Before choosing an air heat pump or any kind of heating device, it is important to identify the key factors that make it possible to choose the best device to meet your needs.
Before choosing the air heat pump, the following points should be clarified:
- The size of the heated area in square meters.
- Whether you want to use the air heat pump as the main or auxiliary heater.
- Whether the heated house is your permanent or seasonal (cottage) residence.
- What temperature you want to keep in the room.
- Indoor air quality (plasma filters, ionizer, UV filter).
- What price would be suitable for the air heat pump.
- A noise level – do you want a very quiet air heat pump?
- The design – do you want a product with a beautiful design or practicality is more important?
- COP or an efficiency factor.
You should certainly take into account whether you are using a house, an apartment, a holiday cottage permanently, or visiting it from time to time.
What is the coefficient of performance of the heat pump?
COP = The heat generated must be divided by the electricity used, that is, if the COP is 4, then the heat pump has generated 4kWh of heat with 1kWh of electricity.
The heat pump is one of the most efficient heating devices. For example, for an electric heater, the COP value is up to 1, i.e. it generates 1 kWh of heat from 1kWh of electricity. The COP value is given in catalogues according to the Eurovent Certification conditions at the outside temperature of +7°C, at an internal temperature of 20°C when device operates at full power. When these conditions change, the heat output of the device also changes.
How to compare different offers?
You may have a lot of questions when choosing the heat pump for the first time and it can be difficult to make a final decision, as there is a very wide range of air heat pumps available. To make your selection process easier, Cooper & Hunter has created this article.
As a rule, the heat pump is sold based on the size of the surface area to be heated, and sellers offer pumps of different prices on assumption of that heated area. The price difference is caused by the difference of power capacity of the pump designed for the same heated area, depending on the heat demand for 1 m2.
When comparing different devices, it is better to do it based on a nominal capacity, since the principles of calculation are the same for all manufacturers. The price of different devices can only be compared if, under the same conditions, they give the same amount of heat, that is, the nominal heat output of these devices is the same. Generally, less powerful device is cheaper.
Thermal power of the heat pump depends on the outdoor temperature.
A noise level of the heat pump.
How to choose power of the air heat pump?
When choosing the power, the following factors must be taken into account:
- Size of a dwelling house, insulation, planning, where it is technically possible to install internal and external parts.
- What temperature will be kept in the room.
- Whether you want to cool during the summer.
- Which heating system you want to combine with the air heat pump.
It should be taken into account that conditions of insulation of the house/building are also important when choosing the pump. In case of poor thermal insulation, the pump with a higher nominal capacity must be selected, and, in case of very good thermal insulation, it is possible to heat a larger surface with the same pump.
[table “” not found /]
The choice of power should be based on the fact that the average energy demand of a private house in Estonia is 60-70 W/m2. In case of newer buildings, where the modern materials are used, 45 W/m2 can be taken into account.
INVERTER or ON-OFF device?
What is winter equipment?
Unfortunately, the market is facing offers where the winter equipment is being sold as a so-called accessory. When selling heat pumps in Estonia, the availability of both winter equipment and a steering wheel should be self-explanatory. The heat pump is generally purchased for heating at cold temperatures. When buying the pump, it is also worth paying attention to which are the minimum outside temperatures to operate the pump in a heating mode.
