Energy-efficient heating for your home
Air source heat pumps offer an alternative way to heat your home and provide hot water, using energy from the outside air rather than relying solely on gas or other traditional fuels.
At Willis Heating Ltd, we install air source heat pump systems for homeowners in Newhaven, Seaford, Peacehaven, Lewes and the surrounding area.
A heat pump can be an excellent choice for the right property, but getting the system design right is important. Before recommending one, we’ll look at your home, your existing heating system and how you use it. We’ll then talk you through the options and whether a heat pump is a sensible choice for your property.
If you’re considering changing the way you heat your home, talk to us today about whether an air source heat pump could work for you.
How does an air source heat pump work?
An air source heat pump takes heat from the outside air and uses electricity to increase its temperature before transferring that heat into your home’s heating system.
It can continue extracting heat from the air even when it’s cold outside.
Unlike a traditional boiler, which produces high-temperature heat relatively quickly, a heat pump generally works most efficiently by providing lower-temperature heat over longer periods.
This means that installing one isn’t simply a case of removing your boiler and putting a heat pump in its place. The whole heating system needs to be considered.
Is my home suitable for a heat pump?
Many homes can use an air source heat pump successfully, including older properties, but every house is different.
Before recommending a system, we’ll consider things such as:
- The size and heat requirements of your property
- Its insulation and energy efficiency
- Your existing radiators or underfloor heating
- The space available for the outdoor unit
- Your hot water requirements
- The way you currently heat and use your home
The aim is to design a system that keeps your home comfortably warm without making the heat pump work harder than necessary.
If we don’t think a heat pump is the right solution for your property, we’ll tell you.
Will I need new radiators?
Not necessarily, although some homes will need changes to their radiators.
Heat pumps usually operate at lower water temperatures than traditional gas boilers. To provide enough heat at these lower temperatures, existing radiators may need to be replaced with larger or higher-output models.
We’ll assess your existing system as part of the design process and explain which radiators, if any, need changing.
Heat pumps also work particularly well with underfloor heating, as underfloor systems are designed to provide comfortable heat using lower water temperatures.
[Find out about Underfloor Heating]
What about hot water?
An air source heat pump can provide both space heating and domestic hot water.
Most systems use a suitable hot water cylinder to store the hot water your household needs. The size and type of cylinder will depend on the property and the number of people using it.
We’ll take your household’s hot water requirements into account when designing the system rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.
Air source heat pump installation
A successful heat pump installation starts with good system design.
We’ll assess your property and discuss what you’re hoping to achieve before recommending the appropriate system.
Depending on your home and its existing heating, an installation may involve:
- Installing the external heat pump unit
- Installing or changing the hot water cylinder
- Upgrading radiators where necessary
- Making alterations to existing pipework
- Installing new heating controls
- Connecting the heat pump to your heating and hot water system
- Setting up and commissioning the system
We’ll explain what’s involved before work begins so you understand what will be changing in your home.
Air source heat pumps and underfloor heating
If you’re renovating a property, building an extension or replacing an existing heating system, it can be worth considering an air source heat pump and underfloor heating together.
Because both systems can operate effectively at lower water temperatures, they can make a particularly good combination when designed correctly.
Willis Heating installs both systems, so we can look at your property’s heating requirements as a whole rather than treating the heat pump and heat distribution separately.
Are air source heat pumps cheaper to run than a gas boiler?
There isn’t a single answer that applies to every home.
The running cost of a heat pump depends on several factors, including the system’s efficiency, the property’s heat loss, electricity prices, the heating system design, and how the household uses its heating.
A well-designed heat pump can use considerably less energy to produce a given amount of heat than a conventional electric heating system. However, electricity and gas are priced differently, so don’t assume installing a heat pump will automatically result in lower bills than an efficient gas boiler.
We’ll give you realistic advice based on your property rather than making promises about savings that may not apply to your home.
Can I get a grant towards an air source heat pump?
Government support may be available to help cover the cost of replacing an existing fossil-fuel heating system with an eligible heat pump.
Schemes, funding, and eligibility requirements can change, so it’s important to check the current rules before deciding.
If you’re considering an installation, we can explain what may be available and what requirements apply to the proposed system.
Why good heat pump design matters
Heat pumps have sometimes acquired a mixed reputation because a poorly designed or incorrectly set-up system can be expensive to operate and may struggle to keep a home comfortable.
The heat pump itself is only one part of the system.
Correct sizing, heat-loss calculations, radiator or underfloor heating design, controls, and commissioning all play an important role in how well the finished system performs.
That’s why we look at your home and heating requirements as a complete system before recommending an installation.
Air Source Heat Pump installations in Newhaven, Seaford, Peacehaven and the surrounding area
Willis Heating is based in Newhaven, with engineers in Seaford and across the district. We install and advise on air source heat pump systems throughout:
- Newhaven
- Seaford
- Peacehaven
- Lewes
If you live elsewhere in the surrounding area, including Eastbourne or Brighton, please contact us to see if we can help.
Thinking about an air source heat pump?
Changing your home’s heating system is a significant decision, and it’s worth getting good advice before deciding whether a heat pump is right for you.
Talk to Willis Heating about your property and what you’d like to achieve. We’ll assess your requirements, explain the options and help you decide on the right approach for your home.
Call Willis Heating today or get in touch online to discuss an air source heat pump installation.
