Preparing Your Home so it is Heat Pump Ready

Getting your home right when it comes to making energy-efficient changes is vital. If you have chosen an air source heat pump or are considering it then preparation is key. These pumps work at lower temperatures and are a lot lower than that of conventional heating systems. However, prior to installing a heat pump, you will need to consider the insulation of your home and whether you need to make improvements. The aim is to minimise the amount of heat lost through walls, floors and roofs, which will mean that the property will be heated with no problems, so where do you begin?

This is a simple one to consider and to begin, you will need to make sure that you have the required u-value of 0.16W/m2k. Therefore, you will need to have wool insulation that has a thickness of 270mm installed in your loft. It is possible to do this yourself or you can opt to take advantage of a grant and have it installed by professionals. Either way, the cost is not too expensive but it will help you to keep your home warm.

If your home was constructed after 1935 then there is a chance that it will have cavity walls and this makes it simple to insulate. This will involve drilling into the walls so that the insulation can be injected within it. This will need to be completed by a professional but again, the cost will be covered once you begin making savings on the heat you are retaining. For those properties that have solid walls, then they can be clad with exterior insulation although this option is slightly more challenging.

There is good news for those properties that were built from the late 1990s onwards as they will all have enough insulation. What this means is that choosing to install a heat pump will become an easy decision as they will retain more heat and are better for lower temperature heating systems. Existing building regulations will mean that all homes that are built today are insulated exceptionally well and that will mean that a heat pump will make for an ideal heat source for such properties while the running costs are also less.

If you want to maximise the potential of your heat pump then double glazed windows are ideal for helping. Windows provide the perfect situation for heat to escape and enhancing them will ensure your home is perfect for the installation of a heat pump. According to the Energy Saving Trust, double glazing a home that has single glazed windows will save more than £100 annually. Along with this, they also provide several other benefits that are worth considering.

With double glazing installed, it will mean that you can retain more heat in your home and that will leave your home feeling warmer. Furthermore, you won’t need to use as much energy to heat it either. By using less heat, reducing the amount of demand placed on your system and reducing temperatures, you will be able to significantly reduce your carbon footprint and that will help to reduce your energy bills.

While heat retention is one of the main benefits along with energy-saving, double glazing comes with further benefits. It can help to reduce noise as they can help to reduce the amount of sound that is transmitted into your home. Furthermore, it can also help to make your home safer by offering better protection which is a benefit that many people might not consider when choosing double glazing.