Whether through the burning of oil and gas, or through the conversion of electricity, the majority of home heating systems in Scotland work by creating their own heat. In contrast, an air source heat pump will use the heat energy found in the air outside and harness it in order to heat your home.
A heat pump will generally produce far more heat energy than the electrical energy it uses to run, making it a much cheaper option than alternative heating systems.
With Government incentives on offer to new owners, and fuel prices increasingly volatile, could this be the perfect time to install an air source heat pump in your home?
Here are all the facts you need to know to help you make your decision:
How does it work?
So, your new air source heat pump will take the heat from outside your home and put it on the inside, but how exactly is this possible?
Firstly, air from outside is blown through the heat pump over a network of tubes containing a liquid refrigerant. This heats the refrigerant, turning it into a gas.
This gas is then passed through a compressor which pressurises the gas as well as adding additional heat.
Once compressed, the gas is condensed back into a warm liquid which is then passed through your radiators to produce heating as well as being stored in a tank for hot water usage.
What are the benefits?
Besides being a cheaper alternative to electric or gas heating, installing an air source heat pump is a great way for you to help protect the environment and reduce your carbon footprint.
More than 2 million homes in Scotland currently use gas central heating, with 200,000 more using oil boilers, and home heating is responsible for a massive 15% of all carbon emissions. The Scottish Government fell well short of its target of having 11% of homes being heated by renewable sources by 2020 with the actual figure falling from 6.6% in 2019 to just 6.4%.
By opting to heat your home with an air source heat pump you will be contributing to improving this bleak picture. Air source heat pumps generate far less CO2 than conventional heating systems and if combined with a renewable tariff have the potential to be zero carbon. This means that you will be unaffected from any changes to fuel costs as a result of restrictions placed on fossil fuel use.
As well as being a responsible and environmentally conscious decision, installing a heat pump will provide you with an efficient and constant source of energy throughout the year. You could be forgiven for thinking that there was not a huge amount of hot air to harness in Scotland, however, air source heat pumps work well in temperatures as low as minus 20 degrees.
Air source heat pumps are also many times more efficient at converting electricity to heat than traditional electric heating systems, producing efficiency rates of 400% (4 units of thermal energy created per unit of electricity). In comparison, the highest efficiency rate produced by conventional electric heaters is around 100%. This means that you could use 75% less electric to heat your home simply by installing an air source heat pump.
Why you need to act fast.
In a bid to meet climate promises the UK Government is offering significant incentives to switch to renewable energy sources. One initiative available is the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) which was introduced in 2011 to encourage people to consider switching to renewable heating technology.
Any homeowner in the UK can currently claim a subsidy of as much as £13,900 when they install an air source heat pump in their home. This number is dependent on the number of kWh required to heat your home, and you must ensure that you use an installer with an MCS certified installer.
However, this scheme will not be available for much longer as in April 2022 it is set to be replaced by the Boiler Upgrade scheme which will offer homeowners a £5,000 upgrade to an air source heat pump.
This means that if you are considering switching to an air source heat pump you should do so before April 2022 in order to secure the best possible funding available to you. If you are unsure of your best course of action, contact Greener Energy Group today.
We have a team of experts who will guide you through the process, manage all the pre-installation paperwork, calculate your potential savings, and have a system designed uniquely to your property needs. They will also ensure you receive the best possible subsidy payment available to you at the time.