Air Conditioning and Heat Pumps
Advances in air conditioning have led to much greater efficiency than in the past. This has been possible due to:
-
Inverters - acting like a dimmer switch or volume control, delivering the right amount of cooling or heating rather than "all-or-none".
-
Refrigerant - developed to be better for the environment and highly efficient at transferring heat from one place to another.
Like climate control in vehicles, climate control in buildings is no longer a luxury option. Just as employees work better in a comfortable environment all year round, the same comfort is now affordable in the home.
How it works
Air conditioning uses a heat pump to move unwanted heat energy from the space to be cooled. The heat energy is discharged outside.
Modern air conditioning heat pumps can also be used in reverse to provide energy efficient heating in the same space, during cold periods.
Even on a cold winter day there is a lot of surplus heat energy in the air. It is very cost effective to use electricity to move this energy from the outside into the space to be warmed.
Heating a space directly with electricity (know as resistance heating) produces one unit of heat energy for every one unit of electricity used.
Using a heat pump to move existing heat from the outside is much more efficient. Typically, one unit of electricity can move 4 to 6 units of heat energy from the outside to the inside.
In warm weather
Heat energy inside the house is collected and removed by discharging it into the outside air.
In cool weather
Heat energy from the outside air is collected and moved inside the house.
Hence, heating a space with a heat pump is typically 4 to 6 times as efficient as using electrical heating. This makes it competitive with other efficient methods such as gas central heating. But of course, gas central heating cannot cool your house in the summer!
Another way of looking at it
-
If you need air conditioning during warm times, you also get energy efficient heating for the cooler times.
-
If you need energy efficient heating during cool times, you also get air conditioning for the warm times.
-
These benefits come at no extra cost.
Talk to us about the savings that can be made with energy efficient air conditioning and heat pumps.
Applications
Heat pumps fall into two main categories: Air source where the heat energy is extracted from the atmosphere and Ground source where the heat energy is extracted from a bore hole in the ground.
For each of these, there are two main ways of distributing the heat energy within the building. either through Air or through Water.
Air distribution - usually via wall, ceiling or floor mounted indoor units or through concealed, ducted systems.
Water distribution - usually via conventional radiators or underfloor pipes.
Call today on 07760 669456 for free advice on the various options.
London - Oxfordshire - Cardiff