Can I use electricity for my hydronic heating and cooling?

Yes, electric air source (air-to-water) heat pump provides the most efficient solution for heating and cooling for those who are not connected to mains gas.

Air source (air-to-water) Heat pump - how does it work? 

Heat energy naturally transfers from warmer places to colder spaces. However, a heat pump can reverse it by absorbing heat from a cold space and releasing it to a warmer one. From outside to inside of a building. Heat pump used for heating employs the same basic refrigerator principles but in the opposite direction - releasing heat into the house.

In heating mode, heat pump is three to four times more effective at heating than simple electric room bar heater while using the same amount of electricity.

In cooling mode, heat pump produces cold water that is then redistributed through the series of pipes to ceiling fan coils, allowing them to cool down the house by simply pumping the cool air.

Main heat pumps characteristics, Advantages and Disadvantages:

• They provide a low carbon footprint. Energy necessary to power a heat pump can be obtained from a supplier offering 100% renewable energy,
• Air source heat pumps can aternatively be powered by wind turbines or solar panels installed on your roof and connected to your home battery storage system,
• Can heat domestic hot water for immediate or later use,
• They perform better with underfloor (slab) heating and work more efficiently when coupled with larger radiators, as they deliver water at lower temperature when compared to gas boilers,
• They have a long lifespan, with proper care they can be operational for up to 20 years,
• It only requires a few days to install the air source heat pump,
• Air source heat pumps are not the best option for heating if you live on gas mains, and can be around 15 to 20% less efficient in heating when compared with gas boilers,
• They need electricity to be powered,
• Their efficiency is higher when installed in a highly insulated home (look for higher home energy star rating),They are noisy, producing between 48* to 55 dB, like an air conditioner when it is running,
• Heat pumps are bigger in size when compared to gas boilers. They are placed on the ground and more space is needed to have them installed,
• They provide cooling in the summer and heating in the winter,
• Typically installed cost for a heat pump is about 2 to 3 times greater than a gas boiler.

Please remember: gas boilers and heat pumps should be serviced by a technician once a year.