Keeping Your House Cool With an Air Source Heat Pump

You’d be forgiven for thinking that a heat pump’s only purpose involves keeping a house warm. In fact, heat pumps are exceptionally efficient at home cooling too. As we transition to more energy-efficient, sustainable appliances, this makes now an excellent time to consider investing in an air source heat pump over a conventional air conditioning unit.

Available heat pump government grants

It’s important to know which government grants for heat pumps apply to you. To encourage more people to invest in alternatives to gas boilers, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme government grant enables homeowners to reduce the cost of installation by £5,000. But, as of 23 October 2023, the grant for air source heat pumps will increase to £7,500.

This win-win promotes heat pump sustainability while making it more financially viable to transition from traditional boilers.

How air source heat pumps heat and cool your home

Air source heat pumps are designed to work in reverse, extracting heat from inside rather than outside and directly cooling the home. In this way, you're prepared for any weather all year round.

Here’s how an air source heat pump can cool your house:

The heat pump system extracts warm air from the home into the indoor unit.
Inside the indoor unit is an indoor coil. Liquid refrigerant flows through this, cooling the warm air internally.
Air is absorbed into the refrigerant as it passes through the indoor coil unit, converting it into a gas.
The outdoor unit cools the hot refrigerant as it passes through, and the heat is released into the air. As the refrigerant cools, it returns to liquid form.
The refrigerant liquid then returns to the indoor coil, where the cycle repeats.

The environmental advantages of air source heat pumps

Heat pumps offer three major environmental benefits over gas or other traditional boilers:

Air source heat pumps have a lower carbon footprint. Compared to a gas boiler, heat pumps use a third of the energy.

Their running costs are lower. And while there is an upfront installation cost, this is mitigated by government grants.

They have a 20 year operating lifespan. This is 5 years longer than gas boilers on average, underlining air source heat pump efficiency and sustainability.

How are heat pumps different from AC units?

While both provide cool air, heat pumps and air conditioners differ in:

1. Functionality: Heat pumps can both heat and cool.

2. Efficiency: Heat pumps are generally more energy-efficient.

3. Sustainability: Air source heat pumps have a smaller carbon footprint.

4. Cost: While initial costs may be higher for heat pumps, the potential savings can offset this.

Are heat pumps not affected by hot temperatures?

You might think so, but no. Heat pumps are designed to operate in both hot and cold extremes. In fact, in temperatures up to 45°C, heat pumps use less energy than standard AC units. This is because heat pumps use less energy to transfer heat out of your house than many air conditioning models, especially window ACs.

Making the most out of your air source heat pump cooling system

In order to reap the full benefits of a heat pump, consider improving your home's insulation. This ensures that cool air remains inside during summer and vice versa during winter. Investing in window seals and loft insulation can make a remarkable difference in maintaining your home's temperature and further reducing energy bills.

How Enula can help you implement an air source heat pump

At Enula, we supply and install air source heat pumps in homes and buildings across the UK. Passionate about sustainability, we are dedicated to advancing renewable energy solutions across the UK.