For years, gas boilers have been the popular option for heating homes in Scotland. However, with the climate crisis and rise in energy bills, homeowners are looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint and energy bills which can be done with heat pumps.
Heat pumps have risen in popularity in recent years due to their efficiency and use of electricity rather than gas making them a low carbon heating source. But how do they work?
Read on to find out how heat pumps work.
What Is a Heat Pump?
Heat pumps are one of the most effective and cost efficient heating sources to date. They are a great way to not only reduce your energy bills but also your carbon footprint.
It is a type of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system that can both heat and cool a space. Think of it as an air conditioner but with a reverse valve that allows it to change whether it is heating or cooling that space.
Types of Heat Pumps
There are two main types of heat pumps used in homes in the UK, air source and ground source.
Air source heat pumps are the most common type in the UK. They absorb heat from the outside air and transfer it into the home. These pumps are also suitable for most homes as they are relatively small taking up the space of about a wheelie bin or two of outside space. They are also cheaper than other pumps on the market.
Ground source heat pumps take heat from the ground. They are more efficient than air source pumps. These pumps need more space as pipes are fitted underground. They are also more expensive due to the groundwork required.
How Do They Work?
Heat pumps work by taking heat from the ground or air surrounding a building and increasing its temperature to heat the home. If reversed, it absorbs the heat from your home and moves it outside cooling the inside space.
They are different from other heating and cooling devices as instead of generating heat they use electricity to transfer it from space to space. This makes them highly efficient.
How Do Heat Pumps Work on Cold Days?
A common concern with heat pumps is that they don’t work during cold weather. This is not the case. Even at low temperatures they can extract heat from the environment.
Modern air source models can work even in temperatures as low as -10°C and even lower. This is far lower than the average Scottish winter of 0°C so any modern heat pump should have no problem running efficiently.
Ground source models work well in extremely cold temperatures but again that comes at a cost that may not even needed.
How Do They Heat the Home Compared to Gas Boilers?
Heat pumps heat the home in a different way from gas boilers.
Boilers are designed to provide quick bursts of high heat to the home whereas heat pumps provide a steadier supply of lower heat.
Boilers typically work well in poorly insulated homes as they can keep them at a comfortable temperature even if they are losing heat quickly. However, this quick loss of heat means higher energy bills.
Heat pumps on the other hand need a well insulated home to work their best. This is because they require your home to have low levels of heat loss to create the same comfortable temperature.
So while gas boilers are good at keeping you comfortable even if your home loses heat quickly, this means you will be spending more on your energy bills and producing more emissions. Heat pumps paired with a properly insulated home will keep your home warm, save you money on your energy bills and reduce your carbon footprint.
Looking For a Heat Pump?
At Homeshield Scotland, we have been providing homeowners with ways to make their homes more energy effiient.
We have been helping our customers through the process of applying for free government funding to help towards the installation of a clean heating system such as a heat pump and other energy efficient measures.
You could be eligible for up to £9,000 in funding and up to £7,500 in interest free loans.
Check your eligibility for the funding and start your journey to a warmer, cheaper and greener future today.
