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Original poster

Air Source Heat Pump question

22 replies

BlackAlys · 07/01/2022 18:36

If you have an AHP, can you please share where you keep the pipe work and cylinder?

We originally wanted to block a portion of our stone shed off to house everything but we are under time pressure to get it built. Our other option is upstairs in a large walk in wardrobe - which DH is happy with but I really fail to see the sense in this.

If it needs attention, it's up 2 flights of carpeted stairs, through my DD's bedroom and into a second smaller room which will be full of her clothes. I can't imagine that they'll be silent as well so she'll be probably disturbed by the functioning of the pump?

Can you please advise me?

OP posts:

croon979 · 07/01/2022 18:54

I have been looking into air source heat pumps and for some reason it genuinely never occurred to me that someone may put this inside a property - have always envisaged outside.

Sorry not helpful to you necessarily but just an observation!

BumbleNova · 07/01/2022 18:59

We have ours in our cellar. It's down a narrow stairwell. I have no idea whether that is helpful or not!

Crepuscularshadows · 07/01/2022 19:07

Heat pump outside, cylinder and pipe work in a cupboard under the stairs. Used to power wet underfloor heating system.

CasperGutman · 07/01/2022 20:06

@croon979

I have been looking into air source heat pumps and for some reason it genuinely never occurred to me that someone may put this inside a property - have always envisaged outside.

Sorry not helpful to you necessarily but just an observation!

You can't have the actual heat pump inside the house! It extracts heat from the air around it, heating the house at the expense of cooling the air. It'll be no use at all if it's in the house!

TizerorFizz · 07/01/2022 20:34

Hear pumps outside (of course!) as they need air to work!

Cylinder in airing cupboard. Water isn’t as hot as a conventional system so having it outside means water would cool before it gets to your taps. Do you not have an airing cupboard?

GardensandGrandDesigns · 08/01/2022 08:04

Our cylinder is in our workshop, soon to be our new utility!

ManchesterTartwithCustard · 08/01/2022 08:17

Pump outside. All plant is in a seperate "cellar" at ground floor level (all our living rooms are at upstairs level , it's a very unusual configuration.) We dont hear any noise from the boiler, UFH or any of the plant even if I am standing in the cellar, it is completely silent. Occasionally I can hear the pump if I am standing in the lounge above the outside wall where the pump is positioned. It is quiet though. The hot water isn't as hot (as a previous poster mentioned), however it is instant, lots of it, and just at the point where I would be wanting to add some cold water to it so I think its perfect.

TizerorFizz · 08/01/2022 08:35

I find the not quite so hot water just perfect too. I add some cold water. I don’t hear any noise from the pipes or cylinder. The units (we have two large ones) are pulling air through so they need to be positioned where they can do this. Ours are behind our garage in a previously unused space!

Original poster

BlackAlys · 08/01/2022 08:51

Thanks everyone.

I should have clarified - of course the air pump is outside - we've already started positioning for that at the side of the property.

I meant the cylinder and pipe work that processes and heats the air. I've had a quick look at the kit and it seems much bigger in bulk that a normal water tank seen in an airing cupboard. I'm also linking it to UFH in my kitchen and hallway so would it be another bad idea to have the pipe work etc 2 floors up?

I do have an airing cupboard room but it's shape means that the only available space for the cylinder will be right next to a window!

OP posts:

TizerorFizz · 08/01/2022 14:37

It is bigger. But we have a very big airing cupboard.

TizerorFizz · 08/01/2022 14:40

We reconfigured our airing shelves. Effectively it’s on the first floor in the centre of the house. So not far from anything. Why don’t you ask your plumber/installer? They really should advise. Where’s your hot water cylinder now? We just swapped over using the same cupboard.

MollyQueenOfSocks · 08/01/2022 15:13

The cylinder and related parts are going where our old airing cupboard was. It sounds like it is the norm to put it all indoors rather than out, but in all honesty I was surprised too at the amount of indoor work needed (and because of the cut off date and huge amounts of delays it is booked in for our babies due date, which isn't ideal at all!).

Does anyone have a rough idea of how long it takes for these things to be installed? We might go and stay with the in-laws if it isn't something that will be finished over the day as it needs a huge amount of furniture moving about in the bedrooms too (something to do with an outlet pipe).

TizerorFizz · 08/01/2022 17:24

Not a day for us! It was part of building work. I cannot rent bed quite how long but it’s quite disruptive. I would move out for a few days!

TizerorFizz · 08/01/2022 17:25

I cannot remember how long ……

candycane222 · 08/01/2022 17:41

We already had a tank next to the boiler , which is also the 'nerve centre' of the central heating. All in a cupboard on the first floor landing, so that was more or less fixed in advance. The HP is located not at the nearest point, which would have been by the front door in quite a small front yard, but round the side which means plumbing hot pipes under the floor of approximately one extra room to reach it, compared to having them closer. More fiddly but worth it in our view for our preferred heat pump location.

However I have seen installions where the tank and associated plumbing is in an outbuilding. I think this works ok, so long as everything is insulated to a high standard. The system still needs to be connected to the existing heating and hot water pipes though (assuming this is a retrofit) so if you can get close to the current boiler location, that means less connecting pipework will be needed

candycane222 · 08/01/2022 17:43

Can't tell you how long it would take a professional, as DH in his wisdom opted to do it himself "in his spare time" . I assume he'll finish eventually.....

Original poster

BlackAlys · 08/01/2022 20:02

I'm glad I started this thread.
In terms of ease of access, we originally wanted the pipe work and cylinder in our stone shed which is accessible from the side of the house. When I saw how much space we lost when the builder built foundations for a double skin, I asked him to reduce it to a single skin as I just wanted it for bikes, bins etc. now that we've decided on the AHP, I'm wondering whether a single skin shed will be good enough!

OP posts:

ManchesterTartwithCustard · 08/01/2022 20:03

It took 8 working days to fit. ( 2 men most days plus input from an Electrician). They fitted the pump outside against the garage wall. Pipework went from the pump through the garage wall into the garage and then dog legged through the house wall behind the garage into the cellar. Our house walls are solid stone, 24 inches thick so this took quite some time. Our existing hot water and heating "system" needed to be removed. This consisted of an emersion heater/hot water tank in a cupboard in the lounge, fed by a water tank in the loft. The only heating we had was from a multi fuel stove. We had UFH installed before the ASHP by a seperate company that took one man 4 days to install (approx 100m2). We havent had additional radiators installed.

TizerorFizz · 09/01/2022 08:56

@BlackAlys
I wouldn’t have single skin brickwork on anything where heating is involved. You need to conserve the heat and you must insulate the pipes.

Original poster

BlackAlys · 09/01/2022 10:12

[quote TizerorFizz]@BlackAlys
I wouldn’t have single skin brickwork on anything where heating is involved. You need to conserve the heat and you must insulate the pipes.[/quote]
Thank you. My thoughts exactly. I think my builder is going to have to get a hurry on things - that March deadline is looming.

OP posts:

MitheredAndFrazzled · 09/01/2022 10:16

I wouldn't put it anywhere where it only just fits, because if you want to add a thermal store or anything at a later date you'll wish you'd left more space.

Original poster

BlackAlys · 09/01/2022 17:13

Thanks @MitheredAndFrazzled .

Off to Google a thermal store! Can you explain it to me in very basic terms please?

OP posts:

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