Heat pump myths part 2 – Separating the facts from hot air

We encounter a lot of misconceptions regarding heat pumps and, as the experts in renewable technology having completed hundreds of heat pump projects, we are happy to dispel these many myths. Here’s the second part in our series of Finn Geotherm myth busting blogs.

Myth 4: A heat pump can’t heat a whole house on its own

Correct answer: Keeping a building warm is simply a matter of matching the energy that escapes with sufficient energy going in. As heat pumps can be sized to almost any level, any building can be heated using a heat pump system. It is also necessary to ensure that the heat emitters (radiators) in any room are sized correctly, but this will also be done as part of the system design. This is why Finn Geotherm has been able to successfully heat a huge range of buildings – from castles to cabins and everything in between – all with no need for supplementary or back up heating.

Myth 5: A heat pump won’t be able to generate enough hot water

Correct answer: If a heat pump has been sized correctly, it will easily deliver all the hot water you need, even if you have consecutive baths and showers. Each system should be specified with the right size thermal store to suit the property and the customer’s individual requirements. They can also be linked to separate hot water stores which are still supplied by the heat pump system. Domestic systems often incorporate a boost option too, enabling extra hot water to be generated at the touch of a button.

Myth 6: A heat pump will cost a fortune in electricity to run

Correct answer: Heat pumps are highly efficient and typically generate 3.5-4kW of heat for every 1kW of energy used. By installing a heat pump, you will no longer be paying big energy bills for gas, oil or electric storage heaters. A heat pump is on average 40% cheaper than oil to run. Heat pumps also qualify for the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) which is payable quarterly for seven years (domestic schemes) and 20 years (non-domestic schemes). Some heat pump owners also supplement their systems with solar panels. Our handy RHI Calculator can give you an idea of how much you might save when you switch to a heat pump.

Read our myth busters 1 and myth busters 3 blogs.

See our FAQs page for more common questions or contact us.

14th June 2019