Heat pumps: All you need to know and more, including grant funding available in Scotland
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It’s easier than you think to own and operate an air source heat pump in your home. This is how – plus how much money it can save you!
With Home Energy Scotland offering grant funding of up to £7,500, with an additional £7,500 interest-free loan on offer, there has never been a better time to install a clean heating system.
Plus, if you live in a rural area or on an island, you can get an extra boost of £1,500 – meaning some rural households may be eligible for up to £16,500 with the grant funding and interest free loan combined.
Installing an air source heat pump is a great way to reduce your impact on the planet. Around 20%* of the UK’s total CO₂ emissions come from homes, and a significant portion of that, around 75%, is attributed to heating and hot water systems. This means one of the biggest steps we can take as consumers is to change our boiler systems.
Instead of burning fossil fuels like gas or oil, an air source heat pump pulls heat from the air outside to warm your home and your hot water.
Here’s all you need to know (and more) about getting an air source heat pump this summer:
What is a heat pump?
An air source heat pump is a low-carbon heating system that extracts heat from the outside air – even in cold weather – and uses it to warm your home and provide hot water. It works a bit like a refrigerator in reverse, using electricity to transfer heat from the air outside into your heating system instead of burning fossil fuels like gas or oil.
It’s actually four times more energy efficient than a boiler, cutting your home heating emissions by 100% and saving you up to £550 a year on energy bills.
How much does it cost to install?
Prices with Aira start from £15,000 – and there is a £7,500 government grant available to put towards this from Home Energy Scotland to turn your house into a cosy, efficient home.
You can also apply for an optional interest-free loan of up to £7,500 from Home Energy Scotland.
Once your new system is up and running, you can expect to save up to £550 per year on your energy bills.
How can a heat pump find enough heat in Scotland?
Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean there’s no energy to be had. Your heat pump cleverly draws free heat from the air, even in freezing conditions.
The refrigerant inside starts boiling at really low temperatures, so there’s very little risk of it freezing up – even in the depths of a Highland winter. That means your heat pump keeps working just as smoothly in winter as it does the rest of the year.
How does the installation work?
If you contact Aira for a no-obligation quote, they will do a free home energy assessment and carry out a custom heat loss calculation to ensure the system they’re designing is right for your home.
Then as part of a technical survey they will design a system that fits your home needs perfectly, from radiator sizing to pipework and placement.
When your install team arrives, day one is all about preparation. They lay down protective sheeting to keep your home clean, check that all your kit has arrived, and walk through the plan with you, confirming every detail before getting started.
Then they usually start with the outdoor unit before getting the rest into place: the indoor unit, buffer tank and hot water cylinder or radiators, if needed.
By day two or three, they're connecting the system: running hot and cold water pipes, linking up the heating circuits, and making sure everything’s sealed and ready to run. Then it's time to test it’s all running smoothly, power it up and talk you through exactly what to expect from your new way of heating and how to use the Aira Home Energy app.
Aira UK offers an industry-leading 15-Year Guarantee on its work.
What happens to my old boiler?
The installation team will remove your old gas boiler, which they’ll even recycle for you!
Will my new air pump come with a guarantee?
It’s a big decision to install a new system, which is why Aira offer an industry-leading 15-Year Guarantee. The 15-Year Aira Guarantee promises three things: complete temperature comfort, optimal heat pump performance with at least 4X more heating efficiency than a boiler, plus a warranty for the product and installation.
How can I find out more?
If you’re ready to lower your energy bills and your carbon emissions, call Aira to book a free home energy assessment with their Clean Energy Experts today on 0330 828 1111 from Mon–Fri: 8am–8pm, Sat–Sun: 9am–6pm.
For more information, visit http://www.airahome.com/