H & R SERVICES (OXFORD) LTD

What is a Heat Pump?
A Heat Pump extracts heat from either the air, the ground or a water source and boosts it by an evaporation and condensation cycle to a temperature suitable for use in the home's heating and hot water system.

How do Heat Pumps work?
Energy from the air, ground or water is transferred to a refrigerant. In the evaporator the temperature of the refrigerant rises and it changes from liquid to gas form. The refrigerant gas is compressed, reducing it's volume and causing another temperature increase. The condenser extracts the heat energy from the refrigerant and uses it to provide heating and hot water. As it's temperature decreases the refrigerant reverts to a liquid & the cycle repeats.

Can a heat pump provide all of my heating and hot water requirements?
Yes, as long as the heat pump and heating and hot water distribution system are properly specified even very large homes and commercial buildings do not need additional boiler back up. The largest home in which H & R SERVICES have installed Ground Source Heat Pumps is approximately 2,500 square meters.

In summer can I heat my swimming pool with a heat pump?
Yes, Both air source and ground source heat pumps can be used to heat swimming pools.

Can a heat pump be used to cool my home in the summer?
Yes, the heat pump does not generate heat but transfers it from one place to another. Therefore heat pumps can provide cooling by reversing the cycle. This has an added advantage of replenishing the heat in the ground where it is stored ready for use the following winter.

Do Heat Pumps work efficiently in the UK climate?
Yes, heat pumps have been shown to work down to temperatures of -20 degrees Celsius. In the UK even in the middle of winter heat pumps can still extract heat energy from the air, ground or water. Just a few meters below the surface, the ground remains at a constant temperature of between 8 and 12 degrees Celsius. Sweden has more of heat pump installations than any other country.

How efficient are heat pumps?
Heat pumps use a freely-available and inexhaustible heat source and for every unit of electricity the heat pump uses, up to five units of heat energy are produced. This is known as the co-efficient of performance. The efficiency of all heat pumps is affected by seasonal temperature fluctuation so a seasonally adjusted CoP is the best measure of a heat pumps efficiency. The industry standard seasonal CoP for Ground source heat pumps is 3.2 (for every unit of electricity the heat pump uses 3.2 units of heat energy are produced). For an air source heat pump the seasonal CoP approved by the Governments Standard Assessment Procedure or SAP (2005) is 2.5 however manufacturers claim that modern heat pumps can produce up to five units of heat energy for every unit of electricity consumed.

How do running costs compare with conventional alternatives?
In a modern well insulated house, heat pumps can offer very high efficiency and moderate running costs. The majority of British homes currently use gas or oil to provide their heating and hot water. However, as reserves of fossil fuels are depleted so the cost of heating our homes has increased. The amount you could save will be dependent on the efficiency of the system the heat pump is replacing and the cost of the coal, gas or oil on which it runs. Modern oil boilers are around 80% efficient a ground source heat pump is 320% efficient!

What other financial incentives are there for installing a Heat Pump?
The Government has announced that promoting the uptake of renewable heat technologies such as heat Pumps is a "key objective for this government. The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) will halp accelerate the deployment by providing a financial incentive to install renewable heating in place of fossil fuels." The Renewable Heat Incentive has now been confirmed and for domestic installation will be split into two phases. From as early as July 2011 you could be eligible for the Renewable Heat Premium which is a financial conribution towards the cost of installing a heat pump. Phase two, the renewable Heat Incentive payments means householders will be paid for every kWh of renewable heat generated over the lifetime of the technology. An announcement about the tariff rates and duration is expected towards the end of 2011

Can I benefit from the Government incentives if I am using the heat energy I generate?
Yes, the system generates heating and hot water which you can use when you need it, and the Renewable Heat Incentive is expected to pay for every kWh of renewable heat generated.

How do I know if my installation will be eligible for the Renewable Heat Incentive?
For an installation to be eligible both the product and the installer must be Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) accredited. H & R SERVICES (OXFORD) LTD are proud to have been accredited as an MCS installer. The Government announced in March 2011 the householders who have had Heat Pumps installed since 15th July 2009 will also be able to apply for the RHI.

For how long is the Renewable Heat Incentive paid and are payments guaranteed?
In March 2011 the Department of Energy and Climate Change announced that the tariff levels available for heat pumps at the start of the Scheme would range from 3 pence to 4.3 pence per KWth for a duriation of 20 years.

What are the maintenance costs of heat pumps?
H & R SERVICES (OXFORD) LTD only install best quality products from major manufacturers which have been approved by the Microgeneration Certification scheme. These systems require minimal maintenance and have an expected lifespan of over 20 years. For our customers peace of mind we only install Heat Pumps with a 5 year manufacturers guarantee, all other materials supplied by our company are covered by manufacturers guarantees. In addition H & R SERVICES offer a 2 year warranty for installation services.

How long will it take to recoup the installation cost?
This largely depends on the fuel being replaced. When you recieve your performance estimate you will be able see the savings you could make every year with energy prices at their current levels.The introduction of the Renewable Heat Incentive will reduce the payback period even further. Also energy prices are continuing to rise and industry commentators such as uSwitch predict that the Governments carbon reduction measures could impact household energy bills in the coming years. Heating your home with a ground or air source heat pump means that up to 75% of the energy used to heat your home is from a free and inexhaustible source which is unaffected by energy price rises.

Do Heat Pumps require planning permission?
H & R SERVICES would be happy to direct you to sources of advice on Building Regulation, Planning consents and EU Directives associated with your project.

Is a Heat Pump right for me?
Heat Pumps can be installed in most buildings from new builds to period properties, properties with large gardens to flats with small balconies. H & R SERVICES have over five years experience specifying heat pumps for all different kinds of properties. The customer's heating and hot water requirements, the project budget and the available space and the ground type will all effect the choice of heat pump. One factor that should be always be considered is that Heat pumps are designed to maintain a constant temperature, the best way to increase the efficiency of the Heat Pump is to reduce the heat loss from the building and improve insulation levels.

H & R SERVICES (OXFORD) LTD offer a FREE no-obligation Survey of your property to advise you on whether your property would be suitable for a Heat Pump. We can also advise you on options available including

• Types of Heat Pumps: including air source, ground source, water source and exhaust air.
• Ground Loop options for ground source heat pumps: including straight pipes, "slinky" pipes, panel collectors and boreholes.
• Heat distribution system requirements: Heat pumps work most efficiently with underfloor heating, however it is not always necessary to replace radiators as long as they are adequately sized.

H & R SERVICES also offer FREE no-obligation Quotes and Performance Estimates. The Microgeneration Certification Scheme requires that all certified companies give an assessment of system performance using a standardised approach based on the Government's Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) 2009. For increased accuracy H & R SERVICES also use specialised software to estimate energy generation estimates.

How do I find out more about Heat Pumps?
Please contact H & R SERVICES by telephone on 01865 331816 or click here to request further information or to book your FREE no-obligation Survey. If you would like to receive updates from our company including industry news and advice on reducing your energy and water consumption subscribe to our newsletter by e-mailing us at info@hrservicesltd.co.uk