My property, heat pumps and radiators -

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is my site suitable for a water-source heat pump?

Any property near water (within around 100 m) is likely to be suitable for a water-source heat pump.

Rivers, streams, lakes and ponds, and the sea are all excellent sources of renewable heat. There are also many other good heat sources, including underground aquifers, wells, sewers and industrial effluents.

Even a small stream in the Scottish Highlands can be a rich source of renewable heat, all year round. For example, if a stream flow of 100 litres/second was reduced in temperature by 2 degrees, this would provide a massive 840 kW of heat.

Lakes and ponds provide at least 1 kW per 50 m² of surface area (or in other words, 20 kW from 1/4 of an acre). For larger projects, we will carry out software modelling to check the heat capacity of the lake and expected system performance.

The water source should be within around 100 metres from your property, although this can be increased for larger projects. For closed-loop systems, it doesn’t matter if the property is at a higher elevation, as the closed circuit will mean that there are no additional pumping requirements.

What type of building is suitable for a heat pump?

Any type of wet heating system is suitable, including radiators, underfloor heating and ducted air. Heat pumps can heat to any temperature, but they are most efficient when the flow temperature is low. Typically, a maximum flow temperature of 55 C is recommended. Higher temperatures are easier to achieve for larger systems, so many commercial projects and district heating schemes use flow temperatures of up to 80 C.

With this in mind, any building can be suitable for a heat pump installation. Well-insulated buildings tend to achieve a higher efficiency, using a flow temperature of 35-55 C. Old, draughty buildings are more likely to require a high flow temperature, which will reduce the system efficiency. However, this is not always the case: some older properties have over-sized radiators that can provide plenty of heat at a lower temperature.

Do I need to improve my insulation?

It is always a good idea to consider insulation improvements at the same time as installing a heat pump system. Any measures that reduce the heat demand of the building will allow a smaller and less expensive heat pump to be used.

Can heat pumps be used with radiators?

Yes, heat pumps work well with radiators, providing a relatively low flow temperature is used.

In many cases, existing radiators are large enough to allow a lower flow temperature, particularly if improvements are being made to the energy efficiency of the building. Many traditional heating systems are operated at a high flow temperature, but turn on and off regularly. A heat pump operating at a lower temperature but more continuously can be just as effective.

Alternatively, low-temperature radiators can be installed such as the Jaga Strada or Dimplex SmartRad. These can provide around 3 times as much heat output than a standard radiator of the same size, which allows a low flow temperature to be used. These radiators are fan-assisted, so a power supply is required.

Can a heat pump supply hot water?

Yes, most heat pumps operate in either heating mode or hot water mode. The hot water cylinder will be heated during the early hours of the morning, leaving the heat pump to provide space heating as required throughout the daytime.

How big is a heat pump?

Heat pumps are fairly similar in size to traditional boilers, but may be a little larger and are typically floor-mounted. In most cases, a buffer tank and hot water cylinder will also be required, to ensure that the heat pump operates efficiently. Ideally the equipment will be situated in a dedicated plant room, but if this is not possible we will be able to recommend a suitable location within the property.

Do heat pumps require a lot of maintenance?

Domestic heat pumps do not generally require any maintenance. Some periodic cleaning of the collector may be required to maintain good performance.

Commercial heat pumps, particularly open-loop systems, may require some maintenance however this will be similar to a traditional heating system.

Are heat pumps noisy?

Water-source heat pumps are relatively quiet and much quieter than air-source heat pumps, as they do not require an air circulation fan. Noise levels are similar to a traditional boiler, however it is possible to use noise attenuation features such as anti-vibration pads and flexible hosing, for further improvements.