What is an Air to Water Heat Pump System?

A heat pump heating system is a system that can heat most homes or businesses. Air source heat pumps are the most popular type of heat pump. The system works by taking the heat from outside and converting it into energy. This can then be used to heat your water, radiators and any other heating systems you may have in your building. An air to water heating system can be installed in any house quite easily with no additional construction necessary. 

What is a Heat Pump?

A heat pump is a heating system that can take energy from different sources. There is air to water, as we have already pointed out, ground to water and water to water. Ground to water heat pumps take energy from deep underground which is always above the ambient temperature above ground. The same principles work with a water source heat pump. These other options are used but are less common in Ireland. This is because air to water heating systems do not require piling or laying a ground source loop making them less expensive to install. 

Ground source heat pumps are fantastic if you have a large space around a property or you can easily drill deep underground. This is especially true if you are in a country with temperatures below -10°c. That is the temperature that an air source heat pump may default. 

Water source heat pumps are the most cost and energy-efficient if you have a large water source or well to use for your pump. 

What is the EcoMaster?

The EcoMaster Heat Pump is a new low and high-temperature air-to-water heat pump range. The range is designed to operate with the most environmentally friendly refrigerant R290 allowing units to produce a temperature of heating water up to 75˚C at -15˚C outside without electrical backup. The heat pump is made of sleek weatherproofed stainless steel so it has a cleaner and more modern look than other ranges. This makes for a simplified, comfortable and easy-to-install design. We have modified the casing construction to reduce noise levels to make them whisper-quiet, so the client won’t be aware the unit is operating. While all of our heat pumps are ultra-quiet, this range has been specifically designed to fit in and operate unobtrusively. 

Why Should I Change to an Air to Water Heating System?

Changing heating systems can be daunting at first, there are so many options and opinions on different types. You may think it’s easier just to stick with an existing oil or gas boiler however that is not the case. There are three main reasons you should change to heat pumps-

Environmental Reasons an Air to Water Heating System is better

Oil, gas, coal and peat are the most commonly used heat sources in homes and businesses. They are commonly known as fossil fuels. Burning fossil fuels is extremely harmful to the environment. The earth is surrounded by the ozone layer, when fossil fuels are burned the emissions from these fuels rise up into the atmosphere and get trapped in the ozone layer. The sun is pushing heat into our atmosphere that cannot escape creating a greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect causes the earth to heat more than it should. This is resulting in increased incidences of extreme weather and natural disasters like fires and floods occurring across the world. In Ireland, we are already seeing climate change with milder winters and more rain and humidity as the direct effects. This may seem inconsequential now, but it will continue to worsen over time leading to heavier rains and increased temperatures.

Heat pumps take energy from a renewable source. They use a small amount of electricity to help them run which can be taken from a renewable source like solar panels, wind or else the increasingly green electric grid. This means you can completely remove your property’s carbon emissions. If every house installed a heat pump in their home instead of burning fossil fuels it would remove around 40.8% of Ireland’s energy-related CO2 emissions

Economical Reasons

Once installed, a heat pump costs very little to run. It stays on 24/7 by using a small amount of electricity. This means that you will not be affected by the rising costs of oil or gas. Clearly, this is a huge benefit as it can be stressful to receive large vills for your heating. Especially during a cold dark winter. 

Comfort and Reliability of an Air to Water Heating System

Heating and cooling

All of MasterTherms heat pumps can be used for cooling as well as heating. As properties increasingly become airtight and insulated the issue of a building being too warm is becoming an issue.  This can be operated by running a cooling circuit via the underfloor heating circuit. Not only will your property be comfortably warm in winter but with a heat pump but you can also ensure you will be nice and cool in the summer. 

24/7 monitoring and app control

Mastertherm wants you to have the most comfortable experience possible with a heat pump. That’s why we designed an app that you can control your heat pump from. You can use this app on any phone or tablet to change the temperature of your home at the touch of a button. This is incredibly useful if you are coming home after a busy day, or getting a building ready for your employees in the morning. 

Is there funding to Help me Install an Air to Water Heating System?

SEAI(www.seai.ie)  is the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. They are providing energy grants for homes and businesses to upgrade their properties including insulation, high-performance glass windows, heat pumps and more. Though the grant does not cover the complete costs of the heat pump installation price, it is significant. This makes the conversion to a heat pump even more appropriate as well as being an incredibly affordable option for any oil or gas boiler replacement.

What Else Can I Do To Enhance My Air to Water Heating System?

To get the most out of your air to water heating system you will need an essentially air-tight home. This means you must ensure there are no drafts or areas that the outside weather can seep in. You can make ensure your home is suitable by installing insulation for your floors, walls and roof. Having this protection will make sure nothing can get through your walls. This will keep your home at a constant temperature, keeping your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. Another thing you can do to help this is by installing high-performance windows. This means thicket glass with multiple layers so the weather cannot get through as easily. If you have all of these features in your home then your heat pump should work seamlessly and have your home toasty warm all winter.

Why Mastertherm?

Heat pumps can be used in any industry that requires heating or cooling, that includes refrigeration, cold water, hot water or a heating system. A MasterTherm heat pump can be an efficient way of repurposing heat energy that otherwise would have been wasted. This will make your company more sustainable and economical. 

Mastertherm heat pumps are ultra-quiet, have a unique 7-year warranty, give you lower heating bills and can be controlled easily from a tablet or phone because they use inverter technology.

We will design and tailor a personalised heating system to suit your industry needs, whether it’s for a complex monitored heating and cooling system using rejected heat or a central heating system with air-conditioning. Mastertherm will ensure that your business is getting the maximum benefit from your heat pump system. 

If you’re looking for a heating and hot water solution for a large complex building we may suggest multiple heat pumps working together. If you are unsure about how to start the journey to renewables using heat pumps, contact us and we can start by creating a bespoke design for your heating system.