Air source heat pumps

Introduction to air source heat pumps

Even cold air is full of energy. Air source heat pumps use the freely available heat in the ambient air to provide efficient heating and hot water at air temperatures as low as -25°C.

Because the source of heat - the air - is abundantly available all around us, air source heat pumps have the advantage of low installation costs and minimal space requirements, while relatively mild winter temperatures in the Uk mean excellent levels of efficiency and performance are achieved throughout the year.

Benefits of the outside air as a heat source:

  • Can be utilised all year round between +35°C and -25°C.
  • Always available and inexhaustible source of heat.
  • No requirement for the cost and land area of ground collectors.
  • Ideal for new build or retro fit applications, especially where space is limited.
  • Can be used for heating, cooling, domestic hot water and swimming pools.

Air to Air Heat Pump

External unit Internal Unit

Benefits of the UK climate

Compared with central Europe (where air source heat pumps are already very popular), the UK has a relatively moderate winter climate.

With average winter temperatures of around 5°C, seasonal coefficients of performance comparable with ground source heat pumps are achievable, without the additional cost of expensive ground loop systems having to be installed.

Average UK temperatures over 12 month period

Diagram of UK temperatures over 12 months

Air to Air Heat Pumps

Air source heat pumps can also emit the collected energy as warm air. The external unit is often wall mounted as is the internal one. They come with sophisticated hand-held remotes to make control easy from your armchair or bed. Built-in timers, temperature control and a host of features makes these attractive and easy to install units.