Air Source Heating

[viking]

Advice please! Has anyone installed an air-source heating system? How good is it? Thanks.

[Southern-Gal]

We have a grants air source heat pump, air to wet with underfloor heating. Very easy to use and run with virtually no maintenance costs.

[cptdodger]

We had air ground source heating put in by the council in 2011. We eventually had to move because the heating costs just about trebled. We don't think it worked properly from day one. It was a NIBE system that was installed, as far as I know (I hope) the council does not use these systems any more. There was a programme on the 6th of October, (BBC Rip of Britain) that dealt with complaints about NIBE, if you can get it, it's worth a watch.

[viking]

Hi Both, many thanks for taking the time to reply. Much appreciated.

[davem]

A friend installed one himself, ran fine for 5 years then it broke beyond economic repair and he replaced it with a lot burner!

[viking]

Thanks Davem!

[you]

Yes, have one in Thurso. 18 months old and OK. Air to water heating the radiators.

[dozy]

Air source heat pumps only really work if you have them in a glass lean to that faces South This type of glass greenhouse not only protects the machine from the weather but the raise in air temperature helps greatly with efficiency..

[janeyj]

I have no experience of air source heating Viking but I will add some thoughts into the mix. My first thought is that anything with moving parts could, and eventually will, be problematic and costly. Presumably, air source heating requires a pump run by electricity. Pumps need servicing. They breakdown. If this happens in winter at minus 10 degrees I would hope you have a back-up source of heat. For my 2 cents worth I recommend a combination of a small number of electric storage heaters, for low background heat at nights principally, and a log burner for the daytime. Both heat providers are generally problem free and above all have no moving parts. Life doesn't have to be difficult. I hope you don't mind me sharing my thoughts.

Kind regards

Janey

[viking]

Thanks everyone for asking the time to reply. Your comments are really helpful and we still haven't quite decided though it will definitely be a combination rather than depending on just one system. X