How the heat curve works on a NIBE ASHP (SMO 20)

The size of heat pump you need depends on many factors.  R A Brown will complete full heat loss calculations and then we can make a recommendation for your property.  The size and age of the property, the insulation levels and the type of heat emitters (underfloor heating/radiators) you choose will also have an impact on the size of air source heat pump you need.

Part of our series of “How to videos” find out how to change the date and time on a NIBE ASHP (NIBE SMO 20 Controller)

Part of our series of “How to videos” find out how to adjust your hot water settings on a NIBE ASHP (NIBE SMO 20 Controller)

Part of our series of “How to videos” find out how to adjust the temperature on a NIBE ASHP (NIBE SMO S40 Controller)

Part of our series of “How to videos” find out how to adjust the temperature on a NIBE ASHP (NIBE SMO 20 Controller)

Air source heat pumps are effectively the cheapest form of heating to run. They can be 300 – 400% efficient or more, therefore for every 1kw of electricity that you pay to run an air source heat pump, it can produce 3-4kw of heat.

A ground source heat pump generates 4-5 times the energy it consumes. This means that for every 1kw of electricity that you pay for, a GSHP can produce 4 -5 kw of heat for your home.

Heat pumps still work in the snow and ice, heat pump technology is used to performing well at sub zero temperatures.

If you have a heat pump and you have not experienced an ice and snow season with it, here are some things to know about how your heat pump will function:

1. You may notice ice on your heat pump when temperatures drop.
2. Your heat pump will automatically run a defrost cycle when it needs to and this is perfectly normal.
3. When your heat pump is running the defrost cycle, it will be louder than normal.
4. If you notice steam is rising from the heat pump, there is nothing to be alarmed about, it is naturally caused by the warmth of warm air hitting cold air.
5. If you have a smart meter you might notice your heat pump is using more electricity at this time, as it is working harder at this point.

The government currently offers the Boiler Upgrade Scheme which offers a £7,500 grant towards the installation of an air source heat pump.  This grant is available until 31st March 2025. Full up to date information on the current schemes and eligibility is available and detailed on our Incentives page.

An ASHP uses energy from the outdoor air. Air is pulled across a heat exchanger inside the heat pump where the energy is extracted by refrigerant gases. These gasses are compressed via a compressor to give useable heat.  This heat is transferred to your heating system in the same way as a conventional boiler sends heat to your radiators, underfloor heating or hot water cylinder so it is ready whenever it is needed.

Generally speaking your fuse board would need to be 80amps to 100amps for an air source heat pump.

UKPN provide guidance on fuse upgrade criteria and which components are owned by either the property owner, electricity supplier and or installation company.  You can find the UKPN fuse upgrade criteria guide here.

If the radiator in a room is sized correctly for that room and currently being heated by a gas or oil boiler, then it is not likely to be suitable to be used with an ASHP.  A new radiator sized correctly to work with an air source heat pump will be needed.

The external unit is expected to last up to 20 years on a system which has been designed and installed correctly.

An example of a typical 3-bedroom detached bungalow that has an oil boiler and 9 radiators will cost approximately £15,000 – £18,000 to change the heating system to Air Source Heating.

You could expect to receive government grant of £7,500 through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS).

It is estimated you would benefit from fuel savings each year, depending on your current electricity provider unit rates.

The costs involved in installing a system include the following:

• Removal of the existing system.
• Custom design of a heating system for your property.
• Installation of the air source heat pump (unit fitted outdoors).
• Installation of a new cylinder that has an increased size primary coil fitted.
• Installation of a buffer vessel (another cylinder for the heating system fluid).
• Replacement of the radiators with new, larger radiators.
• Replacement of the current heating controls.
• Electrical wiring of the new system. Often a new supply will need to be run from the consumer unit to the outdoor air source heat pump.
• Plumbing required to adapt the old heating and hot water systems to the new heat pump and radiators.
• Registration and certification for Microgeneration Certification Scheme so that you will be eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.

If you are changing from LPG, oil or direct electric there are considerable savings to be made in your annual running costs.

An air source heat pump generates 3 times the energy it consumes, this means that for every 1kw of electricity that you pay for, an ASHP can produce 3kw of heat for your home.

Part of our series of “How to videos” find out how to change the overnight scheduling on a NIBE ASHP (NIBE SMO 20 Controller)

Part of our series of “How to videos” find out how adjust your heat pump to holiday mode on a NIBE ASHP (NIBE SMO 20 Controller)

Part of our series of “How to videos” find out how to check your energy usage on a NIBE ASHP (NIBE SMO S40 Controller)

An Air Source Heat Pump works at a minimum of 300% efficiency, compared to around 90% for oil boilers and 92% for modern condensing gas boilers. Therefore your EPC rating will improve, you will be using less CO2 due to the increased efficiency of your heating system and reducing the use of fossil fuels.

Absolutely. We design your heating system to be able to provide 21 degrees to the living areas of your property when it is sub zero temperatures outdoors. The refrigerant in the ASHP is designed to work down to -10 degrees and beyond.