Using an air-to-air heat pump to reduce your gas consumption
You want to use less gas and still have a comfortably heated home with an efficient use of energy? Preferably without the need for large-scale renovations? Today that's possible: the new air-to-air heat pumps from Zonnefabriek offer exactly that! We're happy to introduce them to you.Helping our customers use less fossil fuels and save money at the same time: at Zonnefabriek we've been committed to this goal for more than 15 years. We do this mainly with solar panels, but also increasingly with other products such as home battery storage systems, EV-charging stations, heat pump boilers, etc. And now we have a new product that can help: the air-to-air heat pump.
What is an air-to-air heat pump?
An air-to-air heat pump is similar to an air conditioner: it's a device that hangs on the wall and blows out air. That air can be cool, like with air conditioning, but it can also be warm: that's why they're an ideal replacement for gas heating. The name 'air-to-air' has to do with the source from which the heat is extracted (the outside air) and the medium to which the heat is released (the air in the home). As a comparison: our heat pump boilers contain 'air-to-water' heat pumps, because the heat comes from the outside air and is transferred to the water in the boiler tank.
Heat pumps are especially interesting because they are very efficient in converting electricity into heat. The COP (Coefficient of Performance) indicates how high the efficiency is. A regular electric heater has a COP of 1, while these air-to-air heat pumps have a COP of 4 to 5 or higher, and therefore produce heat 4 to 5 times more efficiently.
What does an air-to-air heat pump look like?
The air-to-air heat pump consists of at least two parts: an outdoor unit and one or more indoor units. A pipe with coolant and a power cable runs between the outdoor unit and the indoor unit(s). Because of that power cable the indoor units do not require their own cable with plug and socket.
Daikin floor-mounted air-to-air heat pump
The indoor units come in two versions: as a wall-mounted air conditioner or as a floor model. The floor model resembles a classic radiator in terms of shape and placement. You can get a combination of floor and wall-mounted models installed in your home. The ducts between the units are generally mounted along the outside wall.
What's an air-to-air heat pump system like in real life?
Our installer Daniel at the office in Dordrecht
For Zonnefabriek it's important to only sell a product once we have tested it ourselves. Our technician Daniel installed his air-to-air heat pumps himself at home in the Hoeksche Waard a few months ago. He installed both a floor-mounted and a wall-mounted model. So, how does he like it so far? “Very much,” says Daniel, “Now that it is getting a little colder, we can heat the entire house with these two units. If we've been away and it's cold when we get home, we turn them on and it gets nice and warm in no time. The floor model is also very nice because the warm air spreads out over the floor. That way your feet stay nice and warm when you're sitting at the dining table.” And what about the noise: do you hear the whirring of fans all over the place? “No, you hardly hear anything. The outdoor unit also makes surprisingly little noise, even though it has a large fan. They talk about the system having a 'whisper-quiet operation' and that turns out to be true," says Daniel.
And what about the gas consumption at his home: has he noticed it going down? “Yes, absolutely,” says Daniel, “we used gas only for heating anyway because we have a heat pump boiler for the hot water from the taps” (also an interesting product from Zonnefabriek by the way, about which we wrote earlier) “but since installing this system, we haven't had to use gas at all so far. If it really gets colder later in the year, we'll probably have to turn on the gas heater, but not for the time being.”
As far as Daniel is concerned, the system is highly recommended. To be able to install them, he has obtained his certificate as a STEK technician (STEK = STichting Emissiepreventie Koudetechniek, i.e. the Foundation for Prevention of Emissions in Refrigeration Technology), which means that he can safely handle the refrigerant gases in the lines between the units.
Could an air-to-air heat pump be an interesting product for you?
The outdoor unit of the heat pump at Daniel's home (He's still working on tidying up the loose hanging pipes!)
The air-to-air heat pump is primarily a way to drastically reduce gas consumption in an existing home, without completely removing the existing gas heater. With a few indoor units you can bring the home to a pleasant temperature without any use of natural gas. The system is also beneficial for your wallet: the air-to-air heat pump's high efficiency ensures that heating costs remain low. And finally, the air-to-air heat pump has the advantage that it can also work in reverse: on hot summer days the same system can cool the home.
So what do you think, could it be something for you, an air-to-air heat pump system? On our product page you will find more information about the different models, and you can also download information from the manufacturer. And if you want to know more about them, don't hesitate: our consultants are happy to answer all your questions.