Heat pumps are considered the heating trend of recent years. Regardless of whether it is integrated in an air conditioning system or as a permanently installed system in a new building, in many cases it is the most environmentally friendly and inexpensive way to control the temperature of a living space. However, many people are now wondering whether the heat pump is still worthwhile in view of rising electricity tariffs. We have checked for you what conditions really need to be in place for the efficient operation of a heat pump!
Insulation – An essential factor
A heat pump produces heat less quickly than classic convection heating. The ambient heat gained is distributed rather slowly in the rooms, which requires good insulation. In old buildings or particularly poorly insulated buildings, a heat pump is usually not suitable as the sole heating system. Buildings that were built before 1995 usually do not meet these energy requirements unless they have been renovated in the meantime.
In order to improve the insulation in a building, extensive conversion measures are usually required, which eat up a lot of money. The right insulation is so important so that the heating has to perform less and less heat is lost to the outside. It allows the flow temperature to be set lower. The flow temperature is the temperature that must be reached when the refrigerating medium is introduced into the heating circuit. If this is lower, significantly less power is consumed.
You should always clarify in advance with an expert whether a heat pump is worthwhile in your house. However, there are also types of heat pumps with which you do not bear any risk if the insulation is insufficient. Air-to-air heat pumps are installed in air-conditioning systems from Kältebringer, which can be activated in autumn and winter. Since the devices serve as a full-fledged air conditioning system in summer, you do not have the risk of purchasing a pure heat pump. There are many more articles on this subject in the Guides section of our website !
Electricity – self-produced or purchased?
A heat pump is independent of any operating resources other than electricity. Unfortunately, this has also become significantly more expensive in the last year, in many cases the increase is more than 70 percent compared to the previous year. In the following, we briefly explain how much a heat pump from Kältebringer really costs per hour of operation.
At full heat output, a cold bringer air conditioner uses around 922 watts. An hour of operation costs you around 35 cents at an electricity price of 38 cents per kWh. Since the heating costs would be significantly higher, the heat pump is a worthwhile investment.
If you have your own photovoltaic system, you shouldn't think twice about purchasing a heat pump from Kältebringer. The operation is then almost free of charge and you can save large amounts on heating costs in autumn and winter. Although you need several devices for your entire apartment with the air-to-air heat pump, they can also be used as a fully-fledged air conditioning system in summer.
Seasons – These are the times when the air-to-air heat pump makes the most sense
In new buildings, a so-called brine-water heat pump is usually used. It draws its heat from the ground with the help of a probe and can thus reliably supply heat throughout the year. With this type of heat pump, the extracted heat is transferred to the heating circuit, which has the advantage that regular convection heating could step in here in an emergency.
The air-to-air heat pump relies on the heat that is in the outside air. If the temperatures fall below -10 degrees Celsius, it can hardly keep the temperature of a living space effective. The ideal time for an air-to-air heat pump from Kältebringer is autumn or spring.
During this time, many people turn on their radiators, as the temperature usually suddenly changes from warm to very cold. However, this means that the heating system also has to switch from 0 to 100, which results in an enormous consumption of heating media. With an air-to-air heat pump, you can bridge this critical time and slowly adapt the performance of your convection heating to the temperatures.
Air conditioning systems with an integrated heat pump , like those from Kältebringer, have the advantage that they are quick and easy to install. No major structural changes are necessary and the financial outlay is comparatively low. Thanks to smart functions and detailed operating instructions, it can also be operated by a layman without any problems. You can find more detailed information about heat pumps on our air conditioning product page.
Heat pump as additional heating - The best solution for everyone
As you now know, a heat pump as the sole heating system is not suitable for every household. The insulation and the general energetic balance of the building are decisive if you want to invest in such a system. The current electricity prices are also not exactly insignificant for a pure heat pump.
The solution to these problems is an air-to-air heat pump for additional heating. The heat pump is now integrated into many modern air conditioning systems, including all systems from Kältebringer. Only a small hole in the wall is required to install this system, no further conversion work is necessary.
In private residential property, installation is not a problem, and no official approval is required for this. Many landlords today also allow the installation of an air conditioning system with a heat pump, as this reduces the general heating costs in the building. However, he does not necessarily have to pay or support you, so you have to bear the costs yourself.
With the heat pump, you can bridge the transition from summer to winter and thus save on heating costs. It is easy to operate and thanks to an outside sensor, the heat pump itself notices when it is getting too cold to heat efficiently. From this point on, you can then increase the output of your convection heating until you turn the heat pump on again in the spring. This leaves about two months in which you are solely dependent on convection heating.
Conclusion – heat pump, yes or no?
A heat pump from Kältebringer as additional heating is worthwhile in almost every case. Even in old buildings, you can delay the point at which you are dependent on convection heating. The acquisition costs are low, the only disadvantage is the required consent of the landlord if you live for rent.
The heat pump is always suitable as the sole heating system if the building meets the required energy requirements. However, the air-to-air heat pump is less suitable for this, since the outside air hardly contains any heat in the depths of winter. If you decide to use a pure heat pump for heating, you have to reckon with higher costs!
