UPDATED: Air Source Heat Pumps/Air Con - Full Info & Guide, is it cheaper to run than mains gas?

samtheman1k

It also depends on the time of day and year. If it is providing heating, then it will only be on in winter, when the doors and windows are closed, so you shouldn't hear it if you have double glazing. In summer, if it is topping up your hot water, then, assuming you have a modulating one, it will be running really slow, so will be virtually silent. If you are that concerned, and have the space, then go for a Ground SHP instead.

richardc1983

Heres a video I made of mine in winter, it was about -4 outside so it was working flat out and with snow on the ground considerably.

Not very noisy at all the traffic is louder. Up close you can hear it this was filmed about 1 meter away but any further away and it fades quickly. Certainly in winter your not going to be in the garden and if your in the garden in summer and using it to heat water then warmer outdoor temps means it isnt going to be having to work as hard meaning its quieter.

heres the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mUzYHEfQEY

StevieArgyll

Thanks for the info, one of the great joys of my move has been the the tranqulitly - I felt deaf when I first moved . Having just after 10 years in the city I am lapping it up, so my concern is 'are these as ASHP as quiet as they say?'. Had I still been living in Glasgow I probably wouldnt have given noise a second thought. I will look at the GSHP although they do come at more considerable expense - I take it the installers will have no problem drilling through Argyll rock?

richardc1983

much more expensive and much more space needed, hope you have got a big garden lol.

StevieArgyll

richardc1983 wrote: »

Heres a video I made of mine in winter, it was about -4 outside so it was working flat out and with snow on the ground considerably.

Not very noisy at all the traffic is louder. Up close you can hear it this was filmed about 1 meter away but any further away and it fades quickly. Certainly in winter your not going to be in the garden and if your in the garden in summer and using it to heat water then warmer outdoor temps means it isnt going to be having to work as hard meaning its quieter.

heres the link - couldnt report link as Im a new user[/QUOTE]

That does appear to be really quiet, is that about the average noise levels you get while the unit is operating? Also, do you use it for water heating or air? If i wanted a water heating unit would that be a different type of pump?
Thanks

richardc1983

The technology is still the same whether heating water or air. The units I have are air to air heat pumps we dont have it to heat hot water but the technology used to get the heat is the same. So yes its the same type of outdoor unit with the same components.

This is the average noise levels in cooling mode in summer use it is even quieter and the fan hardly turns at all.

orkneyviking

I live in a draughty three bedroom bungalow up in Orkney. I am only really in the house on evenings and weekends, so need a responsive heating system.

The current setup is three large storage heaters and small panel heaters in the bedroom and these are around 20 years old.

I am considering adding an air to air source heat pump, which would cost around £1000 including installation as this is the most I can afford to improve things.

Q1 - should I just use the storage heaters more or is the air to air pump a good option to give something more responsive?


Q2 - The pump comes with a 5 year guarantee and living in an exposed location close-ish to the sea, I am not sure if this is a good investment?
If you install the fan in the loft for protection does that just suck the heat from the house?


Q3 - Am I right in thinking that you will not make your money back on replacing old storage heaters with new ones?

richardc1983

THe outdoor unit your thinking of putting in the loft should be installed in an open space with plenty of outside air. Otherwise you will end up basically turning your loft into a fridge as your loft is in effect a closed box with minimal air movement, the heatpump will continue to remove more and more heat out of the already cold air and then efficiency will just drop right off.

They are designed to be installed in an outdoor environment, if you are going to install one near the sea air then make sure you go for mitsi, daikin, or one of the other leading manufacturers as the materials used and paints are more durable to salty air etc.

THe heat pump will be much more efficient than the storage heaters, cheaper to run and also it will be heat on demand, so not like storage heaters where you have to wait for the heat and then they take a few days to cool down.

If your in a bungalow I would consider getting a ducted indoor unit, due to you having a loft space you could just have an air supply vent into each room you require heating/cooling.

