– Air-source heat pump
An air-source heat pump is a type of heat pump that can absorb heat from outside (even on a cold day) and use it to warm an indoor space.
Sometimes it is referred to as a 'reversible air conditioner', as it works in the same way as a regular cooling air conditioner but operates the refrigerant cycle in the opposite direction.
Air-source heat pumps don't create heat, since they don’t use fuel, but simply move it from one place another.
There are 2 main types of heat pump:
Air-to-air heat pumps use indoor units such as wall-mounted, consoles or ducts to transfer cold or heat indoors through the air. They are simply a regular air conditioner working in reverse, or more precisely they can work in 2 directions to provide heating or cooling as required.
Air-to-water heat pumps transfer external heat (from the outside air) to water. This hot water is then distributed throughout the space via radiators or underfloor heating, and can even provide the domestic hot water that comes out of your taps. Some air-to-water heat pumps, like Hitachi Yutaki, can also provide indoor cooling by working in reverse and providing cold water to radiators, underfloor pipes or fan coils which blow air over the cold water pipes.
As mentioned above, since heat pumps do not burn fuel, they can lead to significant savings on your energy bills. Additionally, air source heat pumps are far more environmentally friendly than traditional furnaces or boilers.
