW (Quality Assured National Warranties). You may also have the option to extend your warranty, a feature that many manufacturers will offer. Generally speaking, these can be extended for up to 5-years, but they will require regularly scheduled maintenance. This will normally consist of an annual check performed by you, followed by a detailed check from a professional installer every year.

Your installer should leave you with clear written details that note any maintenance checks that you will be expected to undertake at any given point during your ownership. This will ensure that things run smoothly and consistently throughout its lifetime. You should always make a point of speaking to your supplier for the exact maintenance requirements before you decide to commit to the purchase of a heat pump. It is highly likely that you will be asked to carry out yearly checks on things like the air inlet grill and evaporator, just to ensure that they are free from leaves and debris. You will also need to remove any plant life that has started growing there.

Your installer may take steps to advise you about checking the central heating pressure gauge in your home from time to time. If this is the case, you should be shown how to do this, so make sure you ensure your installer follows through. This is to prevent the heat pump from freezing in the winter weather by using anti-freeze. The levels of anti-freeze concentration are something that the installer will take the time to check when he comes to your home to service your pump. If your heat pump has external refrigeration pipes, they will require an annual service from a refrigeration engineer.

The Cost of Air Source Heat Pumps

It is important to understand the cost of an air source heat pump before you get too involved. Like many heat pumps, they can be a little pricey to purchase and have installed. For a typical pump, you are looking at the price ranging from £7,000 to £11,000, and prices can go up to £20,000 for more advanced models. When it comes to the running costs, these will tend to vary depending on things like the size of your home as well as the amount of insulation. The latter of these is an essential aspect when it comes to the costs and overall efficiency of the system.

The Disadvantages of Air Source Heat Pumps

The main disadvantages associated with air source heat pumps are listed below:

• Lower heat supply compared to boilers, so larger radiators would be needed
• They perform better with underfloor heating or warm air heating and work more efficiently when coupled with larger radiators
• They can take quite some time to heat up, leaving your home cold in the mornings
• Air source heat pumps are not an option if you live in a flat.
• They need electricity to be powered if there is no access to solar energy or wind power
• You would need a highly insulated home to reap the high energy savings benefits
• Noisy like an air conditioner when it is running
• Need to run constantly during the winter, which can make the noise worse and cost higher
• Less efficient in winter due to low Coefficient of Performance (COP) levels
• The cost of installing an air source heat pump is usually between £3,000- £11,000
• To have a high return in terms of saving from purchasing and using an air source heat pump, it is important to have a well-insulated home, with especially loft insulation. This makes sure that the heat generated within the home does not escape

Argument for Electric Boilers

An alternative to heat pumps, is to choose an electric boiler – with a relatively inexpensive purchase and installation cost. This leaves remaining budget to focus on other energy efficient projects, such as house insulation.

As well as a cheaper install cost, electric boilers are almost 100% efficient, and require very little in the way of maintenance.