Is My Home Suitable for a Heat Pump?

Skyrocketing energy costs are resulting in homeowners considering alternatives to a gas boiler and an electric central heating system, however, it can be a minefield to analyse if other green sources of heat energy are suitable as well as weighing up if the cost of supply and installation can be offset with the lower energy bills.

Heat pumps are receiving a lot of positive attention due to their green credentials and possible financial support from the government via the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive scheme, if the installation is eligible. 

However, there are a range of factors to review before rushing to book an installation, in order to establish if a heat pump is adequate for your property.

During this article we will be covering what heat pumps are, the different types and the criteria to review in order to establish if your home is appropriate for the technology.

What is a Heat Pump?

A heat pump is a type of green energy heating solution that extracts heat and warms it to the desired air temperature by the use of a compressor and either a special liquid or gas refrigerant, before distributing the warm air around the heating or hot water system.

Heatpumps vary in cost depending on the type of pump required, the size of the system needed for the household demands as well as the installation costs.  

Prices range from £6,000 to £45,000, however this initial outlay is often partially offset by savings in energy cost and sometimes government grants.

The reversible heat pump technology can also be used in reverse to cool rooms in the house in warmer ambient air months.

What Types of Heat Pump are There?

There are two different types of heat pumps as follows:

• A ground source heat pump extracts heat from the ground via a network of pipework installed below ground.
  OR
• An air source heat pump that sucks the external air surrounding the property, into a pump system.

The main differences between the two types of heat pump is the installation process and the space requirements.  

Within each type of heat pump, there are often a range of makes and models of pumps, as well as differences of output, either: low or high temperature ranges.

If you are interested in finding out more about grants available for a new heat pump, check out the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. 

What are the Suitability Criteria for a Heat Pump?

There are many factors to consider when investigating if a heat pump is right for home.  

We have pulled together a range of questions to review as part of your research into determining if the property is suitable for a heat pump and if it would suit the household demand and lifestyle.

Question 1) Is The Property Well Insulated?

• Yes – Perfect!  In order to benefit from a heatpump, the property needs to be well insulated to keep the heat in.
  

• No – The property insulation would need to be reviewed and improved before proceeding with plans of installing a heat pump as the systems may not be efficient enough to heat the home if heat is escaping. Improvements could include installing: double glazing, loft insulation or cavity wall insulation, before considering a heat pump.

Question 2) Is the Land/Outdoor Space Owned by You?

• Yes – Great!  Check your property deeds to be sure of the property boundaries for space requirements when discussing the installation with a provider.  If you answered yes to question 2, proceed to question 2a.
  

• No – An installation of a heat-pump will involve work outside for either type, and therefore if you don’t own the external land, this may not be possible. 
  
  Obviously, a flat or apartment is often not suitable for a ground source heat pump as the external land is often not owned by the homeowner.

Question 2a) How Much Outdoor Space is Available?

As we have discussed under question 2, there are outdoor space requirements for both types of heat pumps.  The type of pump suitable will depend on the outdoor space available as follows:

Question 3) How Much Indoor Space is Available? 

• Spare Space – Brilliant!  Most heat pumps will likely require an indoor unit that controls the system.  In addition, a water tank may be required should the system also provide hot water, that will have further space requirements.
  
  If you are transitioning from a traditional system, you may already have sufficient space reserved and therefore during installation, systems will simply need to be swapped over.
• Little Space – If space is not on your side, pay particular attention to the dimensions of units when investigating further if a heat pump is suitable for your home. As we have mentioned, the units will vary between manufacturers and models therefore you may find a unit that fits your space requirements, however for hot water solutions that require a tank to be fitted, this may need to be further considered such as loft tanks.
  
  Another solution is a hybrid system that combines a heat pump with another heating system that may serve your hot water without a tank for example.

Question 4) What Type of Heating is Currently Installed Within The Property? 

The current heating system will be a factor when reviewing the suitability for a heat pump and the type of installation due to costing the changes needed and identifying the most suitable pump.

Heat pumps are available in two temperature ranges; low and high. The most suitable one will depend on the heating system already fitted in your home as follows:

• Central Heating – Central Heating systems often require high temperatures to operate effectively, distributing heat around the property and therefore a high temperature heat pump will more than likely be required when replacing a boiler.
• Underfloor Heating – This type of system can often be supported by a low temperature heat pump as underfloor heating is designed to cover a large area at lower temperatures. 

Is Your Home Suitable for a Heat Pump Summary

We have been discussing a range of factors that determine whether a heat pump is suitable for your home including: the space requirements, ownership of land and the current heating system in place.

Heat pumps can be a great solution for homes to transition to a green, renewable energy source, however there are a range of factors that determine if a heat pump is right for your home.

This article provides some general advice as to the suitability criteria, however, is not specific to guarantee heat pump suitability. Therefore, once you have completed sufficient research a property survey will be required to confirm that the chosen heat pump system is suitable to be installed.

Should you be ready to request a property survey and obtain tailored quotes for the installation of a heat pump, please contact a reputable company with recent reviews for expert advice.

In addition, further research regarding the government grant scheme the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive scheme, and it’s qualification criteria via the Government’s website.