Heat pump instead of oil or gas
The question is never whether a heat pump is possible, but at what flow temperature — and what it costs to bring that down.
The order that matters
First the heat demand is calculated to SIA 380/1. That gives the flow temperature needed with the emitters already in place. Below roughly 45 °C the conversion is straightforward. Well above it, the work starts with the emitters or the envelope — otherwise the heat pump is expensive to run.
Only then come the choice of source, the location, the acoustic assessment towards the neighbours, and the electrical supply, which often has to be upgraded as well.
What we check
- Emitters
- Radiator sizes and design temperatures, room by room for the critical rooms.
- Source
- Outdoor air, ground loop or groundwater — with the consents each one needs.
- Acoustics
- Assessment towards the neighbours, often the point that fixes the location.
- Electrical
- Connected load, supply cable, network operator's off-peak constraints.
- Subsidies
- What schemes exist and by when the application must be in.
Questions about heat pumps
Do we have to insulate first?
Not necessarily, but it has to be calculated. What decides is the flow temperature, not the year the building was built.
How noisy is an air source heat pump?
It depends on the unit, the position and the distance to neighbours. The assessment is done before the choice, not after.
When must the subsidy application be submitted?
As a rule before work starts. An application made afterwards is usually refused.
A project that needs a technical opinion?
Tell us the building and the stage it is at. You will get an assessment and a fixed fee per phase, with no obligation.