Air Source Heat Pump FAQs

A heat pump uses the principles of thermodynamics to absorb energy from the surrounding environment and converts it into usable energy which can provide heating for our homes.

There are two types of air source heat pump – ‘air to air’ and ‘air to water’. The Grant Aerona³ uses an air to water system which utilises heat energy captured from the air in ‘wet’ heating system radiators or underfloor heating.

The process uses the same vapour/compression cycle that extracts heat in a domestic fridge. A refrigerant with a low boiling point is exposed to external air temperatures in an evaporator. The liquid boils off to a gas and absorbs the latent heat energy of the air. This gas is then compressed increasing the heat content in the refrigerant, before passing through a heat exchanger where it condenses back to a liquid state while transferring the heat to the water of the heating system. The liquid refrigerant is then re-circulated through the evaporator and the cycle is repeated.

Yes, the heat source used by Grant Aerona³ heat pumps is entirely renewable which helps reduce the amount of harmful greenhouse gases being released into the atmosphere and, in so doing, lowers the carbon footprint of the household. Heat pump renewable energy is just one way households can lower their carbon emissions. 

An air source heat pump needs to be located outside in the open air and sufficient space must be allowed around the unit (1000mm from front and sides, 300mm from back) so air can flow freely into it. The unit also needs to be installed on a flat trowelled finished concrete base 150mm thick and this base should extend at least 100mm beyond the unit on three sides. Full details are given in the Installation and Servicing instructions supplied with any Grant Aerona³ air source heat pump.

A heat pump will perform better on a south facing elevation as it will be exposed to warmer ambient temperatures because of the orientation of the sun. The north face of a building will usually have colder ambient air than any other side so, to ensure maximum efficiency from a Grant Aerona heat pump, position the unit on a warmer side and preferably south facing. 

Ground level is preferable but not essential as this allows ease of access for servicing and maintenance. Shielding of the heat pump is acceptable providing the minimum clearances set out in the manual are adhered to. All heat pumps make a noise so take opening windows and doors into account as well when considering the final position of your heat pump.

Grant’s latest generation of air source heat pumps uses R32 refrigerant which has a GWP which is considerably lower than other typical heat pump refrigerants such as R410. In addition to having a lower GWP figure of 675, R32 is a single-component refrigerant which means it has no temperature glide. Refrigerant blends that have two or more components exhibit temperature glide but as R32 only has one molecule in its formation, its saturated liquid and vapor temperatures are the same. By removing the risk for the refrigerant to suffer from glide, the system can recharge and recycle with greater ease, making it more efficient.

Air source heat pumps must be correctly sized to ensure that it can provide the required amount of heat output at the design conditions – typically when the outside temperature is at -3°C. To do this an installer must first accurately determine the heat loss from the property and then, using this information, correctly select the required size of heat pump based on the design outside air temperature. Grant UK can assist with sizing the heat pump model and the heat loss of your building.

During winter months when it is particularly cold, condensation can form and freeze on the finned evaporator coil of the unit. It is a normal occurrence and the heat pump is designed to cope with this. The control system will detect when the coil has iced up and will automatically enter a ‘defrost’ cycle. During this short ‘defrost’ period the fan will stop and the heat pump will cease supplying heat to the heating system in order to melt the ice. On completion the fan and heat pump will automatically restart and resume supplying heat to the heating system. This will not adversely affect the building temperature.

Heat pumps use either one or two fans to draw air through the unit to extract the heat energy. These fans will produce a moderate sound level that might be perceived by some as a nuisance, either by the occupants of the building with the heat pump system, or the neighbours. In particular this may be a greater problem at night when background noise is much lower. Careful choice of the heat pump location can help to minimise or eliminate the potential nuisance, e.g. not too close to bedroom windows (particularly with a bungalow) or too close to a neighbour’s boundary or property. Two of our latest models, the Aerona³ R32 13kW and 17kW heat pumps have achieved the Quiet Mark, an accolade which recognises some of the quietest, high performing products in the market.

