Maximising energy efficiency from an air source heat pump

Sponsored feature | Adrian Myles, customer care manager, This Land

Air source heat pumps (ASHP) are fast emerging as the low carbon heating source of choice for homes and they come as standard with every new home at This Land.

So, what does that translate to for the customer?

Lower energy usage, reducing your home’s carbon footprint and lower utility bills. Well maintained ASHPs also have a longer life span than traditional methods of heating, meaning lower bills for many years to come.

ASHPs, combined with the insulation within the fabric of This Land homes, are incredibly cost-effective for the homeowner.

Furthermore, with the government stepping up its targets for net zero carbon by 2050, the housing market has also responded with lenders offering reduced rates on green mortgages for those buying new-builds with sufficient energy performance.

So there really isn’t a better time than 2023 to consider a new property with an ASHP. This is the future of home heating.

But what is an ASHP and what’s the big deal?

Everything around us carries thermal energy, and ASHPs use this energy by absorbing it into a refrigerated substance which is at a lower temperature than the ambient air.

The ambient air is non-fossil-fuel based so can be compressed, and a heat exchanger converts this into water, which can be used for heating and hot water around a home.

However, as with all technologies, teething problems thanks to user error can quickly result in those perks in the pocket diminishing.

Operating an ASHP is not immediately user friendly to those inexperienced in how they work. Following decades of gas boiler usage and fossil-fuelled methods of heating a home, that’s hardly surprising. In reality, once a system set-up has been programmed, there is very little input required beyond that from the home owner.

This Land have organised specific targeted customer training across recent months to demystify any pre-misconceptions about ASHPs and deliver a foundation level of understanding for customers moving into a new home.

Three cohorts of customers have already completed the training, which has been taking place at This Land’s Spiregrass Square Development in Over. Follow-up training on an individual basis for customers has also been delivered.

The training covers key themes such as how an ASHP operates, as well as general do’s and don’ts by demonstrating the logic behind best practice.

The overall aim was to allow customers to unlock their energy savings potential, with the training delivered by This Land partner company and experts in the field, Enietherm.

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Chris King, Enietherm director, discussing common problems homeowners face and top tips on maximising performance, says: “ASHPs are incredibly efficient as long as they are being used properly.

“We frequently get asked around how best to control the system across rooms in the house. There are also a lot of queries about how and when they should operate the heating and hot water.

“It’s important to know that with any ASHP, they can’t do heating and hot water at the same time. Doing so will result in tepid water, poor heating, and additional running costs.

“There are two different flow temperatures in an ASHP. There are different flow temperatures for the underfloor heating and radiators, and different flow temperatures for the hot water cylinder. We spent time with This Land’s customers during the training explaining that process, and how best to program the system.

“Preparing for incoming weather by pre-heating the house and having it temperature ready when the cold weather arrives is also very important. It’s about sensible use and not overheating the space.”

Every one of the participants said they found the training extremely informative, with most saying the training greatly improved their knowledge of their ASHP.

Interested in the cost saving benefits of a home heated by an ASHP? Speak with This Land’s customer care manager on 07387 929191, email hello@this-land.co.uk or visit our website This-Land.co.uk.