Plus in the summer you will also benefit from air conditioning another reason to have a heat pump over storage heaters... no more sticky nights.

I would however get a size larger than you need on the heat pump some contractors do this anyway but this would mean quicker warm up times and also that extra capacity should we have extreme weather, this would also mean you can run the fan speeds at a lower speed... quieter operation overall.

This is what I have, I required only 2kw of heating in my lounge and only 1.5 heating in my bedroom however I have gone for 2 x 3.8kw heat output indoor units, this means in winter the system doestn have to run flat out as it has plenty of extra capacity, and being an inverter system (make sure its inverter) it will ramp down if it only requires 2kw of heat output.

Old storage heaters, no point upgrading them, you might as well get the old ones serviced, they are electrical heat, they dont really lose efficiency.

orkneyviking

This is the usual pump sold up in Orkney:

http://www.panasonic.co.uk/html/en_GB/2176090/index.html#anker_2176423

The size for my house being - Etherea '9' - £560 (inc. VAT and delivery to Orkney)

Any idea whether this is any good?

I undestand that this is just an outdoor and an indoor unit connected by a copper pipe. I presume this is a different set up to the ducted method you suggest?

If it does have just one heat source inside the house, I would be concerned that the heat would not spread well into the bedrooms?

richardc1983

orkneyviking wrote: »

This is the usual pump sold up in Orkney:

http://www.panasonic.co.uk/html/en_GB/2176090/index.html#anker_2176423

The size for my house being - Etherea '9' - £560 (inc. VAT and delivery to Orkney)

Any idea whether this is any good?

I undestand that this is just an outdoor and an indoor unit connected by a copper pipe. I presume this is a different set up to the ducted method you suggest?

If it does have just one heat source inside the house, I would be concerned that the heat would not spread well into the bedrooms?

A ducted unit is the same connections to the outdoor unit, except the air distribution is different. Looks like this:

http://www.orionairsales.co.uk/fujitsu-ary24-la-concealed-duct-air-conditioning-71-kw--24000-btu-617-p.asp

http://www.arcticair.com.au/userfiles/images/gallery/_display/_55.jpg

http://www.arcticair.com.au/gallery/ducted-systems

http://harnessnz.com/uploads/images/AC3%20FCU22.JPG


The wall mount unit has air coming out of one place out the bottom of the unit the ducted unit has air coming out of the unit that has flexible ducting (like tumble dryer hose) coming to different rooms in the house with a grille in the ceiling, The principle is just the same.

2.8kw to heat your entire house is just simply not enough. The best wayy to look at this is, 2.8kws of heat whatever generates that heat is the same. Would a 3kw fan heater heat your entire house? If not then its not big enough.

Where is the unit being positioned? These units are supposed to be installed within a room. Stevehead on here produced a video of his set up at home.

He had 2 units...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCehY4KKE74

And heres my setup, just done this for you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0g0Y0_tL_E


I would be looking to install smaller units to the bedrooms as these are not going to be requiring as warmer temperatures as the lounge.

So for a typical 2 bed house with no sungain in the bedrooms 2 x http://www.panasonic.co.uk/html/en_GB/Products/Air+Conditioning/Etherea/KIT-E7-JKE/Overview/2187532/index.html

And perhaps the lounge would have a http://www.panasonic.co.uk/html/en_GB/Products/Air+Conditioning/Etherea/KIT-E12-JKE/Overview/2187650/index.html

My flat has 2 indoor units connected to outdoor unit, 1 unit in the lounge and 1 in the bedroom.

The heat from them both heats the hallway and kitchen but it doesnt quite get round the corner to the back room, a 3rd unit is going to be installed in here soon.

It seems as though the installers have not sized correctly. 2.8kws is probably enough to heat one room, maybe heat will spill into two rooms but how many rooms are you trying to heat with this unit?

The panasonic is a decent brand, but look at it like this a 2 seater sports car that is top of the range still isnt going to get your family around asda with a car full of shopping is it. Its not big enough!