Heat pump installation costs depend on the size of the heat pump and the complexity of the installation. For example, if an indoor air handling unit is installed in each room (area), the average cost of an air source heat pump is between $3,500 and $5,500. The total installation cost of a ducted central air source heat pump system can range from $10,000 to $20,000, depending largely on how many indoor units you need, the size of your home, and whether you need to replace or install the ductwork.
In addition, the amount of this installation fee is also affected by the government policy of the country or region where you live. For example, based on energy transformation plans such as local boiler upgrades, the government may provide certain incentives or subsidies to reduce your upfront costs, such as the air-to-water heat pump subsidy policies in Germany and the United Kingdom. For more detailed information on the subsidy policies of various countries, please get in touch with Power World’s sales consultants for relevant information, or pay attention to your local government policies, or contact your local installer, who will be able to explain this information to you.
Do heat pumps use a lot of electricity?
Most house heating systems either provide heat by burning fuel or converting electricity into heat, but air source heat pump is different. The energy heat( or cool) of heat pumps comes from nature, it only needs to consume a small part of electricity to drive the compressor to work, and then it can be converted into a large amount of heat energy.
For example, a Power World’s heat pump with a COP of 4.72 has a thermal efficiency of 472% compared to a boiler with a thermal efficiency of about 90%, which means that 1KW of electricity can be converted to a maximum of 4.72KW of usable heat. If the average household needs 12,000Kw/h of heat per year, the annual power consumption of a heat pump with a COP of 4.72 is about 2,543Kw/h. Compared with boilers and electric heating systems, it can help users save 75%+ of energy consumption. Therefore, the heat pump is a very efficient and energy-saving heating and cooling equipment. Please note, this data energy consumption of heat pumps depending on the size of house, needs of heating temperature, thermal insulation of the house.
What factors affect the electricity consumption of air source heat pump?
Why do some users feedback that the annual energy consumption of the heat pump they purchased is still very high? This does not mean that the air source heat pump does not heat or that the air source heat pump does not save energy. The power consumption of air source heat pump(ASHP) heating (cooling) is mainly determined by the input power of the unit itself, and is also affected by factors such as regional climate, the terminal units, and house insulation conditions.
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Air Source Heat Pump Input Power
The actual energy consumption of the air source heat pump depends on seasonal coefficient of performance (SCOP) value or Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) value of the heat pump. COP refers to the electric energy consumed by the equipment to generate heat. The higher the COP, the more power the unit will save, which also means higher energy efficiency. The COP of heat pumps on the market is generally around 3, and only a small number of heat pump manufacturers can achieve an energy efficiency ratio of more than 4.5. Therefore, how would you choose an energy-efficient heat pump?
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Regional or Local Climate
The formula for calculating the power consumption of the air source heat pump is W=Q/COP. The air source heat pump uses the air as the heat source, and the temperature and humidity are the factors that affect the COP the most. The temperature and humidity of each region are different, mainly depends on the average ambient temperature and humidity of the heating city in winter, such as the ambient temperature -12°C and -25°C, the heating energy efficiency ratio (COP) of the air source heat pump is different, and the power consumption is also different. The lower the temperature in winter, the lower the COP, and severe cold areas need to use ultra-low temperature air source heat pump. In addition, the weather and humidity will determine the frequency of frosting of the unit, and frosting and defrosting will increase the power consumption.
Therefore, in order to ensure that the heat pump unit can provide stable heating in winter, users should choose a trustworthy heat pump brand with high energy efficiency ratio (High COP) and high defrosting efficiency when choosing a heat pump unit. For example, Power World’s ultra-low temperature EVI Full DC Inverter heat pump, its COP is as high as 4.72, the energy efficiency level reaches A+++, and the unit can intelligently judge whether defrosting is necessary according to the working environment, the defrosting time is very short, and the efficiency is high, which can ensure that the unit can operate in the harsh environment of -30 ℃, and stably output 55 ℃ hot water, saving energy up to 75%.
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The Heat Pump Terminal Units
The heat pump terminal unit is a end devices of heat pump system, such as fan coil unit, floorheating, radiator, hot water tank, etc. In the whole heat pump system, the terminal units will affect the electricity consumption, because of different heating terminal units require different output water temperature. Such as floor heating radiation, its output water temperature require 35~40℃, fan coil unit is is generally 40~45℃, the radiator is above 55℃, and the old cast iron radiator requires higher outlet water temperature. The higher the outlet water temperature, the higher the power consumption. So the air source heat pump with floorheating system is more energy efficient. In addition, different brand of terminal unit different electricity consumption, and it is recommended to purchase a well-known brands.
