Taking the decision to install a heat pump in your home as part of a home heating upgrade is a great way to take a step forward in reducing carbon emissions and making your home more sustainable. For most existing homes, there are several steps you should take to ensure your home is heat pump ready.
Although a heat pump will require more investment than a conventional fuel boiler, the running costs and comfort levels will be improved provided you ensure the house is adequately insulated.
For a heat pump to work most efficiently, your home needs to be well insulated to prevent as much heat from escaping as possible. Insulation comes in many forms and it is important that all are covered – attic, walls, windows and doors. If a home is poorly insulated, higher temperatures will be needed to produce adequate heat throughout the home and the heat pump may struggle to meet these needs, which can result in higher home heating bills.
Attic Insulation
Did you know you can lose up to 30% of your heat through your roof? Improving your loft insulation is a good place to start when preparing your home for its heat pump. On average, you will need to lay around 270mm of wool insulation throughout your attic and this is something that could be done quite easily by a homeowner over a couple of days.
By ensuring your attic is properly insulated you can save up to 20% on your annual heating bills, reduce your carbon emissions and improve your indoor air quality.
Wall Insulation
If your house was built after the 1940s, it’s highly likely that it will have cavity walls, meaning that the walls have a hollow centre. Cavity walls can be easy enough to insulate; cavity wall insulation is used to reduce heat loss through filling the air space with material that inhibits heat transfer. This immobilises the air within the cavity (air is still the actual insulator), preventing convection, and can substantially reduce space heating costs.
If your home was built post 1990s, it is likely that the insulation throughout will already be quite adequate for a heat pump installation as more modern homes are built to retain heat better. If you are in this position, it would still be worth having your local plumber or installer access the insulation in your home to check it ahead of the heat pump install.
Windows & Doors
Windows and doors are another outlet that will allow heat to escape easily from the home, so ensuring they are well insulated using double glazing is vital before your heat pump is installed. An insulating layer of double glazing on windows and doors throughout your home will help keep the cold temperatures on the outside from affecting the climate on the inside. By installing double glazing, not only will your home feel instantly warmer, but you will not need to use your heating as much either.
With up to 50% of a home’s heat lost through its windows and doors, double glazing can significantly reduce heat loss, resulting in increased comfort and financial savings on annual heating bills.
Overall, a heat pump like the Grant Aerona3 R32 air to water air source heat pump, can offer an energy efficient, sustainable and cost effective way to heat a home. The energy source used by heat pumps can also be entirely renewable, so by installing a heat pump the carbon footprint of the property is immediately reduced.
To ensure your heat pump runs at its most efficient, regular maintenance is key. It is advisable to have your heat pump serviced annually in order to maintain optimum performance.
To find out more about our heat pump range and the benefits installing a heat pump could have to your home click here.