HEAT PUMP DISADVANTAGES:
There is a lot of misconceptions about heat pump disadvantages, it is true they don’t work like traditional boilers, but a lot of fear around them is misplaced and rather just requires a different way of understanding. We look at the common concerns, address some of the big questions people have, and link you to independent resources:
COMMON HEAT PUMP DISADVANTAGES ADDRESSED
One of the main concerns about heat pump disadvantages is that they are noisy. This just isn’t the case with modern units. There are now strict regulations on how loud this can be (around 40 – 60 decibels within one metre). Our heat pump is only 42bd from 1m.
That’s roughly the same as a fridge freezer or a gas boiler and because they’re outside, the noise will rarely be heard. Our site survey includes a noise check to ensure this.
Read more in our Knowledge Hub page on this topic.
Before installation we do a thorough home survey to ensure the heat pump system we install is optimised for your space.
Unlike a gas boiler, where high bursts of energy are produced, rapidly heating, a heat pump is designed to stay on for longer without costing you more – keeping consistent temperature throughout the day. The rapid inefficient burst of burnt energy with a boiler verses the slow consistent operation of a heat pump is one of the core reasons for the massive difference in heat pump efficiency and cost savings.
Air source heat pumps can actually work in temperatures as low as -20 °C when properly installed. Norway, Sweden, and Finland have the highest heat pump adoption rates in Europe, and are equally some of the coldest countries.
When it gets very cold, the heat pump will need to use a bit more energy than usual to keep your home cosy, but as our heat pump is designed for Swedish winters, the UK’s milder climate means our heat pump has no problem keeping up.
Our heat pumps are also installed with outdoor temperature sensors and climate control systems, which can engage immersion heaters to boost hot water if in the rare case the heat pump isn’t efficiently getting your hot water up to the design flow temperature.
With the Government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme £5,000 grant, you can get an ROI on your investment and saving on your gas bill quickly. We give you a detailed overview of your savings, and comparison to new and older gas boilers when you complete our online questionnaire.
A heat pump can last 20 years – about twice as long as a boiler – and they need less pricey maintenance.
Our installations include a 2, 5 or 7 year warranty depending on your service packages.
Read about our industry leading maintenance packages here.
These days heat pumps can actually heat water up to these higher temperatures.
The question is, why would you want to? Heat pumps work more efficiently at lower temperatures and with modern low temperature radiators you just don’t need to heat your water up to 60 degrees, or higher.
By running your radiators slightly longer at a lower temperature you save money, have less heat loss in your radiators, and have a more pleasant living environment.
Heat pumps are smart. They use outside temperatures to control your heating curves and with your input they can learn your usage and active times in the house to ensure that slow and steady heat is produced so when you walk in your home the temperature is perfect.
Then it works slow and steady in low eco modes to maintain that temperature.
You don’t need to worry about going to the thermostat and hitting boost.
FIND OUT IF IT'S RIGHT FOR YOUR PROPERTY:
MARKET LEADING INFORMATION
One real heat pump disadvantage is that they don’t work for every property. We run your data through a heat loss and energy usage simulation based on your provided data and the EPC database.
What’s provided in my report:
- Fixed price quote
- Heat loss survey
- Savings estimates
- Environment and emissions impact
- Heat loss and usage estimate
- Sound/Noise report
- Payback simulations
- Lifetime comparison
- Economy7 tariff review
Struggling to fill it out? No problem, we have you sorted, we can guide you through it on the phone also. Call 01252 268 669 or fill out your information here.
HEAT PUMPS DON'T WORK?
In a poorly insulated property:
One of the biggest heat pump disadvantages people believe is that a heat pump won’t heat their house sufficiently.
This is a misconception, especially as heat pumps become more advanced and efficient.
It is true that insulation makes your heat loss lower, but this is true for all heating methods. Heat pumps also work differently to boilers, in that they provide slow and steady heating when operating at their most efficient and economic.
The key to poorly insulated houses is utilising the heat pumps smart features, which track outside air temperatures and your personal needs, such as time of day needs.
Additionally, with Adlår, we complete a detailed MCS site survey, which looks at your emitters and allows us to upgrade any radiators to low temperature, high efficiency ones, further utilising the heat pumps steady heat production.
When I want immediate heat:
This has a bit more truth to it, but it isn’t a heat pump disadvantage. The error here comes in understanding how heat pumps work. See more below for our tortoise and hare analogy.
Regardless of this however, all of Adlår’s heat pumps are fitted with smart immersion heaters linked to flow temperature sensors.
In the rare case UK temperatures were to drop below -10°C, and output temperature from the heat pump doesn’t achieve the design flow temperature set by you, the immersion heater kicks in, giving you the boost you need.
This is not the most efficient way to operate, but it covers you in the worst case scenario.
When I use my existing thermostat timings.
This is correct, and that’s because using a heat pump requires a different way of thinking. We think of it as the famous race between the tortoise and the hare.
A boiler uses high bursts of energy to quickly heat water. The gas or oil that is burnt, burns at a very high temperature, resulting in a rapid rise in water temperature. When you set your room temperature at 20 degrees, the thermostat turns this high heat on when it drops below the desired heat, and off when it meets it. As a boiler can’t burn at 20 degrees, this creates a yo-yo effect with you heating and the water temperature. The boiler is the hare. Fast, but needs to stop.
Heat pumps in contrast keep the water flowing and they gradually bring water up to the right temperature and then hold it there. This means that whilst you don’t get a quick burst of heat, you get a more constant one. Heat pumps are the tortoise then, not the fastest but they win the race (if the race is constant room temperature and lower energy bills).