So how do you know if a heat pump is right for your property?
More and more people across Ireland are bringing positive change into their homes by making the switch to Heat Pump Technology. But Irish homes come in every shape and size with buildings of different ages built from different materials in a wide variety of environments.
The good news is there are many different types of heat pump meaning there’s a heat pump suitable for almost every home. If you own your own home and it’s a house whether terraced semi-detached or detached the final decision largely comes down to one question.
How energy efficient is your property?
The more energy efficient you’re building the more effective and economical your heat pump will be. For newer builds, homes where you’re undertaking a larger renovation project or if you’re building your own property it’s likely you’ll have the most flexibility about which type of heat pump will suit your space as modern homes are more thermally efficient so need less energy to keep them warm.
If you live in an older property that’s likely to be drafty and less well insulated you can still have a heat pump installed as there are high temperature models and hybrid heat pumps that suit homes that are considered harder to heat. But you’ll probably want to consider making your home more energy efficient first.
To get the maximum benefit from your technology there are lots of ways to make your home more energy efficient. Insulating your loft and cavity walls and draught proofing your windows and doors can all stop heat from escaping your home. You can also install double or triple glazing if you don’t already have it. Even with all these energy efficiency measures in place there are still likely to be differences between which type of heat pump is most suitable for your needs. If you’re on oil or gas and have a combi boiler you might find that a hybrid heat pump gives you the best of both worlds. A hybrid heat pump is a two in one system combining a oil or gas boiler and a heat pump. So it’s a smart solution for homeowners looking to make a positive change.
If you have traditional radiators and an older home your heating system will probably need a high water flow temperature to keep the space warm so a high temperature heat pump might be the best choice and it will still be much more energy efficient than a fossil fuel boiler. But for highly energy efficient modern homes with either underfloor heating or modern radiators a low temperature heat pump is likely to perform very effectively giving you low cost heating and significantly reducing your carbon emissions.
The best course of action to take before you contact an installer is to get an energy performance certificate (BER Assessment) for your home as you’ll need this when you start to look into the detail of your system requirements. But don’t worry you’ll not expected to make the choice alone as Pipelife have a network of qualified heat pump specialists who can help you determine which type of heat pump is right for your property.
Whether you live rurally or in the heart of town in a period property or a new build installing a heat pump is one positive change you can bring into your home with benefits that will last for generations to come.
Approx. Cost for Supply of Heat Pump
Please note that this is an approximate cost and only relates to the supply of the Heat Pump unit. You would also need to talk to your plumber regarding the installation costs.