Foreword
Air source heat pumps take warmth from the air outside (even when it’s freezing) and use it to heat the home. Heat pumps can take getting used to as they operate differently to other forms of heating. They are designed to heat to low temperatures over a long period of time, rather than quickly providing heat when turned on.
Keep the external unit clear of obstructions, otherwise the restricted air flow can increase running costs. The heat pump should heat your hot water tank to around 35-40°C. However this is not hot enough to kill any bacteria within the tank. Therefore the tank should be timed to heat up to 60°C once a week - you will notice a corresponding spike in your electricity usage.
When you don’t want heat Heat pumps should NEVER be turned off completely. This is because they will be extremely expensive when turned back on as they will try to raise the temperature as quickly as possible. It can also take several days to restore the home
to a comfortable temperature.
AT NIGHT
Lower the temperature to around 10-15°C, and then set it to slowly increase in the morning so that the room is a comfortable temperature when you wake up.
AWAY FOR A DAY
Just leave the system running as usual.
AWAY FOR A WEEK
The system’s control panel should have a ‘frost protection’ or ‘holiday’ setting which will lower the room temperature while you’re away. This will also prevent
the pipes freezing in cold weather.
DURING THE SUMMER
Your heat pump might have a ‘summer’ mode, or you can simply turn down the room thermostat. This means the heating will not come on, but you will still get hot water. You can raise your thermostat temperature again slowly as autumn approaches.
If the heat pump turns off... If you have a power cut the heat pump will turn off. If the power is off for a long period the heat pump will need to warm itself up before it can heat your home again. Check your instructions as this may happen automatically or you may need to select a setting.
MORE INFORMATION
For technical information see the Heat Pump Association