Air source heat pump installation explained
The heat pump installation process explained from start to finish.
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What does it take to install an air source heat pump?
We understand that a heat pump installation can seem a little daunting at first. That’s why we’ve created this article to explain what goes into the installation process.
Each installation is unique as it’s designed specifically for your home and requirements. A typical install can take 4 – 5 days. This estimate is more easily predicted after you’ve been through the design process.
We’ve also written a handy article about what you should look for when choosing your installer.
Enquiry & consultation
We run through your requirements and discuss the options available to you and provide you with a detailed quotation.
Our trained and experienced consultants are available to help you regardless of whether you only need a few simple questions answered or if you need a more in-depth technical discussion.
We find our customers will usually speak to our consultants on average 3-5 times over a period of 2-4 weeks, prior to the point that they are ready to place their order. This part of your journey will allow you have all the knowledge and confidence to continue with your journey. We will work at your pace.
In addition, with discussions with our consultants we will ask you a number of questions regarding your home, your lifestyle and your reasons as to why you’re considering a heat pump, to ensure a heat pump is right for you and your home. If your home is not immediately suitable, our consultants will give you guidance on the preparations that may need to be made, in order for you to get the most from the installation of a heat pump.
Once all information has been gathered and confirmed, we can then carry out an initial system design suitable to you and your home’s needs.
Let the journey begin
Once research is complete and you decide that EDF Heat Pumps is the right choice, you are now ready to place your order.
Your journey begins by securing your order with a 10% deposit. In most cases the deposit is paid over the phone by Credit or Debit card*, or if you prefer you can make a bank transfer. You will then be sent a Contract and consent form, for you to fully complete, express sign and return.
Once deposit has been made, we will then register you with HIES Consumer Protection. We will send you an email introducing you to your designated member of our pre-assigned Customer Operations team, they will be your main point of contact and customer liaison until completion of your installation. The Operations team are responsible to ensure your journey continues smoothly and effectively. They will be in contact at various stages of your journey to arrange dates for technical assessments and installation and any other updates that may be required.
Your designated member will also send you an email to ensure you are up fully updated with your progress and inform you at each stage of the installation, plus will also be available to take your calls and message throughout your journey.
Agreeing an assessment and install date
Your Customer Operations Liaison team will hand pick an installer from our national Heat Pump Installer Network (HPIN) that is best suited to both the specification of your heat pump system and your location.
Once we have a date from the installer, we will contact you to agree a date for their visit to your home whereby they will gather all the technical information, take photos, to enable our design engineers to carry out a technical assessment to establish the feasibility of installing a heat pump.
With regards to new build properties, it is possible for us to carry out the technical assessment and in house design process from detailed plans. However, will require to visit the site/property to discuss installation and further information that may be required nearer the first fix requirement.
New Build
If you’re embarking on a new build project, we understand project time scales are different depending on where you are with the build. We also like to be prepared and help with the pace of your project, to do this we will get your design completed and signed off as soon as we can. This will enable the 1st fix which includes the plumbing & cabling to be installed where required, before the start of installation. Then when you have the electric and water connections ready, the 2nd fix which includes the heat pump installation and commissioning can be completed.
Technical Assessment
On the date and time, we agreed with you, your installer will visit your home to collect all the data, measurements, and photographs for our design team to carry out the system design.
The visit is purely for data collection and for the installer to notify the design team of any potential challenges and details to ensure the most effective installation of your new heating system.
It is highly likely that you will have a few questions for the installer, however, until the system has been designed and planned there are some questions the installer will not be able to answer at this stage.
At this stage of the technical assessment, the installer is required to be with you for approximately 2 hours. They will require access to every room in the property to take measurements ie: the thickness of your walls, the levels of installation, the condition and insulation properties of your windows and will inspect many aspects of your existing plumbing and electrical supply, to ensure the understanding of your home requirements.
Design Heat Loss Calculations
The heat loss calculations are the most important part of the journey, the information gathered from the Technical Assessment Plans is used to precisely design and specify your heat pump system.
The rate at which your home loses heat dictates the size and feasibility of the solution for your home. We will only ever install a heat pump in homes where the heat pump can efficiently overcome the heat loss in your home.
In a vast majority of cases, after a successful heat loss calculation, our design engineers will complete a full system design, which will provide the installers with a comprehensive installation plan. This will ensure that we create the very best outcome for you and your home.
This process not only ensures you have a warm home at all levels of comfort but also involves you in the locations of equipment, cylinders, pipework, cables etc. Making sure we get your approval before the installation design documents are sent to the installer, to ensure that there are no surprises on installation day. Its in your best interest as well as ours to make sure you give this process your full attention to ensure the allocation of your project may stop any delays and extra costs, if the design time is wasted.
