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Air Source Heating. Advice please.

(18 Posts)
Whiteanemone Sat 13-Jan-24 16:28:29

Hi everyone. I’m considering have air source heating installed to replace old economy seven heaters.
I’m hearing mixed reports of their efficiency. Can anyone give me some advice please. Did find some comments on a recent thread about heating. Is your home warm enough? Do they work when the weather is really cold? We are well insulated and face south so am also considering solar panels.
Many thanks

Germanshepherdsmum Sat 13-Jan-24 16:39:36

We have an air source pump and are very satisfied with its performance, but it was installed when our house was built eight years ago, with underfloor heating throughout. If you want to bolt one on to an existing radiator system you may well find you need new pipe work and radiators - a lot of mess and expense. Consult a company which fits them.

JamesandJon33 Sat 13-Jan-24 17:15:09

We have one just for our large conservatory. Excellent, best thing we bought in ages

Whiteanemone Sat 13-Jan-24 17:18:51

Thank you both

Chestnut Sat 13-Jan-24 17:53:19

I just googled alternatives to heat pumps because they don't suit every property. There is one nearby belonging to a care home which makes a dreadful noise in the winter. Thank goodness the windows are shut. I would never have one, would be worried about the noise and a heat pump is not suitable for this property anyway. I would probably go for an electric boiler although they are more expensive to run.

Anyway this is what came up:
7 Low Carbon Heating Systems for Your Home

Also this is interesting:
fischerfutureheat.com/5-alternatives-to-heat-pumps/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAhomtBhDgARIsABcaYylZsMflJmjFEyRN2orx-J1c-VoRfLmJXinSP_ECEWvFh3UrHNBnvgsaAts6EALw_wcB

Germanshepherdsmum Sat 13-Jan-24 18:04:40

Ours is not at all noisy.

JamesandJon33 Sat 13-Jan-24 18:27:18

Ours is silent

Whiteanemone Sat 13-Jan-24 18:45:40

Thank you for the links Chestnut. Very interesting. There is far more choice than I realised. I definitely think some of the alternatives may be more suitable for me. I have concrete floors and the idea of have the carpets taken up in order to
install new radiators does not fill me with enthusiasm!

PaperMonster Sat 13-Jan-24 21:08:58

Try the Dimplex Quantum storage heaters instead - really good.

Whiteanemone Sat 13-Jan-24 21:25:10

Thank you PaperMonster will have a look straight away

MiniMoon Sat 13-Jan-24 21:37:47

Someone I read about had to site their heat pump in the garden. They have had engineers out twice to fix it as mice chewed the wiring.

Whiteanemone Sun 14-Jan-24 09:06:57

I live in the country…. Lots of field mice!

25Avalon Sun 14-Jan-24 09:15:11

I don’t have an air source heat pumps. I think it depends on your type of building as to how efficient they are. What I do have is solar panels. If you buy now your return from the grid is quite low so consider getting battery storage as well, then you will be able to use your electricity when the panels aren’t working such as at night.

Whiteanemone Sun 14-Jan-24 11:11:15

Thank you 25 Avalon. Have had my bungalow checked for suitability. It would be a real upheaval so I’m leaning towards
Solar panels with a storage battery and dimplex storage radiators.

HousePlantQueen Sun 14-Jan-24 13:18:00

To be honest, they are likely to be better than Economy 7 storage radiators. Your first step should be to have a look at the Energy Saving Trust website, hope this helps

Whiteanemone Sun 14-Jan-24 14:53:48

It does help. Thank you HousePlantQueen. Will have a look now

logansmith Wed 14-May-25 15:48:09

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

sophiejane Tue 27-May-25 15:46:43

Hi there,

We made the switch from old electric heating to an air source heat pump last year, so I get where you're coming from. Like you, we were hearing a lot of mixed opinions and weren’t sure what to believe.

From our experience, they work really well if your home is already well insulated, which it sounds like yours is. We’ve found the heat to be steady and comfortable, rather than the quick bursts you get from traditional heaters. And yes, even during that cold snap earlier this year, our home stayed warm. The key is making sure the system is properly sized and installed by someone who really knows what they’re doing.

Also, pairing it with solar panels is a great shout – especially if you're home during the day and can make the most of the generated electricity.

One other thing: look into available grants – we were surprised by what was on offer and it helped with the cost. This is the site we used: grantboilers.org.uk/air-source-heat-pump-grant/

Hope that helps, and happy to answer any other questions!