Welcome to your new energy efficient home!
Now that you’ve moved in, we want to help you live in a greener, energy efficient way. Take a look at our tips, which include, ‘getting the most out of your air source heat pump and what to expect’.
Small changes can make a big difference. They’ll help you support the environment; save precious energy and you could save money in the long run too. Your new home is not only a great place to live, but it’s also good for the environment and future generations too.
Using an air source heat pump for heating – What to expect
• Controlling your heat pump by choosing a temperature you are comfortable with and leaving it at that all day will mean the heat pump works more efficiently. It will automatically turn off as soon as it reaches that temperature and come back on when your house decreases below it. This will also ensure the system runs more efficiently.
• If you use the heat pump like that then it shouldn’t take long to reach your desired room temperature. If you turn it off completely and let all the heat escape your house then on cold days it may take a few hours to re-heat your house.
• The heating may be slower to respond when you change the set temperature.
• If you don’t require the heating on, e.g in the summer months, turn the thermostat as low as it will go. This will turn the heating off. There is no need to use the switch to turn it off.
• In the winter, the outdoor unit may have ice build-up on it and it will automatically run a defrost cycle to melt the ice, this will cause steam, which is normal.
• Access will be required to the property annually to enable our maintenance team to maintain the air source heat pump and ensure it is working successfully, in accordance with the manufacturer’s specification.
Getting the most out of your air source heat pump for heating your home
If you are not achieving comfortable levels or the heat pump is costing more to run than you expected, check the following:
• Close windows and doors to allow your heat to build up slowly.
• Set your heat pump to heat your home slowly over a longer period at a lower temperature.
• At night you may want a cooler house to sleep. The most efficient way to do this is to turn the thermostat down 3 or 4 degrees, don’t switch it off completely. This will mean in the morning it will be quicker and more efficient to reach back to the temperature you want it.
Using an air source heat pump for hot water
• Once the water is heated by the air source heat pump system, it is stored in a water cylinder ready for use. This tank is well insulated to prevent heat loss.
• A hot water cylinder allows the heat pump to gradually heat the water for when you need it. As soon as you use hot water, the heat pump will automatically kick in to top it back up for you.
• The air source heat pump will heat the water to a temperature you’re used to.
• Room temperature may decrease a little whilst the water cylinder is heating up. You may want to schedule to heat water up overnight or during a time when no one is at home.
SAFE, RELIABLE, ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLYSYSTEMHEATING
Your solar panels and air source heat pump work well with each other, as solar panels can help power a heat pump.
Some of our properties have solar panel battery storage, which lets you capture electricity so you can use it for another time. For example, you can store the electricity your solar panels generate during the day and use it at night.
Solar panels – What to expect
Solar electricity panels, also known as photovoltaics (PV), capture the suns energy and convert it into electricity that you can use in your home.
They don’t need direct sunlight to work and can even work on a cloudy day. However, the stronger the sunshine, the more electricity is generated.
If you use more power around your home than your panels are generating, or during the evening when your panels are not generating electricity, your electricity will come from the grid.
Consider
using high demand electrical items during the day
Making our homes greener is an important part of our overall efforts to reduce our impact on climate change and progress our journey towards being a net zero carbon organisation.