Are There Any Disadvantages of Air Source Heat Pumps?

With UK energy bills set to rise by over 50% in April, it’s no wonder that households are looking for alternative options for their heating. If you want to save money – and protect the environment, then it might be time to switch to an air source heat pump.

Switching over to renewable energy can be a big change – and so, in this article, we’ll look at the potential disadvantages of an air source heat pump and whether they’re as much of a drawback as you’d think.

Disadvantages of air source heat pumps

Whilst they’re known for their efficiency in comparison to boilers, there are some alleged disadvantages of air source heat pumps to consider:

Temperature

One of the key complaints with air source heat pumps is that they don’t reach the same high temperatures that a gas boiler can. However, as air-to-water heat pumps are primarily suited to heating via radiators and underfloor heating, this issue is easily resolved by installing larger radiators that spread the heat across a wider area.

Plus, as it’s renewable (other than a small amount of electricity), the heating can be left on for longer periods, rather than the constant on-off usage that comes with a gas boiler. This means the heating is far more consistent than a gas boiler.

Costs

Although ASHPs are renewable, there are still associated costs to consider. As well as installation costs, they will need to be plugged into mains electricity to run.

However, if you’re installing an air-to-water pump, you could be eligible for funding to cover £5,000 of the installation costs. When it comes to your electricity bills, you’ll still be making a considerable saving, as, depending on its co-efficient of performance, heat pumps can produce your annual heating usage with about a third of the energy that would be used by a boiler.

Size

Some consumers worry about the size of their air source heat pump. However, the outdoor fan units are generally only slightly larger than a washing machine or dishwasher. In most cases, you’ll also have an indoor heat exchanger, but this is usually the same size as a traditional boiler.

Noise

Air source heat pumps can make around 40-60 decibels of noise across a one meter area. To put this into context, Which? found that kettles ranged between 79 and 95 decibels. So, whilst the noise is generally not at a disruptive level, any noise issues can be resolved by ensuring the heat pump is installed away from the bedrooms of your property – and from your neighbours’ properties.

Winter efficency

Another of the supposed air source heat pump disadvantages is that they’re less efficient in winter. Whilst this may be the case, the same applies to boilers! Your heat pump will continue to work through the winter months and still remain more efficient than a gas boiler, producing around 2kWh of heat for every 1kWh of electricity used.

The verdict

Whilst there are some minor disadvantages to air source heat pumps, these can usually be remedied easily. In the worst case scenario, your heat pump will still remain more efficient than its boiler counterpart.

If you’d be interested in learning more, COA Services is on hand to help. We’re fully MCS-certified and experienced in installing air source heat pumps across the Leeds and Harrogate area.

Whether you’re ready for a free, no-obligation quote or just want to discuss the benefits of an air source heat pump in your home, get in touch at [email protected] or call 01423 408 336 today.