What is an air source heat pump?
Air source heat pumps are units which are installed externally to buildings. They extract heat energy from the outside air and move it into a building to provide hot water, space heating and cooling. Powered by electricity they are clean, combustion-free and capable of providing year-round comfort even in temperatures as low as -20°C. Air source heat pumps are extremely efficient and can produce 3kWh of usable heat energy for every 1kW of electricity used which is an efficiency of 300%.
How does an air source heat pump work?
Air source heat pumps contain fans which draw in air from the outside environment, a fluid inside the heat pump absorbs the thermal energy from the air. The fluid is passed through a compressor which raises the temperature to usable level and then circulated through a heat exchanger which will distribute the heat to your hot water tank, radiators or underfloor heating.
The Benefits of an Air Source Heat Pump
- A more efficient an environmentally-friendly heating system
- Reduces your monthly energy bill
- Clean and combustion free
- Specially insulated for quiet operation
- Ideal for properties which have limited indoor space (and limited outdoor space for laying groundworks for a ground source heat pump)
- Suitable for buildings of all sizes from residential to commercial
- Works with a variety of heat distribution systems including underfloor heating, radiators and fan coil units
- Requires minimal maintenance and has a long lifespan of around 20 years
- No need for fuel cards or fuel deliveries
- Receive government financial benefits such as the Renewable Heat Incentive
Our BoxAir Inverter Air Source Heat Pump
With its robust design and outstanding efficiencies, our BoxAir Inverter is quietly brilliant thanks to its low noise DC fan and sound insulation. Equipped with weather compensation, solar thermal integration and the ability to offer simultaneous heating and cooling, it's a small yet mighty heat pump, designed to offer year-round comfort and state of the art performance levels.
FAQs About Air Source Heat Pumps
What is the efficiency of air source heat pumps?
MasterTherm air source heat pumps boast market leading COP’s (coefficient of performance). A prime example is the BoxAir 45 7-22kW Inverter air source heat pump with a COP of 5.06. However, air source heat pumps are susceptible to weather change. As the extenral temperature drops, so does the COP and overall system efficiency.
What are the space requirements?
The outdoor unit must be placed in open space with good air flow. An important factor is to allow as much space as possible in front of the fan to prevent recirculation. The optimum position is on a southern wall, on a sunny elevation. Units can be wall or roof (flat) mounted if required. For split systems, the maximum distance between evaporator and condensor is 15m.
Will the heat pump heat the house in freezing weather?
MasterTherm heat pumps have the capacity to provide 100% of the heating and hot water demand of the building. All air source heat pumps have in-built immersions fitted as standard. Primarily used in the defrost cycle, in the event of a catastrophic failure, immersions will act as a backup device.
How noisy is an air source heat pump?
MasterTherm BoxAir Inverter heat pumps are specially insulated and equipped with a DC fan for low noise output. When standing next to the heat pump the sound is 50 decibels which is quieter than a domestic dishwasher which is around 60 decibels.
Can air source heat pumps cool?
Yes, air source heat pumps can provide natural (passive cooling) or active cooling which is more in-line with traditional air conditioning. Using a heat pump for cooling often space, time and money as you won't need to install two separate systems.
How do you size an air source heat pump?
It's important to correctly size an air source heat pump, if it's output is too low you may not reach your preferred temperatures and if it's too high your system becomes less efficient which means you won't achieve the energy savings your property has the potential for. To correctly size a heat pump, heat loss and heat load reports should be carried out and the system designed with appropriate hot water storage and heat distribution such as underfloor heating or radiators. Generally a well insulated house requires 1 kilowatt of heat for every 25m2 which requires heating.
Can air source heat pumps work with radiators?
Yes air source heat pumps can work with radiators, however the radiators should be correctly sized for the system. Air source heat pumps can also work with fan coil units and underfloor heating.
How long does an air source heat pump last?
Air source heat pumps have a long lifespan, lasting around 20 years or more.
Do you need a particular type of heat pump if you live near the coast?
No you don't need a special model however the compressor and other elements should have a special coating that protects it from corrosion. This coating is ideally applied at manufacturing but can also be applied by an installer.