At this point we are able to identify situations of homes that are not feasible for heat pump installations and then make recommendations of improvements to the insulation levels of the property if required. In the unlikely event that it is not feasible to install a heat pump in your home.
Quality check
Following the feasibility check and complete system design, you will be provided with the Design Document including the System Performance Estimate, and the Noise Assessment.
We will run through the location of the heat pump, components, both inside and outside of your home. We’ll also discuss the options of the base for the outdoor part of the heat pump. It may be that the heat pump can stand on an existing patio area. During this stage, we will be able to answer any specific technical questions regarding your system of the location of any of the component parts.
Once everything is agreed, we will ask you to sign everything off so that we can move on to the next stage and agree on installation date.
Install products purchased, delivered and confirmed
5 weeks prior to your installation beginning, you will be invoiced for all your heat pump system products.
Once payment is received, your system components will be picked and packed onto pallets ready for delivery. The utmost preparation and care are taken to ensure that your system arrives at your home complete and in perfect condition so that your installation can be completed. Delivery will be scheduled at a convenient time before you installation.
Ease of access to the storage area is vital, some of the heavy products will be delivered using a wheeled trolley which can only travel over a relatively flat surface. If you have any fencing that would restrict essential access, please have this removed before we arrive. If you have a manicured lawn area, we will do our best to avoid it, but if no other access is available, it is your responsibility to provide boards to place over the lawn to prevent or limit damage.
There is no need for you to assist in the unloading of equipment from the delivery vehicle as everything will be done.
Installation
The day has finally arrived for your heat pump installation to begin!
Your installation team will arrive at your property, prior to any works begin. They will run through exactly what they are going to do and when. They will endeavour to keep disruption to an absolute minimum and will discuss and agree the times that you will be without heating or hot water, whilst the work is carried out.
The installers will follow the installation plan created by our design team, in line with the Design Document. They will confirm the location of the heat pump system, and the location of all internal components. They will then lay carpet protector in all the areas in which they will be walking and working.
The installers will keep you informed as to what work has been done and what will happen next. Likewise, when a job spans over several days, they will tidy up at the end of each day.
Some customers are surprised by how much equipment and space is required, there are a lot of components to a properly specified heat pump system, but don’t worry, the installation will be very neat and tidy once completed.
At this stage of this process, you are required to pay the remainder of the balance of the total cost. Please feel free to ask any questions.
Handover
Once the installation is complete, the installer will show you around the system and will explain briefly what each part of the system does and how it all works.
The installer will explain how to carry out basic maintenance.
The installers will set up your system as per the design, for maximum efficiency. Nothing is left for you to set or adjust. The only aspects you may wish to change depending on the season or lifestyle would be the timing of when the heating comes on or goes off, or when the hot water is heated.
You will be provided with a controller tutorial so that you know exactly how to use and control your new heating system. Ask as many questions as you need to at this stage, it is very important to us that you are happy with how to operate your new heating system. After explaining how everything works, they will hand you pack containing all the associated paperwork, manuals and guides.
MCS registration and aftersales
The final stage of your journey is carried out by your designated customer pperations liaison administrator back in the office after the installation has been completed.
They will register your system with the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS). Once the system has been registered for warranty, we will issue you with your guarantees and all completion certificates. This will be posted to you on a USB storage stick for your ease and convenience. Your installation is now complete! You can now enjoy the many years of low carbon heat and the ongoing saving as new electricity tariffs are introduced specifically for heat pump users.
However, this is not goodbye! We will keep in touch to keep you up to date with any information that might benefit you and your installation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What determines the size and type of hot water cylinder, I’m going to get, and can I use my existing one?
There are hundreds, if not thousands of variations of size and type of hot water cylinder, so it’s important that we specify the right one for you and your home.
The process of specifying the right hot water cylinder begins with understanding the hot water demand for the property. We not only look at the number of people living in the property, but also the number of baths and showers that could theoretically all be in use at one time. The next stage is to specify the type of hot water cylinder.
If we’re supplying a new hot water cylinder it will either be very similar in appearance to a traditional cylinder, or it’ll be an integrated unit which looks more like an appliance due to the square metal casing. An integrated unit has a stainless steel domestic hot water tank of 180 or 230L combined with the internal unit of the heat pump with a very smart appearance and easy to install. It benefits from a small installation footprint of just 600 x 600mm, meaning that it’ll fit through airing cupboard doors and will sit nicely inside the cupboard. All access to service components is from the front making it easy to maintain.
