How do air source heat pumps work?

What is an air source heat pump and how do they work?

An air source heat pump is a low-carbon heat source that works by extracting heat energy from the air in order to warm your home and provide hot water.
Aside from their eco-credentials, an air source heat pump system is also very efficient.

For every unit of energy it uses to extract heat from the air, it typically outputs three times more as heat, meaning air source heat pump efficiency is around 300%!

Air source heat pump benefits include:

• Low carbon, environmentally-friendly heat source
• Highly efficient, transferring around three times more energy into a home as heat than it uses to extract it from the air
  
• Little outdoor space required, meaning an air source heat pump system is suitable for most urban properties

How do air source heat pumps work in winter?

Air source heat pumps contain refrigerant circuits that compress gas to create heat. This refrigerant is in liquid form until the heat is absorbed and ‘boils’ to become gas. This gas is then compressed to become hot and the heat is transferred for use in the property.

The ‘boiling’ of this liquid can happen from -50°C. Therefore air source heat pumps work in temperatures as low at -20°C. As temperatures in the UK rarely reach these drastic lows, air source heat pumps are a viable option for many projects.

As part of our design process, Nu-Heat will also take into consideration the average temperature of your projects location to give you reassurance that your heat pump will be effective.

Can air source heat pumps work with underfloor heating?

Yes, air source heat pumps are a great option to pair with underfloor heating!

Air source heat pumps are at their most efficient when producing low temperatures over a sustained period of time. Underfloor heating systems require lower flow temperatures, at around 40-50°C, to be circulated across the entire floor area to provide heat, making an UFH system the preferred pairing option for an air source heat pump.

In comparison, a traditional radiator system needs to use water around 70-80°C in order to heat the rooms using a much smaller surface area.