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Air Source Heat Pumps
Air source heat pump (ASHP) systems consist of an external unit which is fitted to the outside wall. It uses low grade energy from the outdoor air and upgrades this into useful heat to supply a home with hot water and heating. ASHPs can be integrated with conventional radiator-based central heating systems, or with under-floor heating.
For every 1kW of electricity used by an ASHP, 3kW or more of heating energy may be produced. The outdoor unit is similar to a fridge in that it has a circuit of factory-sealed copper piping containing ozone-friendly refrigerant, which is continually compressed and expanded to extract energy from the air. A fridge extracts heat from the box inside (to keep food cold) and rejects it at the back. An air source heat pump is similar but works in reverse in that it extracts heat from the outdoor air and upgrades it to heat for the property.
Air source heat pumps are much easier to install than ground source heat pumps, so they are more suitable for a wide variety of properties from flats to detached houses.
ASHP systems should be checked annually by a trained technician.
