Microgeneration is the idea of producing some of the energy a home or small building uses, rather than relying entirely on electricity from the grid or heat from fossil fuels. For UK homeowners, it usually means technologies such as solar panels, heat pumps, solar thermal, biomass, small wind, hydro or micro-CHP. The appeal is obvious: Read more »
The ground array is the part of a ground source heat pump system that quietly decides whether the whole installation performs well. It is the buried pipework that collects heat from the ground and carries it back to the heat pump. If it is too small, badly spaced, poorly installed or placed in unsuitable ground, Read more »
A heat pump water heater uses heat pump technology to produce domestic hot water more efficiently than direct electric heating. In UK homes, this often means an air source or ground source heat pump heating a dedicated hot water cylinder, rather than a stand-alone appliance replacing a combi boiler like-for-like. The biggest practical change is Read more »
Water source heat pumps use heat stored in water rather than air or ground. That can be attractive because water temperatures are often more stable than outdoor air, but it only works where the water source, permissions and installation design line up. For most homes, air source heat pumps are more common. Water source systems Read more »
A ground source heat pump can be one of the most efficient ways to heat a home, but it is also one of the most site-dependent. The heat pump itself is only half the story. The buried ground loop, the land or boreholes, the heating emitters, the hot-water cylinder and the quality of the design Read more »
Air-to-water heat pumps are the type most UK homeowners usually mean when they talk about replacing a boiler with a heat pump. They take heat from outdoor air and use it to warm water for radiators, underfloor heating and, with the right cylinder, domestic hot water. The important point is that an air-to-water heat pump Read more »
Choosing a heat pump is not really a question about one appliance. It is a question about your whole heating system: how much heat your home loses, how your radiators or underfloor heating deliver warmth, where the equipment can go, how hot water is stored, what grants apply and whether the installer designs the system Read more »
A heat pump should not need constant attention, but it does need regular care if you want it to stay efficient, quiet and reliable. Most problems start small: blocked airflow, dirty filters, poor pressure, incorrect settings, vegetation around the outdoor unit, or a service requirement that gets missed until performance drops. The good news is Read more »
Heat pumps are often covered by snow during the winter months. The pump may not work efficiently when its coil is covered by white frost or ice. When the entire unit is iced-up during the winter season, it may seriously damage the unit and reduce its life expectancy. You need to address this issue without Read more »
Choosing the right heat pump brand is one of the most important decisions you’ll make when installing a renewable heating system. The brand affects not just upfront cost but long-term reliability, efficiency ratings, installer availability, and how easy it is to get serviced when something goes wrong ten years down the line. This guide covers Read more »