Your household electricity consumption will increase using an air source heat pump. However there will usually be no gas or oil bill to pay to heat the house, unless a bivalent heating system is chosen (combining the heat pump with a gas or oil-fired boiler as a backup heat source). You should therefore consider the overall cost of heating, i.e. the increased electricity cost compared with the saving in oil or gas bills.

Where electricity is the only energy source used, a change to the electricity tariff might be possible enabling the heat pump to run more economically. It is always worth enquiring with your energy provider, as depending upon your electricity demand, they may have a plan that is more suitable e.g. Economy 10.

Yes, all models within the Grant Aerona³ range are MCS approved.

All of the Grant Aerona³ R32 air source heat pumps have been approved by CEN KEYMARK, an independent European certification mark for all heat pumps, combination heat pumps and hot water heaters.

Yes, Grant's Aerona³ air source heat pumps will be eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grants provided the installation fulfils the eligibility criteria.

Normal domestic heating controls, such as a 2-channel programmer, room thermostat and cylinder thermostat are suitable for use with Grant air source heat pumps.

Grant heat pumps should be serviced annually. Failure to do so will invalidate the product guarantee.

Yes, air source heat pumps can be installed with radiators but the radiators must be correctly sized for the lower water flow temperature. It is important that the system is designed correctly and you can speak to your installer or a member of our Design Team to discuss this further. 

When installing an air source heat pump, a hot water cylinder that is compatible with heat pumps must be selected and, more often than not, an existing cylinder will not be suitable.

It is important that consumers understand that an air source heat pump system differs to a traditional central heating system, such as a gas or oil boiler. They use electricity to power them, they are a low temperature heating system and the system design is different to that of a traditional heating system.

Grant air source heat pumps feature an in-built 'Defrost' function which automatically operates to assist the heat pump when external temperatures drop below 0˚C. In brief, the defrost cycle reverses the heat pump's operation to direct hot refrigerant vapour back into the ice covered evaporator causing any ice to melt.

In brief, a Monovalent system is when a heat pump covers the whole heating load whereas a Bivalent system is when a heat pump is combined with another heat source.

An air source heat pump cost will vary for each installation because every home and property is different. The size of heat pump model required, the type of heat emitter installed and any energy-efficiency measures that may need to be implemented can all affect the cost of installing a heatpump system. Your installer should carry out a thorough assessment of your home, calculating its heating demand and hot water requirements as well as determining the heat loss from your property - this will enable them to provide you with an in-depth quote for a new air source heat pump installation. It is recommended to obtain quotations from more than one installer so to find local heat pump installers near to you, please use our Find an Installer online search.

It is possible to save money on all fuel types by either improving a home's thermal insulation, reducing the room temperature, shopping around for a better energy deal or upgrading to a more energy efficient heating system.

Between 1st April 2022 through to 31st March 2027, the rate of VAT on the installation of certain energy saving materials, such as a heat pump, is 0%. If you have a heat pump installed at your home during this period and you live in Great Britain, you should not have to pay VAT.

An air source heat pump installation is different to installing a typical fossil fuel heating system. The first step your installer will need to take will be an in-depth assessment of your home, its space heating and domestic hot water requirements, as well as a room-by-room heat loss calculation. Next, the system will need to be correctly designed with the specification of the air source heat pump sizing and heat emitter sizing - your installer will carry out this step and Grant UK's in-house Design and Specification Team can support them. Provided the heat pump installation falls within permitted development for planning permission and once the DNO application is approved, your heat pump's installation can commence. Please note, if you install a Connect and Notify heat pump such as the Aerona³ 6kW, 10kw or 13kW models, your installer will only need to notify your local DNO once the system is commissioned. Every heat pump installation is different so to learn more about your home's specific requirements for a new air source heat pump, please contact local air source heat pump installers. You may also find our vLog here of interest as well, which follows one family as they transition from a gas central heating system to a renewable heat pump. 

Looking after your Grant air source heat pump is straightforward. There are some steps, such as visual checks and annual servicing, that homeowners can follow to maintain a heat pump and help it to perform most efficiently.