Which Heat Pump is the Best?

Choosing the right heat pump for your home is a decision that can make or break its sustainability rating – not to mention the nature of your monthly electricity or gas bills.

At G Store, we operate on the understanding that it’s rarely worth installing a sub-quality heat pump. Why? Because when your unit will be in need of consistent replacement, repair or otherwise, you’ll ultimately defeat the purpose of obtaining a more efficient method of heating/cooling in the first place.

In this article, we take a look at some of the key considerations in making the right decision regarding the integration of heat pumps into your home. To do this, we’ll tackle some of the most frequently asked questions relating to your options.

Ready? We can’t wait to help!

But firstly:

What is a heat pump?

A heat pump is a device that can heat a building, water source/storage unit or otherwise by transferring thermal energy from outside air into a space or body of water that needs heating or cooling. As a marvel of contemporary engineering and design, its premise is surprisingly simple (and elegant): a heat pump “pumps” heat either into your home (when you want it warmer) or out of your home (when you want it cooler). 

Air source heat pumps work by:

• Either extracting heat from the cold, outside air, then using a compressor within the device to increase the temperature of the extracted heat using electricity, or
• Extracting warm air from the inside of a home, then pumping this air to the external boundary of the building 

That’s the simplified version. Let’s look at this process in more detail. Most commonly used for heating, the heat pump absorbs heat from ambient air. This heat is then absorbed by a refrigerant. While premium systems (like those supplied by G Store) will use CO2 due to its low Global Warming Potential, there is a wide variety of refrigerants currently in use across the market. The warm gas then passes through a compressor, which increases its pressure and temperature, making the heating of your home a real breeze.

What are the main types of heat pumps?

There are two main types of air source heat pumps:

• Air to heat pumps – these absorb heat from the outside air, transferring it into your home via a fan system

• Air to water heat pumps – these absorb heat from the outside air and then transfer it inside your home to provide hot water heating, underfloor heating, or otherwise

Put simply, there is a high-quality heat pump to suit your exact needs and specifications – just call our friendly G Store team on 1300 137 567 to run through your options!

Which heat pump is the best for cold climates?

Well, when the word “heat” is in the name of the product, it’s a great question to ask! Firstly, do heat pumps actually work in environments that experience consistently low temperatures overall? It helps to first understand that there are a number of factors that will determine the longevity and performance of your heat pump, including:

• Quality
• Model
• Operating temperature

Let’s be real: some days get so cold that a heat pump can’t work at all – that means there’s just not enough heat in the air to heat your water or home. However, this is far less likely to happen if the quality of your heat pump is sufficient. To begin with, the minimum temperature at which your heat pump can operate depends on the quality and model of your heat pump. The very best units are able to function at up to -10°C (that’s the temperature of the outside, ambient air) – which, luckily, means almost every Victorian home will be able to have reliable hot water and heating all-year-round.

However, it’s important to understand that lower-quality heat pumps won’t operate as efficiently in those cooler temperatures – like in winter, when you need your heating the most! The low-end operational temperatures of these units tend to range from -7° to 5°C. Therefore, it becomes incredibly important to make sure you’re buying one that’s suited for your specific climate-related needs. Imagine waking up and finding no heating or hot water because the overnight temperature was too low for your heat pump to work!

Here’s an important thing to remember. To compensate for the fact they can’t operate at lower temperatures, some heat pumps will include an electric booster. That works much the same as an electric heater, using resistive heating. 

While the good news is you’ll be able to get hot water and heating overnight, the bad news is that, given it involves using additional electricity, it’s likely to cost you a lot more to do so. When purchasing a heat pump for the first time, this makes it important to pay close attention to two key factors:

• Your heat pump’s minimum operating temperature
• Whether or not it uses an electric booster

G-Store stocks all the leading names in heat pumps including Reclaim, Sanden, Evo-Heat and Stiebel Eltron for the benefit of optimum performance and peace of mind. If you’re ready to find an option that’s best-fit for your needs, give our award-winning team a call today on 1300 137 567.

Which heat pump is the best for hot water?

If you’re looking at purchasing a heat pump for hot water, we want to congratulate you on your decision. Firstly, heat pumps are roughly up to three times more efficient than a conventional electric water heater, saving you precious resources, money and greenhouse gas emissions – a win for both the environment and your back pocket!

Of course, the problem you’re most likely to encounter when choosing the best heat pump for hot water is exactly that: facing the prospect of a lack of hot water. Heat pumps are seriously impressive pieces of technology – but they’re not magic. Like any bit of machinery, there can be problems and faults to deal with.  Let’s head back to the issue of operating temperature again. If, for example, your chosen heat pump can’t function below 5°C and you go through a night that’s consistently colder than that, one thing’s for certain: it’ll be a cold morning shower for you and yours. The only way around that is to ensure you get a system with a lower minimum temperature or to get one with an electric booster (accepting the additional running costs that come with it).

The thing you’ll need to consider is the components that come with your hot water system. Firstly, the rate at which your hot water system refills (as well as your tank’s storage capacity) will have a big impact on the perceived efficiency and quality of your heat pump. Hot water systems are one of the hardest-working pieces of infrastructure in a home. Therefore, to avoid issues with your hot water heat pump, you should also have your pump regularly serviced by a professional. Your installer – such as our friendly G Store team – can advise you on the optimum service schedule for your chosen unit.

Can I use a heat pump to heat my pool?

Ah, the question that all you pool-owners out there have been waiting for. Yes, you can! And the best thing is that there’s a heat pump out there to suit a wide range of pool-heating needs, regardless of whether or not your pool is new. 

Case study: Reclaim CO2 Heat Pump Hot Water System

When it comes to choosing the best heat pump for your circumstances, your award-winning team at G Store offers you a number of great-fit options. Stocking only the best in quality, efficient and beautifully designed heat pump units, G-Store stocks all top names in heat pumps including Reclaim, Sanden, Evo-Heat and Stiebel Eltron.

Let’s look at the Reclaim Energy CO2 Heat Pump Hot Water System as an example. The Reclaim heat pump in this system has an average COP (Coefficient of Performance) of 5, meaning for every 1 kW of electric input, it generates about 5 kW thermal output. This is about 80% less energy when compared to traditional electric element hot water systems. What’s more, this particular CO2 heat pump has excellent cold weather performance characteristics, negating the need for a boosting element to supplement heating for the unit.

Benefits of the Reclaim CO2 heat pump unit:

• Minimise costs of energy used to produce hot water
• Environmentally-friendly
• Eligible for Small-scale Technology Certificate (STCs)
• Easy to install
• Quieter operation

Wrapping up

Are you ready to find a heat pump that’s best suited to your specific interests and needs? Check out our Learning Centre for further info, or give our friendly sales team a call today on 1300 137 567 for your obligation-free consultation.

We can’t wait to meet you.