In recent years, heating systems using heat pumps have become increasingly popular, and for good reason. The advantages of heat pumps over other heating systems are numerous. Compared to other electric heating systems, heat pumps are significantly more economical
While inverter air conditioners are also economical, they heat exclusively by blowing warm air, which is not the most comfortable solution. On the other hand, heat pumps can be combined with more comfortable systems, such as underfloor heating.
When it comes to heating costs, only solid fuel heating systems (wood, pellets) can compete with heat pumps, but in this case, the comfort of heating is decidedly in favor of heat pumps. Here are some of the basic advantages of heating with heat pump systems:
Consume Three Times Less Energy Than Other Electric Heating Systems
Compared to other electric heating systems, heat pumps are incomparably more economical. The age-old question arises – how is it possible for a heat pump to produce three kilowatts of thermal energy for one kilowatt of electrical energy consumed?
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The secret is that a heat pump does not produce thermal energy from electricity; instead, it uses electrical energy to transfer thermal energy from one medium to another. For example, in a heat pump system that uses the thermal energy of groundwater, the principle of operation is as follows: Water is drawn from a well with an average temperature of 54 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit (aprox. 12 to 15 degrees Celsius) and introduced into the refrigerant evaporator. Refrigerant, which evaporates at a very low temperature, absorbs part of the thermal energy of the groundwater, and the cooled water returns to its natural underground flow.
Refrigrant, having absorbed part of the thermal energy of the groundwater in the evaporation phase, returns to the compressor, where it is compressed, releasing thermal energy that is transferred to the central heating system via another heat exchanger. In this way, a heat pump system produces 4 kW of thermal energy for every 1 kW of electrical energy invested.
It seems like a perpetual motion machine or a device that defies basic physics principles by producing energy from nothing, but that’s not the case. The heat pump simply transfers thermal energy from the environment to the building, with costs actually being the energy consumed to operate the compressor and the system’s operation and losses.
Of course, it is not necessary to use the energy of groundwater. Today, the most popular systems use the thermal energy of the outside air. These systems are also far simpler to install and maintain.
Ideal in Combination with Underfloor Heating
Due to their operating principle, heat pumps are ideal in combination with underfloor heating systems. Water underfloor heating operates at low temperatures, using water below 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius), so a heat pump can always provide an adequate water temperature for system operation.
The most accessible heat pumps are those that extract thermal energy from the surrounding air. They can function even when the air temperature drops to -4 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius below zero), but it is unrealistic to expect them to raise the water temperature to 140 or 160 degrees Fahrenheit (aprox. 60 or 70 degrees celsius), which radiators require. Therefore, underfloor heating is an ideal combination with a heat pump system.
Minimal Maintenance
For the most popular heat pumps that extract thermal energy from the surrounding air, maintenance is minimal. It can be compared to maintaining a standard air conditioner. For properly functioning systems, an annual inspection and service are sufficient. During the heating season, the user is free from any system maintenance.
Other heating systems have some daily obligations. Heating with wood is a whole different story. Even pellet boilers and stoves, although much more comfortable solutions than heating with wood require cleaning and refilling with pellets, which is done daily or every two to three days, depending on the system or outside temperature.
The Cost of Heat Pump Systems Is No Longer a Major Obstacle
As heat pump systems have become more popular, the cost of their purchase and installation is no longer an obstacle. Certainly, there are more affordable options, but price differences are no longer as significant compared to other solutions.
We cannot list the prices here because they largely depend on the manufacturer of the heat pumps, the complexity of the installation, which depends on the building itself, and finally, the installation cost depends on the area and quality of the insulation of the building to be heated.