Looking for a heat pump?

The smart way to reduce your water heating and power bills in Western Australia!

Heat pumps Perth water heater allows you to halve your hot water heating costs. They are environmentally friendly as they rely on renewable energy and have a lower operating cost.

Why you should you choose to install a heat pump?

One major benefit of heat pump systems compared electric or gas storage systems is that not only they are less expensive to run, but you can also save more money than with any other setup. We have a wide range of heat pump brands available for you that can easily be combined with your solar panels setup.

How does a heat pump water heater works?

A hot water heater, also sometimes referred as a cumulus thermodynamic, is a rather large piece of equipment that allows you to produce hot water for your home from the outside ambient air. It works like an aerothermal heat pump, which uses the energy in the air to heat up a transfer fluid.

To raise the temperature between the cold source (the environment) and the hot source (the house), the heat pump uses a refrigerant.

This is alternately evaporated and condensed in a closed circuit. This is how it works in detail:

• Evaporator: The fluid vaporises under the effect of the heat of the environment (air).

• Compressor: The pressure of the fluid increases, which raises its temperature.

• Condenser: The fluid condenses. The energy released is distributed through the hot water system and the home.

• Expansion valve: The pressure of the fluid decreases and its temperature drops.

The compressor is the biggest energy consumer in a heat pump, but it can also generate more thermal energy than what it takes in in the end. The whole point of a heat pump is to create more energy than it uses.

To summarise:

1. A fan draws air containing heat energy in the heat pump, through an evaporator

2. This evaporator transforms the liquid refrigerant into a gas

3. A compressor inside the heat pump pressurises this refrigerent into a hot gas

4. The hot gas produced heats up the hot water inside the storage tank

5. The refrigerant then turns back into a liquid to repeat the process

The different types of heat pumps available on the market

All heat pumps work on the same principle. They extract heat from the environment (cold source) and then increase its temperature to release it into the home (hot source).

“Aerothermal” heat pumps (air-to-air and air-to-water), capture heat from the outside air. In the case of an air-to-air heat pump, the heat is distributed indoors by forced convection (hot air blown into the home).

In the case of an air-to-water heat pump, the heat is distributed through the central heating network (underfloor heating or radiators). It can of course contribute to the heating of hot water with an electric booster and significantly reduce your bills.

How powerful is a heat pump water heater?

A thermodynamic water heater combines an aerothermal heat pump with a hot water tank. Its performance, therefore, depends mainly on that of the heat pump. The main characteristics to be aware of to judge the consumption of a heat pump is:

• The COP (coefficient of performance), i.e., the quantity of heat produced compared to the amount of electricity consumed. In general, the COP of a thermodynamic water heater is between 3 and 4
• The heating time of the unit. It is relatively short: about 8 hours for a 250 L tank size.

For which homes?

Because of their technology, heat pumps are not a universal device. Their operating mode makes them incompatible with appartment living and a better fit for individual houses. Home owners with central heating have little interest in installing one. With some exceptions, such hot water systems have a dual function. It provides heating and produces hot water. Heat pumps are intended for them; it will replace a standard electric tank very advantageously and quickly pay for itself.

Who are these types of hot water systems for?

The lower your hot water requirement, the less attractive it is and the lower the announced Cop (coefficient of performance), and the less likely it is to be profitable. Ideally, a heat pump water heater should be used at total capacity.

They often come as 300 l tanks on average, but most models are aimed at large families or compulsive hot water users! Fortunately, there are small-volume models available, suitable for families of 3 people.

What is the COP (coefficient of performance)?

A heat pump energy efficiency is defined by its Cop (coefficient of performance). For example, a pump with Cop of 3 means it consumes 1 kWh of electricity to provide 3 kWh of heat. This result is always obtained in test laboratory, and the results are often lower in everyday life. The overall energy efficiency is even better if you can combine such a system with a solar pv system and benefit from solar hot water!

Where do you install a heat pump in the house?

Outdoor heat pumps should ideally be located on the warmest side of the house. In addition, consider installing it away from prevailing winds to ensure optimal outdoor temperature.

If it draws on outside air temperature, which is the case for all the thermodynamic hot water heaters in our test, two holes must be drilled in the room’s outside wall. The first hole is for the air inlet duct, and the second is for the vent that will discharge the air.

It is preferable to call on professional licenced plumbers and hot water system professional to install a heat pump.

Noise from heat pumps

Outdoor unit of an air/air hot water system can be noisy both for the home owners and for the neighbourhood, which can sometime cause tensions. This point should therefore not be overlooked! The outdoor unit should be placed far from windows, on a support that is not connected to the house, with ventilation that is not directed towards the neighbors. Most hot water heat pumps sold are less than 50 DB these days which is ideal for quiet operation.

Practical aspects of heat pumps

Daily maintenance: On a daily basis, heat pumps require almost no maintenance, which makes them suitable for seniors. For air source models, regular dusting of the outdoor unit is sufficient.

Looking for hot water systems in Perth? We can install and supply any kind of model. Contact our team to talk to a specialist and make some nice savings!