The type of hot water cylinder is only suited to hydro-split and High temp systems that consist of an indoor and outdoor unit. It is not comparable with monobloc systems (Daikin). There are situations where keeping your existing hot water cylinder may be an option, this will be explored in the early stages of the consultation and design process.
Are heat pumps noisy?
Great question!
Most people will only be familiar with old air conditioning units which are extremely noisy. You will be surprised how quiet they are! We often have customers visiting our showroom ask if we can switch the unit on, just to realise it’s been on the entire time. With some of the units receiving the quiet mark certification, meaning they’re some of the quietest on the market.
I’ve been told that if I have solar thermal installed you don’t change the cylinder?
We could potentially replace it with a twin-coil cylinder but if we find your cI’ve been told that if I have solar thermal installed you don’t change the cylinder?urrent cylinder works well, well will aim to re-use it and save you some money. If we need to work on the solar thermal system this may incur additional costs.
What dictates the distance that the Heat Pump can be located from a boundary?
In addition to Building Regulations stating that a heat pump needs to be at least 1m from a boundary, the noise assessment and the air flow are the two factors that dictate where the heat pump can and can’t be located. In the unlikely event that the noise assessment suggests 42db or above, planning permission would be required. A reading of 42db or above is only really possible in an enclosed shared courtyard type location, so in most cases noise is not an issue. Air flow must also be considered; if the proposed location results in less than 200mm of space behind the heat pump and less than 1,000mm of space in front of the heat pump then there will not be sufficient air flow to allow the heat pump to work efficiently
Can the outdoor unit be located inside a shed or outbuilding?
No, it cannot. If the heat pump outdoor unit was located in an enclosed space it would extract all of the heat from the air inside the building, effectively turning it into a large fridge/freezer.
Can I have the heat pump further down the garden?
This is possible however there is additional cost involved with dual core pipes and additional cable runs. Speak to the sales team or designers if you wish to discuss this option. Please note we do not do any groundworks so digging trenches and refilling will need to be completed by your builder and would need to be all open and ready for our installation day. Any delay to this not being ready and holding up the installers may incur additional charges. We wish to avoid this by ensuring any pre condition works required before installation day are all noted in your design documents.
What are we responsible for and what we are not?
For further information please refer to your customer requirements document which is issued at the design stage.
Can a heat pump work with solar panels and under floor heating (UFH)?
There are two different types of solar panels, PV and Thermal, so there are two different answers to this question:
- PV solar and Heat pumps. Making your own electricity and storing it in batteries can make a lot of sense when installing an electric heating system such as a heat pump. However, there are many misconceptions around producing electricity from the sun to power a heat pump in the winter and/or at night. The best way to look at it is to consider your electricity bill as a whole over a 12-month period, and not to try to work out or understand what it may or may not be powering at any given point in time, as it will vary on a daily basis. This way you will see how many kWh of electricity you have produced and used over 12 months and how much you’ve not had to pay the electricity company. There is currently no feed in tariff for new PV installations, so it makes the most sense to store the excess electricity in batteries for use at night, instead of exporting it to the grid for nothing. If you do not have batteries installed, you can use an immersion divertor to switch on the immersion heater whenever there is excess electricity being produced so that it can heat your hot water instead of exporting the electricity to the grid for nothing.
- Thermal solar is specifically for heating domestic hot water, it does not contribute to the space heating in any way. Domestic hot water is a 365-day requirement, thermal solar can produce between 40-60% of that need. Even on cloudy days, it will preheat the water before the heat pump gets it up to temperature. If the thermal solar panels only heat the water to 25°c they have still got it halfway to 50°c, therefore halving the cost of heating the water. To combine Thermal solar panels with a heat pump you will require a suitable hot water cylinder which contains two heating coils. If you already have thermal solar installed, we can use your existing cylinder in the majority of cases.
How long is my quote valid?
A quote is valid for 30 days – An order is valid for 20 weeks. Ie the price is for from placing deposit to installation. Any delay on 20 weeks timeframe, the project will need to be requoted.
Can I control my heating and hot water with an app?
Depending on your set up and which manufacturer yes you can have app control. Some options allow you more functionality than others so please speak to the team about this at the point of sale or with your designer.
Can I use my existing Nest / Hive / Tado / Honeywell control for my heating?
We can use most thermostats – yes.
Can I keep my iBoost?
Depending on the product, system, and manufacturer yes, you can still have the iBoost wired to the immersion heater in the cylinder. Please tell your designer so we can add it the installation notes.
I have a vented system; can I change it to an unvented system?
We will aim to keep the system as it is, changing only the cylinder itself. With a vented system, you will likely have pumps in place to boost your water pressure / showers etc and changing the system cause problems.
What shall I do with my old oil tank and oil?
