Laws and the pursuit of vitality effectivity in our houses is pushing most owners to think about warmth pumps as a substitute heating answer to fossil gasoline boilers. There are nonetheless a number of variations between the 2 applied sciences with the important thing one being that warmth pumps don’t ship the identical quantity of warmth that we get from a boiler.
Whereas we solely want one boiler in a house we might have, or select, two warmth pumps as a substitute to satisfy all our vitality wants.
However is that this mandatory in each dwelling? Are there key circumstances when it is extra important than others, what are the professionals and cons and the way do you make two warmth pumps work effectively collectively?
I check out simply what’s concerned that can assist you set up if you happen to ought to set up one warmth pump or two.
Why to think about a couple of warmth pump
Air supply warmth pumps don’t all the time ship the identical quantity of warmth as fuel or electrical boilers. Most air supply warmth pumps are sized at an ambient air temperature of seven°C and a delivered water temperature of 35°C. If the air temperature drops or the required water temperature will increase, then the output decreases.
Warmth pumps use some electrical energy to run and if a house solely has a single section electrical provide then it’s doubtless that the most important air supply warmth pump that could possibly be linked to will probably be round 16kW.
Nonetheless, a 16kW air supply warmth pump will usually solely ship round 11kW of vitality within the worst case state of affairs. This nonetheless equates to the quantity of warmth required by a 300m2 dwelling that’s constructed to present constructing rules requirements, however something above this both by way of the dimensions of your private home, or elements influencing the quantity of warmth you want, may begin to be problematic.
Causes for putting in a couple of warmth pump
There are a selection of various the explanation why you might want a couple of warmth pump.
1. Measurement of your private home
If your private home is bigger than 300m2, then you might want a couple of warmth pump to ship sufficient warmth to service your whole dwelling.
2. Situation or age of your property
Whereas the reply to ‘are warmth pumps appropriate for outdated houses?’ is sure (with the proper measures in place), if the warmth loss for the constructing is increased than the heating capability of the only warmth pump, a second warmth pump could possibly be added to ship extra warmth at colder instances.
3. Have to separate house heating and sizzling water preparation
One more reason for having a couple of warmth pump is that you could be select to separate the house heating and sizzling water preparation. For instance, if you happen to’ve weighed up the variations between low, medium and excessive temperature warmth pumps, you’ll have a decrease temperature warmth pump offering house heating and a increased temperature warmth pump for warm water.
There are additionally smaller warmth pumps which are constructed into the recent water cylinder. These are referred to as Exhaust Air Warmth Pumps (EAHP) or micro warmth pumps. The EAHP attracts stale, humid air from the lavatory, kitchen or ensuite after which extracts the warmth from that air earlier than expelling it to environment outdoors the house. The principle out of doors warmth pump can then think about house heating and never be interrupted by sizzling water heating schedules.
4. Swimming swimming pools or Jacuzzis
If in case you have a swimming pool, or sizzling tub spa bathtub (akin to a Jacuzzi), which have fairly excessive warmth calls for, then you may additionally selected to have a separate warmth pump to offer warmth to it. Many swimming swimming pools require warmth temperatures of solely round 25°C so it is smart to make use of a product that’s optimised at these temperatures.
Execs and cons of two warmth pumps
Execs
Multiple warmth pump could be a answer for properties with a better warmth load or the place you’ll have totally different warmth hundreds akin to needing warmth within the dwelling, for a swimming pool / sizzling tub, and in addition for warm water.
It might even be a bonus to have a couple of warmth pump if the out of doors warmth pump is positioned in a smaller backyard because it is not going to run through the hotter months, which is if you find yourself utilizing the backyard and have the doorways and home windows open.
Cons
In case you select a couple of warmth pump answer then there could be further hurdles to beat within the venture.
Planning Two out of doors models would require particular planning permission. A single air supply warmth pump could be put in with out particular planning permission because it falls underneath the Common Permitted Growth Order (GPDO) which can be also known as permitted growth. Verify your native planning portal for particulars of what steps must be complied with the meet the necessities of GPDO. Nonetheless you want particular planning for a couple of fan unit put in in a property.
Value Though the value to put in a warmth pump will not essentially double in case you have a couple of, the prices will improve. You may additionally have to spend extra consideration on air supply warmth pump positioning.
Further work If you’re utilizing an EAHP as a second warmth pump then you have to to plan for ducting to be put in discretely within the dwelling. The ducts have to facilitate the extract of air from the moist rooms so early engagement with the architect or designer could also be required.
Methods to function a couple of warmth pump
If in case you have a couple of warmth pump, particularly if they’re each out of doors models which are delivering warmth collectively, then cautious management administration will probably be required.
Many warmth pump producers have the ability to regulate a couple of warmth pump constructed into their customary controls however it could be that one warmth pump is the grasp unit and the opposite is the sub. This will likely lead to one in all them doing extra work than the opposite.
A cascaded system is the place one warmth pump heats up water after which passes it to the subsequent warmth pump to warmth it additional. That is acceptable if you’re utilizing two totally different refrigerants however the commonest methods to put in two or extra warmth pumps are to pipe them in parallel, or on what is named a reverse return, making certain that each one pipework is an identical size from every warmth pump.
FAQs
Are there any alternate options to putting in two warmth pumps?
The choice to putting in two warmth pumps is to suit a bigger warmth pump, often on a extra highly effective electrical provide akin to three section electrical energy. Different choices could be to suit one warmth pump and a boiler in what is called a bivalent or hybrid system.
These bivalent programs can usually make technical sense however as they aren’t eligible for the Boiler Improve Scheme grant as they aren’t usually at the moment used.
In case you’re renovating a home, you might be contemplating switching to an air supply warmth pump in a quest to economize and make your private home extra eco-friendly. Discover out is my dwelling appropriate for a warmth pump and how a lot it prices to put in a warmth pump that can assist you select the proper choice in your dwelling and finances.