Air source heat pump, noise?

[WalterIris]

Has anyone had an air source heat pump fitted over the last few years?

We need to replace our old oil system soon and im not sure whats the best alternative heating option.

Are the noisy? (it will have to be fitted to house wall so under a window), and are the new ones really efficient still at low temperatures? It gets to -10 to -20 where we live regularly in winter.

Some neighbours do have one so I will ask them also, but other people (who don't have one) seem to think its not a great idea

Options here:
Gas - no, no gas available

Oil - no ( we currently have oil - 30 year old system), its super expensive ( we use around 2500l per year), and we have to ditch oil usage here by 2030, so I see it as only getting even more expensive as oil places close

Solar - we will probably add later,so could work alongside the air source heat pump.

pellets - Im not sure. they seem just as expensive, and how renewable actually are they?

Wood burner - we haven't space in livingroom really, not sure I could cope with the effort of a non automatic system.

That doesn't leave us many options does it!

We've just had a heat pump installed to replace an old oil boiler. So far it's been great. We did need to increase the size of quite a lot of our radiators - especially because we are in an older house with less insulation. But overall it keeps the house warm and the water hot. So far our electricity bills haven't increased much at all. Can't speak to super low temperatures though. But the key is having enough surface area to your radiators.

Noise - so we have a Mitsubishi ecodan and they are marketed as 'whisper quiet'. They are definitely not that quiet - and you would notice if directly under a window. However, it's also not that bad - and you get used to it. I guess a bit the same as having an air conditioner on. Ours is next to our outside table. And we quite happily sit next to it whilst eating lunch. It's quieter than our oil boiler. It's only on when the heating is on or it's heating up water. So in summer when you need windows open it won't be on very much.

The only other thing is size - ours is pretty big and they need space behind them to draw in the air. So won't sit right up against a wall.

But much better than oil. If you're in the U.K. you will get RHI payments which essentially pay off the cost for you over 7 years.

We have 3. One smaller one for our pool and two for the house. We have them in their own section of garden about 40ft from the house. We don’t hear them, but they do expel cold air. We have a big house with dreadful access and this was our best solution.

I’m not sure we get much RHI. Certainly won’t pay for itself but our oil bill was massive too. We have underfloor heating and rads. Didn’t change rads. We have excess in size though.

You will find water temp is lower than before. I’m happy not to have a giant oil boiler firing up though and no fumes.

Bubbles - did you have to have a lot of earth dug out for piping to go through the garden to the house?

We aren't in the Uk so won't get a grant right now, But there is talk of a grant for changing from oil next year so will see.

We won't have underfloor heating. Only in the bathrooms. The rest of is too awkward to retrofit.

How big are your radiators?is it the surface area or would double/ triple ones also be usable? Im hoping most of the ones we have will be suitable but that can be checked

Alos, do the fan units have to go outside? or will they also go in a garage or cellar for example?

We're just changing some original radiators to bigger double-doubles (will look at what that is vs triple) as some of our North faving rooms were 16C cols in the winter. We're in the south.
If I had the extra money, I'd go for the hot system. Our house is warm for temperature but I can't sit on the hot radiators to warm up as they're not hot enough. (My standard mi living temp is 21C).
The unit does make a noise but my clothes airer is not too far and it also helps drying things with the air. :-)

What is the 'hot system'?

They must have air going round them, so outside. We were doing an extension and refurb so the drive was up anyway. Your contractor could talk to you about this.

Our plumbers didn’t change the size of rads unless they were undersized. They calculated what we needed and we didn’t skimp on size. We are well insulated too so have a warm house. Underfloor heating in a kitchen is worth it!

From what I understand there is a lower temperature system that cost less and a hot one. The hot one is more expensive and will allow smaller radiators. The installer did all our calculations (and we still have 2 cold rooms) on radiator sizes etc.