Heat pumps don't generate heat like when you burn gas. Instead, they capture heat from the air (in the case of an air source pump), and move it into your house. For every 1 unit of electricity you put in, you capture and concentrate about 3 or more units of heat from the outside. This means that heat pumps don’t just let us use clean renewable electricity rather than burning fossil gas. They also reduce the total amount of energy we need to put into heating our homes. Nice!
Here are the stages of your heat pump test drive
Use our Augmented Reality (AR) tool on your smartphone or tablet to see what a range of heat pump equipment would look like in your own home.
Play the sound of a heat pump, with directions on how to set the right volume and listen to it in situ.
Guidance on how to set your condensing combi boiler to run in a similar way to a heat pump so you can feel what the heating is like.
So you've taken a heat pump for a test drive; here are your next steps.
A heat pump system has a number of parts
The pump. This sits outside and captures the heat, then pumps it indoors.
Most heat pump systems (and all that provide hot water for showers etc.) need a tank to store hot water.
Larger radiators may need to be fitted, along with some larger pipes, depending on what you have already.
A special control system, that works a bit differently to those used with other types of heating.
Small pump (~5-12 kW)
Scan or click this option if you have a small to medium (e.g. 1-3 bedroom) or better insulated home. See the positioning instructions above. (This doesn't show a particular model of heat pump, but is similar in size and form to some available on the market to give you a good idea of appearance.)
Large pump (~12-20 kW)
Scan or click this option if you have a larger (e.g. 4+ bedroom) and/or less well insulated home. See the positioning instructions above. (This doesn't show a particular model of heat pump, but is similar in size and form to some available on the market to give you a good idea of appearance.)
Wall mounted small pump (~5-12 kw)
Scan or click this option if you have a small to medium (e.g. 1-3 bedroom) or better insulated home, and are thinking about getting your heat pump installed at height. See the general positioning instructions above. (This doesn't show a particular model of heat pump, but is similar in size and form to some available on the market to give you a good idea of appearance.) Note that this visualisation shows a pump mounted with the lower edge 2m above the ground.
Hot water tank (200 litre)
Scan or click this option to see smaller to average sized tank. Typically it is positioned out of the way in a cupboard. It is also better for it to be near to your heat pump, so as little heat as possible is lost from the pipe connecting the two. For the AR view, you might find it easier just to put it in the middle of a room and get a good look at it!
Clearance guide
Scan or click this option to see to a heat pump sitting on a guide to the clearance distances that are needed around it. Pumps shouldn't be positioned too close to surfaces like walls and fences because this can disrupt the air flow, reducing efficiency. Use this handy guide to check if your intended space is suitable. Note that these distances of for guidance only, and you should speak to your installer and check manufacturer guidelines.
Your heat pump should...
Be outside your house, ideally next to it to reduce pipework.
Have good air flow around it. It varies by model, but the back and sides should normally be at least 30cm (1 foot) away from obstructions, and 1.5m (5 feet) free of obstruction in front.
Be somewhere that is easy to access for maintenance.
Avoid spaces where the sound might cause disturbance, such as directly outside a bedroom or by a boundary to a neighbour.
To set the right volume...
Open an online decibel monitor or download an app (such as Sound Meter for Android or Decibel X for iOS).
Find somewhere quiet. Start playing the sound above on your speaker or second device, and measure the sound level 1 metre (3 feet) away from it.
Adjust the volume of the sound until you have an average reading of about 50 dB. (This is similar to a quiet fridge, and quieter than many gas boilers.)
Now position the speaker or second device where you plan to place your heat pump, and take a listen!
