The Air Source Heat Pump has become one of the most popular eco-friendly and efficient ways to heat the home in Scotland. Many homeowners are increasingly looking into investing into a Heat Pump system for their home. Many are attracted by some of the grants the government offers to help finance these systems. We’ll talk you through the basics of Heat Pumps and the available Grants.
What are Air Source Heat Pumps?
Air Source Heat Pumps is a heating system which works by moving the warm air outside into your home. This can be used to heat up radiators, underfloor heaters or provide hot water. Unlike a boiler system, it does not burn or convert energy or fuel into heat.
There are two kinds of Air Source Heat Pump. Air to Water and Air to Air – Air to Water being the more popular kind of system as it can provide hot water as well as air.
How They Work
The Heat Pump works by absorbing the heat and turning it into a liquid which is in turn compressed and passed into your homes heating system.
With an Air to Water System, the heat is distributed through your central heating system. It’s best suited for underfloor heating or large radiators. An Air-to-Air system on the other hand uses fans to circulate the heat around your home. In general, Air to Air systems is a lot more limited than Air to Water systems.
This can take a little longer to fully heat your home than a traditional boiler system, meaning it must be run for slightly longer.
The Benefits
Air Source Heat Pumps have a range of major benefits which have helped to secure them a position as one of the most popular means of heating the home.
Firstly, a Heat Pump is carbon friendly. Since it doesn’t turn energy into heat and simply moves existing heat into the home, it burns no carbon. The only energy that is used is for the electronic functions of the Pump, and if this electric energy is produced by a renewable source, then there is no carbon emission produced. This means if you’re concerned about the environment or greenhouse gasses, then a heat pump is a fantastic option.
Air Source Heat Pumps will heat your home and your hot water for a lower price than a boiler and furthermore, cut out matters such as fuel delivery.
Heat Pumps furthermore are low maintenance. They don’t have the same number of moving parts as a boiler and so don’t require the same kind of consistent attention or care. In the long term, this can save a significant amount of money, time, and stress since there isn’t the need for constant repairs. What maintenance is required is limited and simple, and in the case of a break, components are cheap and easy to access.
And furthermore, they provide the option for fantastic financial grants from the government, which can help make up for the cost of installing the pump in the first place.
What Grants and Financial Aid are available?
The Government can provide you with financial help through their Renewable Heat Initiative (RHI) scheme. The purpose of the scheme has been to encourage people to move from their older, C02 and carbon emitting systems to renewable energy-based systems. The scheme lasts for seven years and provides you with financial support if you own a renewable heating system.
Air Source Heat Pumps Scotland are eligible for the RHI. Only Air-to-Water Heat Pumps, however, are eligible. Air-to-Heat can’t produce hot water, and for this reason they do not fit into the scheme.
Eligibility requires your Heat Pump to be Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certified (and have a MCS certificate). Your Heat Pump Installer should provide you with this certification once they’ve installed the Heat Pump system. This means it’s vital to get a professional who can provide MCS certified products, since otherwise you may not be eligible for the scheme. Furthermore, it’s vital you hold onto your certification.
You can end up saving a significant amount of money with the aid of this government scheme and can help reimburse some of the money you spend on installing the system. The government provides a calculator which can help you figure out how much you’ll get from your RHI payments. Payments can range from £500 per year to as high as £2,900. This makes it a superb deal.
Applying for RHI
To apply for RHI, you’ll need to fill out an RHI application form. This can be submitted to Ofgem, the energy regulator. It’s free to apply online and there’s no need for any fee. You can also do this over the phone by calling 0300 003 0744.