Heat pumps placement?

moneysaver1978

Considering a heat pump in near future and was just thinking about where it would be fitted.

Are heat pumps generally installed where a gas meter box is or is there flexibility?

Could they be fitted high up and fixed to an outside wall or must they be placed on the ground floor (raised a bit for air flow)?

grumbler

I guess you mean an air source heat pump for CH and HW. They are massive, but can be fixed to a wall higer up. And I don't see why they may need a gas meter box nearby.

QrizB

moneysaver1978 said:

Considering a heat pump in near future and was just thinking about where it would be fitted.

You might want to read @matt_drummer 's thread. He had some planning difficulties which were solved by careful heat pump placement.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6439483/air-source-heat-pump-planning-permission-required

fatbelly

Ideally they need a couple of metres of space in front of them and not directly facing prevailing winds.

I can't think of any technical reason why they wouldn't work higher up but obviously it makes installation and maintenance a bit more difficult

moneysaver1978

Thanks, all for your posts! I haven't seen any heat pumps fixed to the wall like an air con unit high up (say 6 feet up from the ground) so was wondering if it was due to weight or specific regulations.

We have a gas meter box in an alley leading to the back garden and the wheelie bins barely goes through so was a bit concerned about a heat pump (which is clearly much larger than a gas meter box!) being installed in the same place.

danrv

fatbelly said:

I can't think of any technical reason why they wouldn't work higher up but obviously it makes installation and maintenance a bit more difficult

Yes. Ease of installation and maintenance would be the main reasons they’re positioned at ground level. Heavy too.
My aircon inverter pump is positioned high on a wall but access is ok from the garage roof.

ComicGeek

Air source heat pumps typically need at least 300mm clear behind for air circulation, so that's why you don't see them wall mounted - the weight of the unit, and the distance away from the wall, would make it difficult.

Air con units have more powerful fans as they have different energy efficiency standards, so can be mounted closer to walls. Air source heat pumps have relatively less powerful fans to boost their overall efficiency, hence the space required behind.

mexican_dave

moneysaver1978 said:

We have a gas meter box in an alley leading to the back garden and the wheelie bins barely goes through so was a bit concerned about a heat pump (which is clearly much larger than a gas meter box!) being installed in the same place.

When you say "alley" is this a shared pathway with neighbours or for your own sole use? If it's not for your sole use then looks like it will obstruct the pathway, and you will be in trouble. Even mounting at a height over a shared alley might be an obstruction.
Where you are free to mount at high level (without causing an obstruction) there is no reason an engineer can't design steelwork to support the heat pump provided they know the clearances mentioned already. The installation surveyor should be able to advise on correct positioning, but you will have to be upfront on what is your property and what is not - to avoid the fitters causing an obstruction. I seem to remember that the air source heat pump, must be 2m from a neighbouring boundary (refer to shared alley again).

moneysaver1978

mexican_dave said:

When you say "alley" is this a shared pathway with neighbours or for your own sole use? If it's not for your sole use then looks like it will obstruct the pathway, and you will be in trouble. Even mounting at a height over a shared alley might be an obstruction.
Where you are free to mount at high level (without causing an obstruction) there is no reason an engineer can't design steelwork to support the heat pump provided they know the clearances mentioned already. The installation surveyor should be able to advise on correct positioning, but you will have to be upfront on what is your property and what is not - to avoid the fitters causing an obstruction. I seem to remember that the air source heat pump, must be 2m from a neighbouring boundary (refer to shared alley again).

Our own alley leading to our back garden so sole use only.

mexican_dave

OK, I have nothing to add.

TELLIT01

I can imagine many properties having major problems finding a suitable location for a heat pump.  For example, we have a conservatory the full width of the rear of the house, and a driveway to a garage at the side.  The heat pump couldn't go at the side as that would block access to the garage, and routing gas and central heating pipes through or past the conservatory would seem to be impractical too.  Current boiler is in an upstairs cupboard about 30 feet from the back garden, which is the wall where the conservatory is.