You will need to empty the tank of oil before someone can remove it, you could dispose of the oil at your local recycling centre, or perhaps offer it to a neighbour or the person that buys the tank. We can also provide you with the details of a national company that can remove it for you at additional cost.
Do you do general building and groundworks?
We do not. You will need to engage a separate contractor if you want a concrete base for the heat pump to stand on, or if you require any ground works such as trenching to lay pipework underground, or any other form of building work outside of the usual remit of a heating engineer.
Should you wish to bury pipework underground you will require appropriate pre-insulated and protected pipework which would incur additional material and labour cost. If this is mentioned during the initial enquiry stage it will be factored into your original quotation, if the decision to bury the pipework is made after the original quotation, we will provide you with an updated quotation.
Will you build a base for the heat pump?
If there is a hard standing in place like a block paved patio or shingle drive, we can use that. If a concrete base is required, you will need to have that done before we arrive for installation day. We can provide all the sizes and soak away options via our design department. Or we could possibly install the heat pump on a wall bracket depending on size etc. We would always recommend a soak away too.
What is the timeline for installation after placing an order?
If there are no delays outside of our control, your heat pump system should be installed within 8-12 weeks of placing your order. The timeline and progress of your order is shown at the top of the pages in this guide that explain the process form start to finish.
How much loft insulation is required?
When claiming government grants, the current requirement is a minimum of 270mm in accessible areas. The exception to this is when areas are inaccessible, such as in a loft conversion where either the space is too small to allow 270mm of insulation, or when a space is not accessible.
Technical Assessment - What does it involve?
What it is – Your installer will visit your home to collect all the data, measurements, and photographs for our design team to carry out the Technical Assessment. This visit is purely for data collection and for the installer to notify the design team of any potential challenges and details to ensure the most effective installation of your new heating system.
What it isn’t – It is highly likely that you will have a number of questions for the installer, however until the system has been designed and planned there are some questions the installer will not be able to answer at this stage. Any questions you have will be noted down and forwarded to the design team, and once the system design is underway and member of the design team will get in touch with accurate answers to your questions.
Glossary
Leaving water temp (LWT)
This is the temperature of the water the heat pump is circulating through your system. We set this as per your design to get you the greatest efficiency possible. The lower the leaving water temperature the more efficient the system.
Outside Ambient temperature
In weather, ambient temperature refers to the current air temperature —the overall temperature of the outdoor air that surrounds us. When indoors, ambient temperature is called room temperature. The standard average outside ambient temperature in the UK is 7°c and this is the temperature that most heat pumps systems are designed to work at optimum efficiency. However, we design your heat pump to work at optimum efficiency at -2°c. This means that you will have lower running costs compared to a system designed for optimum performance at 7°c.
Weather Compensation
Weather compensation control system can help the heat pump to work more efficiently and reduce electricity consumption. It monitors both the internal and external temperatures and adjusts the heat pump leaving water temperature accordingly. It can adjust the system leaving water temperature to match a heat output closer to the needs of the home, adjusting the system before the house starts feeling too cold or too hot.
Coefficient of Performance (COP)
COP (Coefficient of Performance) is a measure of efficiency. The efficiency of any machine or system can be calculated as the ratio of amount of work done by the machine to the amount of work given to the machine. In the case of a heat pump, its efficiency is the ratio of useful heat energy produced to electrical energy consumption. A COP of 2.5 means that the heat pump supplies 2.5 times as much heat energy to the system as it consumes in electrical energy.
The first law of thermodynamics tells us that energy can neither be created nor destroyed and this makes it hard to understand how a machine can generate more energy than it consumes. You’ll even find the odd Internet forum where someone states this and claims heat pump efficiency of more than one is “scientifically” impossible. The answer here is that COP measures how efficient a heat pump is at turning electrical energy into usable heat. It doesn’t do this by creating energy or being more than 100% efficient. It does it by using heat energy already present in the outside air. COP will be higher when outside air temperature is higher, as less electrical energy input will be needed to generate a given heat output.
Seasonal Performance Factor (SPF)
Where COP gives us efficiency of a heat pump at any given time, SPF gives us the same but for annual performance of the heat pump. Outside temperature is obviously lower in winter and higher in summer and this affects the amount of work the heat pump needs to do. At lower outside temperatures the heat pump will need more electrical energy to produce a given heat output, meaning that the system is less efficient.
As a result, the COP will be different through the seasons and SPF encompasses this by considering the annual performance of the system. The SPF of a heat pump is the ratio of annual heat generated to the annual electricity consumed for the operation of the heat pump.
As a formula this is calculated as:
SPF = Total heat output per annum / Total electricity consumed per annum
SPF tells how efficient a heat pump is on average.