Interest in energy efficiency and ecology is growing. An increasingly popular topic is whether it is worth investing in a heat pump. Check out what you should know about this system.
A heat pump is a device that extracts heat energy from a building’s surroundings and then uses it to heat the house, domestic water or even to cool it when it’s hot outside. It is an efficient device that uses renewable energy, which is why a great many passive house owners choose to install it.
The heat pump is part of a system that consists of three parts:
The operation of a heat pump is based on the 2nd principle of thermodynamics, more specifically, the fact that mechanical energy can be completely transformed into heat. The electrical energy that the pump is powered by, in turn, is used to “force” heat energy to flow in the opposite direction of the principle.
The device looks like a gas-fired boiler. A heat pump, depending on its type, extracts heat from the ground, air or water, and then uses the aforementioned thermodynamic laws and transports heat from the bottom source to the top source, which is usually water or air that circulates through the heating system. Thus, a heat pump is a device that does not produce heat energy itself (except for that emitted by its compressor), but only transfers it from one source to another.
There are many reasons why installing a heat pump can be associated with benefits. However, there are also considerations by which many people do not choose this way of heating their homes. In fact, each pros and cons should be considered individually. Only with the right approach to this matter will it be possible to make the right decision.
Among the many reasons why many people choose this investment are the savings associated with using a heat pump. It is said that ¾ of the energy that the pump uses to heat the building or domestic water comes from the environment, while only ¼ comes from the domestic electric grid. This is a device that allows the cost of its installation to be recouped in the long run. Because the pump uses small amounts of electricity, it is environmentally friendly.
In addition, heat pumps are very safe devices, with which there is no risk of explosion, for example. They are also referred to as low-failure. This means that in their case you actually only need to take care of regular maintenance.
Heat pumps are relatively expensive devices, and as a result, not everyone can afford to install them. In addition, some heat pump users complain about the noise they produce. In addition, the efficiency of these devices decreases when there are low temperatures outside, which can be very uncomfortable for many. In turn, if you want the system to work efficiently, it is necessary to invest in the right kind of heating (for example, underfloor heating), which generates further costs.
main photo: unsplash.com/Alfonso Escu
