When were Heat Pumps first installed in the UK?
In 1945 John Sumner, who was the City Electrical Engineer for Norwich, installs an experimental water-source heat pump fed central heating system, using a neighbouring river to heat new Council administrative buildings. So the first heat pump in the UK was installed right here in Norwich.
Globally, the first heat pump system was invented around 1857 and the first ground source heat pump was invented in 1948. Heat pumps have been used for heating and hot water in Scandinavian countries for many years where the climate is considerably colder than the UK climate.
*source Wikipedia
More Questions About Heat Pump General
Will a heat pump provide enough hot water for my property?
Both the Air Source and Ground Source heat pumps that we install will be more than capable of providing enough hot water for your home.
The heat pump will heat the hot water in the cylinder to approximately 50 degrees Celsius. We ensure that the hot water cylinder is sized correctly for the building and the hot water demand required.
What do I need to do to prepare for a heat pump installation?
Improve Insulation: To maximise efficiency, improve your loft and cavity wall insulation to the maximum levels this will ensure your property heat loss is reduced. The size of the heat pump required will be based on the heat losses of your home.
Draught proofing: Draught proofing your home will help reduce the loss of heat, i.e. windows and doors using draught excluders.
Heat emitters: Consideration of the type and size of heat emitters (underfloor heating, radiators) in your home will also affect the efficiency of your heating system, some radiators may need to be upgraded, but your installer would discuss this with you.
Assess and Upgrade Electricals: Assess your electrical system capacity, to make sure that a heat pump is ready to fit. If there are any problems with this a qualified electrician will let you know what needs to be changed so that it can be installed.
Clear Outdoor Access: Air source heat pump, the outdoor unit takes up roughly 1-2 metres of space. Clear the area of where the outside unit will be placed. Ensure there is sufficient clearance for airflow.
Ground source heat pump needs outdoor space for the ground collectors.
Clear Indoor Space: Clear the inside space for the installation of the indoor unit and cylinder, you also may have to clear the area for pipe installation and radiator upgrades.
What does the buffer vessel do?
We incorporate a buffer vessel into the design of our heat pump systems. The buffer vessel serves a few functions to make your system run more efficiently and to provide longevity for the heat pump.
The buffer vessel holds a store of heating fluid for your heating system. It enables the heating to stay on while the air source heat pump heats the domestic hot water.
It also enables the heating to stay on whole the outdoor unit carries out a defrost cycle during cold weather.
A correctly sized buffer vessel is critical in the performance and longevity of your system.
Are Heat Pumps noisy?
Heat pumps do have some running noise, but you are unlikely to notice it.
A NIBE ASHP runs at 50 decibels and is located outside your property and is equivalent to a quiet conversation.
A NIBE GSHP 47 decibels is a unit which is located inside your property in a plant room or utility room.
Examples of other noise levels:
10 dB – Normal breathing
20 dB – Leaves rustling
30 dB – Whispering
40 dB – Quiet library sounds
50 dB – Quiet conversation
50 dB – Refrigerator
60 dB – Electric toothbrush
60 dB – Normal Conversation
70 dB – Washing machine/Traffic/Vacuums
80 dB – Alarm clock
90 dB – Lawn mower/Power tools/Hairdryer
100 dB – Factory machinery
110 dB – Car horn/Concerts
120 dB – Jet Planes (during take off)
130 dB – Ambulance siren
150 dB – Fireworks
Do I have to change my hot water cylinder?
The primary coil in the hot water cylinder must have a surface area of at least 3 sqm to work at the lower flow temperatures produced by the heat pump. As most standard hot water cylinders fitted for oil or gas boilers only have a primary coil with a surface area of approximately 0.25 sqm we do need to replace the cylinder.
