What Are Air Source Heat Pumps?

Air source heat pumps function on the same principle as a refrigerator. Essentially, they are a type of heat exchanger. As such, they work by transferring heat energy from one location to another. A well-constructed device should be capable of taking heat energy from the external air temperature and using it for a variety of purposes, such as heating your hot water supply or adding to the central heating system's energy supply. They function equally well when supplying conventional radiators as they do underfloor heating systems.

Although ground source heat pumps take their energy from the higher temperatures which are often found underground—often referred to as geothermal energy—many more air source pumping products are sold in Australia. This is because solar heat pumps can make use of the abundant sunlight in the country without the need to dig deep into the earth.

Installing an Air Source Heat Pump

If you are considering the merits of an air source heat pump for your home, then it is worth noting that they fit into a dwelling in much the same manner as a conventional boiler. However, rather than taking up space in your kitchen, garage or outhouse, they can be installed on an external wall, which is a considerable advantage for smaller houses. Domestic heat pumps are able to operate with air temperatures that are as low as -15ºC. Indeed, even in winter, they can function at a high level of efficiency, so they are worth installing whether you reside in Tasmania or Northern Territory.

Efficiency and Heat Exchanging

The technology used in an air source heat pump will regulate the hot water system of your home automatically, so you don't need to constantly adjust it thermostatically. Rather like your refrigerator, you can simply switch it on and forget about it. The technology is set up such that it never uses more energy to work than it produces for your home. This ability marks air source heat pumps out as among the most energy efficient ways to heat a building and to provide it with hot water. New build developments are an obvious choice for this sort of heat exchanging technology, but air source heat pumps are equally at home being retro-fitted to dwellings. Nevertheless, it is advisable that any home using a solar pump already possesses a decent level of thermal insulation so that the highest levels of efficiency from heat exchanging can be achieved.

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