H & R SERVICES (OXFORD) LTD

How do Heat Pumps Work ?

In the simplest terms a heat pump works in the same way as a domestic refrigerator - just as a fridge extracts heat from the food so a Heat Pump extracts heat from either the air, the ground or a water source. This heat is boosted by an evaporation and condensation cycle to a temperature suitable for use in the homes heating and hot water system.

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 and the cycle repeats.

Types of Heat Pump

A GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMP system is made up of three elements, the Ground Loop, the Heat Pump itself and the Heat Distribution System. There are several different types of ground loop which are specified according to the space available, the soil type and the buildings heating and hot water requirements.

• Horizontal Loops Either straight pipes, a coiled pipe (known as "slinky") or panel collectors are buried in trenches between 1.5 and 2m deep. Because a slinky or a panel collector has a greater surface area than a straight pipe they can collect more heat from the ground and also take up less space.
• Vertical Loop a pipe is fed vertically into a bore hole of between 15m and 150m depth, vertical loops take up minimal space and benefit from higher ground temperatures than horizontal loops, however, the cost of drilling bore holes is typically higher than ground works.

AIR SOURCE HEAT PUMPS extract the ambient heat from the air outside you home and boost it to a temperature suitable for heating and hot water. They can operate effectively even when outside temperatures drop to -20ºC.

At H & R SERVICES (OXFORD) LTD we find most of our customers are interested in installing a heat pump to reduce their energy consumption, saving money and carbon emissions. We recommend heat pumps because although they require electricity to operate, they are extremely efficient. For every unit of electricity they use they generate between three and five units of heat energy. Click here to find out more about why we recommend Heat Pumps to our customers.

Heat pumps can be suitable for new builds and existing properties. From small flats to large homes with swimming pools. We would be happy to advise you on your project. Click here to see a sample of our Heat Pump Case Studies including my own Ground Source Heat Pump installation. If you would like more information please Contact Us.

H & R SERVICES Heat Pump Recommendations

• 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 improving insulation levels.
• Heat pumps works most efficiently with underfloor heating, however it is not always necessary to replace radiators as long as they are adequately sized.
• If you want to further reduce the environmental impact of heating your home consider switching to a green electricity supplier.