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House Insulation Conditions
The thermal insulation of the building will affect the calculation of the heat load. For buildings with poor thermal insulation, heat loss needs to be considered when selecting air source heat pump heating capacity, which generally increases the value of the thermal load. Therefore, buildings with good thermal insulation should use an air source heat pump heating consumes less electricity. For more information on how to choose a suitable heat pump, please click on “What is an air source heat pump? Size calculations” or contact us.
In short, the power consumption of the heat pump will be related to the regional or local climate, terminal units, house insulation, and performance of the heat pump( size, cop, other functions, etc.), and there is no fixed power consumption standard.
Tips to reduce the heat pump costs
Keep the outdoor unit clean
The maintenance period of the heat pump is generally recommended to be checked at least once a year. Improper maintenance may increase energy costs by 20% to 30%. Since the heat source of the heat pump comes from the outdoor air, shrubs, fallen leaves and other debris near the unit are easy to block or pollute the filter. Reducing the air flow through the system will reduce the heating efficiency of the unit and may damage the performance of the unit. Therefore, regular Maintenance, be careful not to bend the fins.
Avoid changing the set temperature of the heat pump.
During the operation of the heat pump, if the temperature is frequently adjusted up and down, the heat pump will use more power to heat the water temperature to the set temperature, and when it maintains the same temperature, it will consume less energy. For example, set the thermostat to a specific temperature, such as 40°C or lower, so that the water temperature is effective for heating, do not change it, because when the heat pump is kept at a constant temperature, its electricity consumption is minimal.
Combining heat pumps with solar systems
Although the heat of the heat pump comes from nature, it still needs to use a part of electricity to drive the compressor to work. If the electricity that drives the heat pump comes from electricity produced by the solar system, you can reduce your energy bills and reduce your carbon footprint even more. According to statistics, the use of solar photovoltaic panels can reduce the operating cost of the heat pump by as much as 40%. Of course, the investment and installation cost of the solar system cannot be ignored, but in the long-term operation, the cost can be recovered in 3~5 years, while heat pump systems can be used for up to 15 years, the benefits are the highest in the long run.
A carbon footprint is historically defined as”the total set of greenhouse gas(GHG) emissions caused by an organization, event, product or person”. Some countries have “carbon offset” policies.
Purchase a multifunctional heat pump
Another cost-cutting tip we’re going to talk about here is the heat pump features/functions. Do you know why heat pumps cannot be powered off for long periods of time? The air-to-water heat pump system uses water as an intermediate medium for heat transfer. General heat pumps have an antifreeze function, which can only be turned on when the power is on. In winter, when the temperature is lower than 5°C, if the unit is powered off for a long time, for example, if the power is off for more than 4 hours, it may cause the heat exchanger to freeze and crack, or cause the fluorine circuit system and the water system in the unit to freeze at the same time. If it is frozen, when it is turned on again, the compressor will directly suck the water in the external waterway into the fluorine system, causing the whole unit to be scrapped. When you go out to work or take a short trip, the heat pump at home is normally turned on, which will cause unnecessary energy waste.
In this situation, what if the energy consumption of the heat pump can be minimized? Take Power World’s Full Inverter EVI Heat Pumps for example. This heat pump from Power World has developed a user-friendly Vacation Mode on the basis of the original 3 modes (powerful mode, smart mode, and silent mode). When the unit is turned on, the unit will run at a lower frequency, which is the most energy-saving of the 4 modes. It is our unique patented technology of Power World, and it can help users save more electric bills.
In addition, we recommend users buy an inverter heat pump. Because inverter heat pumps are more energy efficient than ON-OFF heat pumps. When the working condition is between 15°C and 20°C, the heating capacity difference between the inverter heat pump and the ON-OFF heat pump is less than 10%; when the temperature is -15°C, the heating capacity of the inverter heat pump is about 60% higher than that of the ON-OFF heat pump; when the temperature is lower than -25℃, the gap increased to 80%. What’s more, the price of an inverter heat pump is not much different from the price of the ON-OFF heat pump. In a long-term operation, the inverter heat pump can bring more economic benefits to users. For more cost reduction tips, please see more information on our blogs.
