Understanding How to Install an Air Source Heat Pump
An innovative and sustainable way to provide hot water and heating all year round is an air-source heat pump (ASHP). Currently, a lot of people prefer to install an air source heat pump, especially those who are off the main gas grid. If specified properly, this technology can help you achieve significant savings on household energy bills because it is simple and relatively inexpensive to install compared to some renewables.
Air to water heat pumps are a great way to keep your home warm and cool. They are a very high efficiency form of heating, cooling and hot water production. It is important when installing any type of air to water heat pump that you follow the installation instructions closely so that you don’t end up with an air to water heat pump that doesn’t work properly. The following is a simple outline of the basic steps involved in the õhk vesi soojuspumba paigaldus (air water heat pump installation) process.
Step 1 – Measurement
Measure the area in which the air to water heat pump will be installed. Make sure that this measurement equals or exceeds the size of the unit itself. If possible, measure twice because some contractors may make mistakes during the installation process.
Step 2 – Calculate Heating Capacity
The next step in the installation process is to calculate how many BTUs the air to water heat pump will be capable of producing. This calculation is based on the number of square feet in your house and the average temperature of the outside environment. The average temperature can be found by looking at weather charts online. If it is not available, ask your local utility company what the average temperature is where you live.
To find the BTU rating, multiply the total square footage of the house by 7.5. Divide this number by 1000 to get the number of BTUs per hour needed to maintain indoor temperatures. This figure should then be multiplied by the average outside temperature to determine the amount of energy needed each day to keep your house comfortable.
For example, if the house has 3000 square feet and the average outside temperature is 50 degrees F, then the heat pump needs to produce approximately 17,500 BTUs every hour. Add this number to the capacity of the heat pump and multiply it by the number of hours in a year to determine the annual energy output.
Step 3 – Determine Location
Once you know how much energy the heat pump will need to produce, you can now move onto determining where the heat pump should be placed. There are two factors to consider here. First, there is the location of the outdoor unit (most units have one) and second, there is the location of your home’s electrical power source.
If your electric meter faces towards the south, it will probably be best to place the outdoor unit near the south wall of your house. You should also position the outdoor unit as far away from the power source as possible so that it does not draw too much electricity from the main circuit breaker.
If your electric meter faces north, however, it will be better to locate the outdoor unit in the northeast corner of your house. The reason is that the warmer the air gets in the summer months, the more energy the heat pump will use. Therefore, if you put the outdoor unit in the northwest corner of your house, it will not be working as hard as it could be working in the summer.
Step 4 – Selecting the Right Type Of Unit
Now that you have determined the ideal location for the outdoor unit, you must decide whether or not you want to install a split system or a packaged system. A packaged system is a single unit that contains all the components necessary for the entire system. Split systems consist of individual components that can either be mounted above ground or below ground.
There are pros and cons to both types of systems. With a split system, you will only have to pay for the outdoor unit once and you will be able to upgrade the system later on without having to replace the whole thing. However, these systems tend to cost more than packaged units do because they require extra labor costs for assembly.
A packaged system on the other hand, usually comes pre-assembled and ready to go, but it requires a lot more maintenance than split systems. These systems often include a filter, fan motor and condenser coil. In addition, they generally have a higher BTU rating than split systems and they are less likely to experience problems over time.
With a larger budget, I would recommend getting a split system, but if you’re on a tight budget, a packaged unit might be just right. Either way, both options are going to provide you with years of trouble free service, so choose whichever works best for you.
Step 5 – Mounting
Mounting the outdoor unit is extremely important because it determines the performance of the system. If the unit is not securely attached to the ground, it can cause serious damage to the unit and the house. The best way to mount the outdoor unit is to dig a hole deep enough so that the base of the unit sits firmly on the bottom of the hole and about four inches of dirt fills the rest of the hole. Then, secure the unit to the base of the hole using cement or mortar.
Step 6 – Connecting Your House Electrical Circuit
It is critical to connect the outdoor unit directly to your house electrical circuit. If you do not, the heat pump will not work correctly. Once again, the best method of connecting the outdoor unit to the house circuit is to first disconnect the wires coming out of the outdoor unit and then reconnect them to the appropriate terminals on the backside of the circuit breaker box.
Step 7 – Finishing Touches
Finally, you will need to run some cables between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit. Depending on the model of the unit you purchased, you may need to run some copper wire through walls or ceilings or around corners. Again, you should consult the manufacturer’s instructions to see exactly how to accomplish this task.
The best part about installing an air to water heat pump is that it won’t cost you nearly as much as a new furnace or HVAC system. On top of that, it provides the same services as those systems and it is a much cleaner option overall. So, if you are thinking about installing a heat pump, give it a try!
