The environmental advantages of air source heat pumps

The recent cost of living crisis has mainly been fuelled by the somewhat extortionate gas and electricity prices that we are all being forced to pay. There are many reasons for this, including the war in Europe and natural disasters across the world. That means that more and more people are looking at alternative ways to heat their home, and air source heat pumps are proving to be a popular option.

However, paying less is not the only advantage of an air source heat pump, as it also has a significant number of advantages when it comes to the environment. As one of the greener ways to heat your home, it is hard to find reasons not to fit one, so read on to find out more about the environmental advantages of an air source heat pump.

To explain further, Chill Air Conditioning, specialists in air source heat pumps share their insights into the environmental advantages of air source heat pumps.

What is an air source heat pump?

Unlike a traditional gas boiler, an air source heat pump sits on the outside of your house, pulling in the air from outdoors. The heat is then absorbed by a liquid refrigerant which is compressed in order to raise its temperature.

The heat that is generated is then sent to your heating system and pumped around your home as it is needed. The outside unit is generally installed away from the windows of a property and not near a neighbour. It will need to be positioned somewhere that is not obstructed in order for it to be able to draw in air sufficiently.

Air source heat pumps are thought to be around three times more efficient than a gas boiler. They do not use any natural gas, and just require a small amount of electricity to power the heat pump itself.

Reducing your carbon emissions

With so many alternatives now on the market, it is hard to believe that 85% of UK households still burn natural gas. That means that we are generating huge amounts of carbon emissions in our own homes, which makes the homes in the UK one of our biggest carbon contributors.

Whilst the electricity needed to power the pump means that they are not carbon zero, a heat pump can drastically reduce the carbon emissions of your home. It is believed that an air source heat pump can reduce carbon emissions by more than 23 tonnes over the course of a decade and it emits 20% less carbon dioxide than a gas boiler, and 70% less than an electric heating system.

If your electricity comes from a renewable source such as wind or solar, then it could even become a zero carbon system.

Cutting out natural gas

Not using natural gas doesn’t just have an impact when you put the heating on, it actually starts long before that. The extraction of natural gas in the first place is also incredibly damaging to the environment.

The exploration for new natural gas sites can disturb the wildlife and vegetation in the area, and this can become a case of total destruction once the drilling for gas begins. The well drilling that is required is also responsible for huge amounts of pollution to both the air and the water in the area, and the laying of pipelines is also responsible for the clearing of large amounts of land.

The machinery that is required to drill for gas also pump out huge amounts of pollutants and the natural gas found at oil wells that cannot be sold is burnt, releasing carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere.

This is all incredibly destructive, and it is worth remembering that we do not have finite amounts of gas buried under the earth, and we are one day set to run out of it completely.

Renewable energy

As the government pushes to reach its net zero targets for carbon emissions, it is increasingly pushing the production of renewable sources of energy. Currently, around 43% off all the energy produced for the UK comes from renewable sources such as solar and wind power. This is only set to increase as time and investment increases.

That means that your heating system can be almost entirely reliant on renewable and sustainable sources of energy, which is not only good for the environment but also prevents prices being pushed higher in the event of a war or natural disaster. It is even possible to check with your energy supplier in order to find out how much of their power comes from renewable sources and gives you the option to switch to a greener provider if you choose to.

Improved efficiency

The source of your energy is one cause for concern, but it is also important to look at how it is being used. Many older heating systems are incredibly inefficient, meaning that a large amount of gas, oil and electricity is actually being wasted every time you put your heating on. When you use any of these energy sources, the conversion process means that you are exchanging one type of energy for another, so you can never get out of it more than you put in.

As heat pumps take thermal energy from the environment and compress it, they actually make it more effective, therefore wasting a lot less energy. The average heat pump is actually thought to have a 300% efficiency rate as for every unit of electricity that is used, three units of thermal energy are produced.

Air conditioning

Some air source heat pumps even have the ability to cool your home as well as heating it. This means that you can save energy in another way, by not needing to install a separate and less efficient air condition system.

During this process, the flow of the refrigerant in the pump is reversed and the condenser coils and evaporators within it switch roles. As the refrigerant has a lower temperature than the indoor air, it absorbs heat from the indoor air, and when it is compressed, it heats the liquid to create a gas.

The heat is transferred to the outside air and the refrigerant turns to liquid again ready to start again. You can therefore be sure that your home is a comfortable temperature all year round, whatever they weather without worrying about your impact on the environment.

Air source heat pumps have been around for a long time, but in recent years they have developed massively, making them an appealing choice for many homeowners who want a greener, cheaper, and more efficient heating system.

Air source heat pumps are considered to be such a good choice for the environment that there are now government grants available to help with the cost of installation and to make them a viable option for as many homes as possible.

Adding an air source heat pump can be a fantastic way to reduce the carbon emissions of your home and bring your energy bills down at the same time. The impact of an air source heat pump on the environment can be felt both locally and across the globe, meaning that it can go a long way to making your house carbon neutral and helping to bring down the overall carbon emissions of the UK as a whole.