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

Hermann

Cardew wrote: »

Do they have an Ecodan air to air system?

The ones I have seen are air to water.

For some reason I thought that steveheads units were Ecodans, perhaps they're not.

His were the ones I was thinking of.

Described here .....

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=16604713&postcount=27

"2 X Mitsubishi SRK20ZGX-S Split Systems
Supply & Install of Front Room and Upper Landing Units; 2 Outdoor Units
All internal & external work Trunked Pipework (neat)
Local AirCon firm charged £2400"

Steves Video here ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&hl=en-GB&v=79UAPRI6p-M

richardc1983

Steves units are split inverter air conditioning systems.

samtheman1k

richardc1983 wrote: »

Go for air units, you will benefit from cooling in summer then.

Yes, but do you really want your ASHP running in the summer when you are sat in the garden with it on? This was a very important issue with us. We made the assumption that it would only be switched on (i.e. the outside inverter running) when it is too cold to be out side and windows would be closed, thus neither us, or the neighbours would be able to hear it running through the double glazing.

It depends on the where it is placed and proximity to neighbours obviously...

richardc1983

You can hardly hear the outdoor unit running, and when it is in cooling mode, I have laid practically next to my unit outside and it can hardly be heard.

It doesnt have to work as hard in cooling as it does in heating, so the fan rotates very slowly and the inverter compressor is also a lot slower.

Swipe

Well, I've been obtaining quotes from various companies and one has come back and told me that an air to water based system would be more suitable as an air unit located in my hallway would not allow adequate circulation of air to all rooms. This somewhat contradicts the literature I have been reading and I have sent off the floorplan of my bungalow to other suppliers of air to air units and who said this is not strictly true and would get back to me early next week with written confirmation after reviewing my floorplan.

In the meantime, I'd be very interested in other forum members' opinions on this.

My floorplan is shown below:

richardc1983

If that is your hallway by the airing cupboard it seems a very small space to mount a unit.

Is part of the floor plan missing because I cant see bedroom one on there.

Swipe

richardc1983 wrote: »

If that is your hallway by the airing cupboard it seems a very small space to mount a unit.

Is part of the floor plan missing because I cant see bedroom one on there.

The hallway is where the orange block is mounted. Bedroom1 is the room between the orange and red blocks. I'm thinking it might be better placed either above the front door or above the kitchen door. My log burner is in the lounge.

Cardew

Well, I've been obtaining quotes from various companies and one has come back and told me that an air to water based system would be more suitable as an air unit located in my hallway would not allow adequate circulation of air to all rooms. This somewhat contradicts the literature I have been reading and I have sent off the floorplan of my bungalow to other suppliers of air to air units and who said this is not strictly true and would get back to me early next week with written confirmation after reviewing my floorplan.

In the meantime, I'd be very interested in other forum members' opinions on this.

My floorplan is shown below:

IMO the weakness of a warm air system is the distribution of the warm air - unless you have ducting to each room and this will be particularly so in a single store dwelling.

You clearly will have to have the doors of the rooms you want to heat left open.

If anyone gives you an estimate for a single interior unit system, I would insist on a watertight guarantee that it will achieve the desired temperatures all over the bungalow.

Swipe

As I live alone, I generally leave all room doors open anyway so that would not be a problem.

samtheman1k

I agree with the supplier...what if you have a guest round, they'd want to close the door for privacy, and thus have no heating in their room! I expect your hallway would be nice and warm, and the rest of the house freezing! You'd need to duct it to each individual room IMO.