Air Source Heat Pumps

An air source heat pump is a low-carbon way of heating your home. Although not as common as fossil fuelled boilers, the technology has been around for decades. In 2021 over 35,000 heat pumps were installed into domestic properties in the UK. These were installed in both new build and existing properties – some of these were even installed into Victorian and older properties.

An air source heat pump extracts heat energy from the air outside and using electricity and something called ‘the vapour compression cycle’ upgrade this heat and feed it into your wet heating system. They work with both radiators and underfloor heating. Heat pump systems can also heat your hot water cylinder. This covers all your hot water needs.

Air source heat pumps are usually positioned outdoors at the side or back of a property. This is because air source heat pumps take energy from the air, so they need plenty of space around them for air to circulate.

Air source heat pumps look very similar to air-conditioning units. How big they are depends on how much heat they'll need to generate for your home - the more heat, the bigger the heat pump.

Inside, you'll usually have a hot water cylinder and some controls.

You won't normally need planning permission for an air source heat pump, but if you live in a listed building or conservation area, then you'll usually need the consent of your local authority. Don’t worry, we can help with this.

Main Benefits of Air Source Heat Pumps

- Less Energy : a well installed and designed heat pump can use around 4 x less energy than even the most efficient fossil fuelled boilers to generate the same amount to heat. This is because they absorb free energy from the air.
- Less Carbon : The high efficiency of heat pumps means that installing one can instantly slash your carbon footprint by up to 75%. Plus they run on electricity, which with the installation of more renewables powering the grid, gets greener every year.
- Less maintenance and longer lifespan : A well maintained heat pump can last roughly 15-20 years. Roughly twice as long as a traditional fossil fuelled boiler.
- Government Grants to install : In 2022 the government launched the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) – This is a £5,000 grant for homeowners, small businesses and self builders who install air source heat pumps to their properties. Find Out more

What are the main types of heat pump?

The two types of air source heat pumps; Air to Water and Air to Air. Air to water heat pumps generate heat from the air outside and transfer this to a traditional water based central heating system. This can be either via radiators, underfloor heating or fan assisted radiators. Air to air heat pumps work like air conditioning units. They generate heat from the air outside and heat the air in your home via a fan coil unit. Air to air heat pumps require F-Gas certification to fit as they require refrigerant pipework between the indoor and outdoor units.
Which Heat Pump is right for me?

When trying to choose the best air source heat pump for your home, there are several things to consider, as well as the price. When Renew East survey your home, we will always select the best heat pump for your property. We consider a number of factors including heat output, size, noise, efficiency and cost.
Whats the difference between a monoblock and split system heat pump?

There are 2 types of air source heat pump unit which are available from most manufacturers: monoblock and split. Monoblock heat pumps consist of a single outdoor unit whereas split heat pumps have an outdoor and indoor unit with refrigerant pipework running between the two. The vast majority of systems installed in the UK are monoblock. This is because three trades are required to install these systems, electricians, AC engineers and heating engineers. This makes them more costly and complicated to install
Whats better? High Temperature or Low Temperature Heat Pumps

Whether you choose a high temperature or a low temperature heat pump depends on your home. Typically, older properties, which are hard to insulate, benefit from high temperature heat pumps. For newer, more insulated properties, we try to stick to low temperature heat pumps, as they are typically more efficient. Most air source heat pump manufacturers provide their air to water pumps in both high temperature and low temperature models.
What is a consumer code?

All MCS certified Installers must be registered with a Trading Standards Institute (TSI) Consumer Code. These Codes are there to ensure consumer protection and your installer’s membership of a Consumer Code, means that they must go beyond minimum consumer law obligations. Your Installer’s Consumer Code can assist with pre-sale and contractual issues. It provides an extra level of protection for you if something goes wrong with your installation. Renew East ltd are members of Renewable Energy Consumer Code (RECC), which sets out high consumer protection standards for businesses, who are selling renewable systems to domestic consumers. RECC is approved by Chartered Trading Standards Institute as part of the Consumer Codes Approval Scheme and is a TrustMark Scheme Operator
What is MCS?

MCS stands for Microgeneration Certification Scheme. As an organisation, they create and maintain standards relating to low-carbon products, installers and installations. Using an MCS certified installer ensures that equipment meets good standards of performance and that installers are technically safe and competent. MCS certified Installers have undergone a rigorous vetting process to demonstrate that they adhere to MCS Standards. These Standards demonstrate a commitment to quality. To gain access to the £5,000 boiler upgrade scheme grant, your installer and the equipment they install in your home must be MCS Certified.