Whether you’re a homeowner or own a commercial property, you’ve probably already considered whether the heating system you currently use is the best option for your needs. Especially given the widespread news coverage of rising energy prices and heating bills, choosing the option that makes your building run as efficiently as possible is vital.
Along with the aforementioned rising energy bills, increasing focus is being put on finding more eco-friendly heating sources. One option that has been widely discussed is to start using heat pumps. If you’re unsure what these are or are concerned about how they compare to more traditional forms of central heating such as gas and oil-fired boilers, continue reading this blog post from Accurate Mechanical Services.
Why are Heat Pumps Becoming Popular?
The national conversation regarding sustainable heating options has been elevated by the UK Government stating its intention to move away from a reliance on gas and oil boilers. This process will begin with a ban on installing these boilers within new-build houses from 2025. This decision has been taken because of the negative environmental impact that oil, gas and combi boilers have on the climate. Both systems create carbon emissions, which accelerate the rate of global warming.
Heat pumps are the option that has been most widely recommended for use in the UK because they are a much more sustainable way of heating domestic or commercial properties. This eco-friendly heating alternative has a reduced carbon footprint due to its use of natural heat found in the air or under the ground. Therefore, commercial heating engineers such as Accurate Mechanical Services expect heat pumps to become much more common in UK homes in the coming years. To find out how a heat pump works, please refer to our previous blog post.
However, due to questions regarding the comparisons between traditional boilers and heat pumps, some property owners are cautious about switching from the gas or oil boilers they’re currently using.
4 Ways to Compare Gas Boilers and Heat Pumps
One of the best ways to understand whether you should switch to heat pumps or request boiler maintenance and repair services instead to keep your existing heating system working efficiently is to compare the two options directly. Here at Accurate Mechanical Services, we believe that the best way to do this is to discuss how both forms of domestic and commercial heating systems compare in four key areas.
- Efficiency – Gas boilers produce around 1kWh for every kW of electricity used. In comparison, an air source heat pump can achieve 3kWh of usable heat for every 1kW of electricity, which is a 300% increase in efficiency.
- Eco-Friendliness – As mentioned above, the most important reason to use heat pumps is their increased sustainability. Gas boilers produce around 215g of CO2 per kWh of delivered heat, whereas ground source heat pumps only produce approximately 11g of CO2 per kWh of delivered heat. This massive reduction means that the carbon footprint of your building is significantly reduced without having an impact on the quality of your heating.
- Cost – No matter which option you choose, the charges of your heating system are made up of the installation price and its running costs. These costs vary depending on the specifics of your property and how you use it. Due to their more complicated installation process, heat pumps have an increased installation cost. However, as noted above, they are incredibly efficient, leading to a 35% reduction in energy bills compared to gas and oil boilers.
- Funding – Don’t let the increased cost of heat pump installation immediately put you off, as there are schemes available to help you offset this high cost. These funding schemes are open to almost any type of homeowner or landlord, so if you’re interested, enquire with your local domestic and commercial heating experts.
When to Start Using Heat Pumps
As discussed above, gas and oil boiler installations will be banned in new build houses in the UK from 2025. If your boiler isn’t reliable enough anymore, failing to maintain a constant temperature, or you want to reduce your building’s carbon emissions, switching to heat pumps now is a great idea. Alternatively, set up regular commercial boiler repairs and servicing, and the reliability of your current system may improve.
Request a Boiler Service or Heat Pump Installation
Hopefully, reading this blog post has helped you understand how using a heat pump system could benefit you and your property. Whether you are interested in air or ground source heat pumps or are looking to request regular gas boiler services, Accurate Mechanical Services can help. Contact us today to learn more about the services that our gas safe registered engineers can provide, including air conditioning, ventilation and other HVAC solutions.