Ground source heat pump combi and hybrid heat pump

Heat pumps provide an environmentally friendly way for central heating systems and hot water. They are a sustainable alternative to a central heating with gas powered boilers. The UK Government stimulates the buying of heat pumps through the Renewable Heat Incentive and has reduced the tax on electricity.

Heat pumps extract heat from the air, soil or groundwater. With a kind of fridge motor this heat is upgraded to a usable temperature. A heat pump uses electricity: so you will notice that your power consumption increases. On the other hand, you will use less (or no) gas. Your CO2 emissions for heating will decrease by almost half if you choose a hybrid heat pump and even more so when your power is generated via solar panels or comes from the wind. In the UK (2016) about 150,000 houses have heat pumps, and this number is growing.

There are different types of heat pumps. A fully electric heat pump provides for all your heating and hot water. A hybrid heat pump has a hr-boiler on gas, which will help aid with the heating on cold days and for (additional) hot water. Such a hybrid heat pump is cheaper and you can also combine this with your current boiler. A heat pump water heater only provides hot water.

Heat pump tips 

1. When your current boiler combination is gettin older, then look ahead now if you can change to a (hybrid) heat pump. You can then take a decision as soon as your boiler breaks down.
2. A heat pump is the most fuel-efficient in combination with good insulation. So make sure your House is insulated properly before you buy a heat pump.
3. Until 2021 is there a national subsidy for purchasing a heat pump. The amount of subsidy depends on the type of heat pump.
4. A heat pump works best in combination with underfloor heating or other low temperature heatingsystems (for example, wall heating).
   
5. If you don’t have underfloor heating, and have no plans for this, than you can consider the use of existing radiators, if the capacity is sufficient. Or you can replace one or more radiators with a special low temperature radiator.