Heat pump: what is it?

The heat pump (sometimes called PAC) is a device that uses a device thermodynamics, which allows you to transfer heat from a cold environment to a place to be heated. In other words, it is the opposite of a fridge. It is an ecological heating system allowing to heat a habitat and in certain situations to heat sanitary water or a swimming pool. The principle of the heat pump is to extractenergy outside a home to direct it inside using a radiator or any other heating device.

It is in nature that the heat pump comes to recover energy, this solution allows up to 60% savings on the energy bill, a long-term investment.

Principle and operation of the heat pump

Heat is most commonly captured in theair (aerothermal energy) or in the ground (geothermal). the heat pump system is also called the refrigeration cycle, a technique used in air conditioners or refrigerators. The heat pump operates on a principle of heat transfer.thermal energy, using a change in the state of the fluid. For this, a refrigerant is installed in the heat pump. The latter, which flows in the circuits, allows good regulation.

The different types of heat pumps

There are different heat pump systems:

• the geothermal heat pump which uses the energy of the ground to heat the room (for example horizontal collection, vertical collection Where groundwater collection), as the brine-water heat pump, the ground-to-ground heat pump and the ground-water heat pump. Several options are possible, the horizontal catchment, in the case where the surface of the garden is more than twice as large compared to the surface of the dwelling, the catchment network is located between 60 cm and 1.20 meters deep. The vertical catchment is used when the surface of the ground is less large, one buries the sensors up to 100 meters underground. This installation has the advantage of functioning well at any season, without the need for additional heating.
• the air source heat pumps (air-to-air heat pump and air-water heat pump), which use the energy of the air. This type of material allows the outside air to be conveyed to the inside thanks to fan coils. Some models can offer air conditioning in the summer by reversing the system, which can be interesting. This is called a CAP reversible.
• the heat pump natural gas.
• the hydrothermal heat pump can be used when the house is located next to a water point. The system draws the heat present in the water to use it as a source of heat in the house as well as for sanitary water. To refresh, it can be used in reverse in summer. Administrative procedures must be carried out for the installation of a hydrothermal heat pump.

There are also reversible heat pumps that can either heat or cool a space depending on the outside temperature.

Installation

The connection is made by a heating engineer, the technical constraints are different depending on the type of heat pump to be installed. L’insulation housing is essential before any installation of a new heating system, the installation of the heat pump will be the next step in order to be able to save energy.

It is important to determine a good location for the heat pump, the heating engineer will take into account the sound impact of the installation which will be more or less noisy depending on the model. The exterior wall of the garage is generally a wise choice considering that it is a low traffic area. However, it is necessary to check that neighbors’ homes are far enough away. Recent heat pump models are quieter, their performance is better and their design modern.

The installation of a heat pump is possible on an already existing heating network such as for example at fuel oil or gas. In this case, the professional checks the compatibility different devices. However, if the existing heating is electric or drink, additional costs are to be expected.

Financial aid is possible knowing that the installation of a heat pump is part of the category of renovations energetic.

Maintaining a heat pump

Regularly, heat pumps must be serviced every 2 or 5 years, depending on the model and in particular the power of the heat pump. Some choose to take out a maintenance contract with a professional. The price to be expected for maintenance is between 150 € and 250 € per year. A heat pump has a duration life of 17 years.