What are Heat Pumps

What are heat pumps? 

A heat pump is a mechanical device that extracts heat that is present in the air, ground or water and boosts it so it can be used for heat and hot water in buildings. 

As most of the heat comes from the environment and the electricity used to run the heat pump comes from our ever-decarbonising electrical grid, heat pumps are extremely green.

What are the different types of heat pump?

In the UK and Ireland, the three main types of heat pumps used are air source, ground source and water source heat pumps. Our commercial brand, Remeha, also has a range of gas absorption heat pumps. 

Air source heat pumps (ASHPs) are generally preferred because they are more flexible to install. Ground source and water source heat pumps are generally more time consuming and difficult to install, because of the groundworks that are required.  

What is an air source heat pump?

Air source heat pumps extract heat from the air to provide hearing and hot water for residential and commercial buildings. The units are usually situated outside the building. Ambient air is pulled across a finned heat exchanger and the refrigerant inside is then superheated via an electrically driven compressor. This heat is then transferred to water through a plate heat exchanger, and pumped throughout the building to radiators, under floor heating or hot water tanks - just like a boiler. Read more here

What is a ground source heat pump?

Ground source heat pumps use heat that is stored the earth. Just like an air source heat pump, this low grade heat is extracted and boosted to be used in heating and hot water. Although generally more expensive to install, ground source heat pumps are more suited to larger installations because of economies of scale.

What is a monobloc heat pump?

Monoblocs are self-contained heat generators. All the hydronic, refrigeration and electrical components are inside the casing, similar to a boiler. 

What is a split heat pump?

Split heat pumps include an indoor unit and a matched outdoor unit. The two units are connected by refrigerant pipework. The refrigerant equipment is split between the indoor and outdoor units. In order to install the refrigerant pipework, the installer must be F-Gas certified.