How to use your air-to-air heat pump efficiently?

Air-to-air heat pumps (also known as air conditioners) are an energy efficient heating and cooling solution even for homes in very hot or cold climates &#; down to -25˚C. Here are some ways to optimise your system to achieve comfortable temperatures year-round.

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Heat pumps are the most energy efficient way of heating your home in winter - much more so than using a boiler or a furnace. And they can act as air conditioners in summer. To get the best out of them, remember to:

Aim for stability

Rather than increasing or decreasing your set temperature to get an instant blast of hot or cold air, try to keep it at a constant, comfortable temperature. That way you ensure maximum energy efficiency. Auto mode is generally a good way to keep the temperature consistent because the system will automatically heat or cool as required. Set the temperature to a different level in the summer than in winter, so you don't feel too hot or cold for the time of year and use energy unnecessarily. A temperature of 21˚C might feel cosy when it's icy outside, but it will feel freezing on a hot day.

Your air-to-air heat pump indoor unit measures a room's temperature. Because heat rises, you may need to set a higher temperature for units positioned high on the wall or in the ceiling than you do for floor-standing units. Remember, a comfortable temperature setting using an air-to-air heat pump may be different from the temperature you set when using a boiler.

Understand the different modes

Your system has various modes for different scenarios. While you should use Auto mode in most cases, you may sometimes need to switch to a different mode. For example, if you've lit a fire or if there's a lot of sunlight coming in through the windows on a cold day, Auto mode may not be the most suitable option because it may try to cool the room down. In this case, set it to Heat mode instead. Choose Cool mode on very hot days or select Fan mode if you want more air circulation. There is also a Dry mode to dehumidify your rooms.

Keep your doors and windows shut

You want to maintain a stable temperature and avoid your units trying to heat or cool the outside! Keeping doors closed inside the home can also help maintain the temperature you have set for each room (if, for instance, you want your living room to be warmer than your bedroom). This will also prevent warm, moist air escaping from your bathroom and triggering the cooling mode or the dehumidifier (Dry mode) in another room.

Pay attention to the airflow

You can redirect the airflow or change the fan speed on your indoor heat pump units to spread heated or cooled air further throughout the room. Direct air into the open space where possible: if furniture is in the way, it won't circulate as effectively. Similarly, your outdoor heat pump unit needs space around it: position it away from large plants and bushes.

Don&#;t forget cleaning and maintenance

To keep your system in tip-top condition, remember to clean the dust filters of your indoor units regularly. Keep the outside unit clear of leaves and other debris too. If you live in an area that gets lots of snow, you should install the unit off the ground. It might also need a snow cover. In addition, have your system serviced each year by a professional.

Contents

How do I change the temperature in my home? 

You will find that your new air source heat pump can be a little slower to react to changes you might make to your heating controls than an oil or gas boiler might be.

If you feel your home isn&#;t warm enough, we recommend increasing the temperature by 1 or 2 degrees via your thermostat or the smart control app on your or tablet. We advise waiting approximately 24 hours to allow the heat pump to heat the whole house to the required level before making any further adjustments. This will make sure it is running as efficiently as possible. 

How do you adjust the temperatures in individual rooms? 
 
Temperatures in individual rooms can be controlled via the thermostatic radiator valves on your radiators. We recommend that in your main living areas these are turned up to their maximum to allow your heat pump to work as designed. In unused rooms, you can turn down your radiator valves slightly, but we don&#;t recommend turning them off. This is because the cooler temperature will leak through to adjacent rooms and your heat pump has to work harder as a result &#; reducing its efficiency. 

Should I turn radiators off in rooms I don&#;t use?

We recommend keeping all of your radiators switched on. Internal walls are not insulated, so they are generally not good at keeping in heat or cold. So while it might feel sensible to turn off a radiator in a room you don&#;t use, the radiators in the adjacent rooms will end up working harder, which might cause your heating system to cycle.

What if I want my home to be cooler overnight? 

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If you prefer a cooler home at night than during the day, you can set a time programme using your heating controls. 

Your heating controls will manage the time that your heating system powers on, so that your home is back to a comfortable temperature when you wake up. 

How do I turn my heating off? 

You should never turn your heat pump off completely, as the system has been designed to keep a steady temperature in your home. It can take several days to get your home back to a comfortable temperature if you have turned off your heating for a long period of time, and your heat pump would be running at its least efficient too.   

Your smart heating controls do include &#;holiday&#; or &#;away&#; setting which allow the temperature in your home to fall to a pre-set level. We recommend a minimum temperature of 15°C to reduce inefficiencies in getting your home warm again on your return, and to avoid pipes freezing in very cold weather. You can control these settings remotely to return to a comfortable, warm home. 

How do I prevent getting too hot in the summer? 

To prevent your home being over heated in the summer, you can lower your thermostat setting so the heating will only turn on when the outside temperature drops significantly. This also ensures your hot water will continue to heat as per its usual schedule. 

Why do my radiators feel colder than they did before I got a heat pump? 

Boilers tend to have a flow temperature of 60-80°C and so radiators at this temperature can feel very hot to the touch. With a heat pump the flow temperature is lower, at 35-55°C, so your radiators will still be warm enough to heat your home, but won&#;t &#;feel&#; as hot as they did with your old boiler. This lower temperature is also why we may have increased the size of some of your radiators, to ensure they can deliver the heat to your home at the right rate. 

What should I do if I have a power cut? 

Just like a traditional boiler, your heat pump needs electricity to run and will not work in the event of a power cut. Once power has been restored the heating system will automatically come back on. Most power cuts are very short, so this should not impact your comfort levels. Your local network operator will always let you know if they&#;re planning a power outage in your area. So if you lose power unexpectedly and it lasts longer than a few minutes, you should contact your local network operator to report it, either by calling 105 or by visiting them online. If you need to speak to us about your heat pump, please call us on 016 . 

How warm should my hot water tank be? 

The heat pump thermostat will be set to keep your hot water tank between 40 and 50°C. This is recommended to ensure optimum efficiency for the system. 

In addition to this, your system will be programmed to run a &#;hygiene&#; cycle once a week to ensure that your hot water system remains free of bacteria. During this cycle the temperature within your tank will be increased to over 60°C. Unless you request otherwise, we will schedule this to take place at 3am on a Tuesday morning &#; meaning that you may notice you wake up to a slightly warmer home once a week.  

How can I save more energy if I have a heat pump?

There are a few key ways to make sure your heat pump is running as efficiently as possible, and cut down how much energy you are using. These include:

• Keep your heat pump running all the time &#; turning it off won&#;t save energy as it then has to work harder to get your home back up to temperature.
• Keep the heat in &#; in the winter months, keep your windows and doors closed as much as possible to prevent heat loss and to avoid your heat pump going into setback mode.
• Keep all your radiators on &#; If you have a heat pump, your heating system will have been designed to work most efficiently with all of your radiators turned on.
• Set your hot water temperature to 40 &#; 50°C. As long as it is heated over 60°C once a week, it will remain safe and free from bacteria.
• Install solar panels and a home battery &#; Generate some of the power your heat pump is using, to save what you need to draw from the grid.
• Maintain your heat pump &#; ensure there is good air flow around it by keeping it clear from vegetation and obstacles, and ensure it is serviced once a year.

Read more in our blog post.

For more help and advice, please refer to your handover pack.  

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