How To Buy And Install An Air Source Heat Pump ?

A checklist about buying an installing heat pump –

• Always ensure that your heat pump has a demand-defrost control. It will reduce the defrost cycles. As a result the pump will depend less on emergency heat. You will have a lower power bill.

• The fans and compressor ASHP will create a droning noise or may be louder one. Therefore always place it away from your bedroom. Always buy an ASHP with an outdoor sound rating of 7.6 bels or lower. Mount your unit on a noise-absorbing base to mitigate the noise a bit.

• The location of the outdoor unit is also important. It should be kept in a place so that it is protected from high winds. A windy location can cause defrosting problems. A fence or bush can be planted near the coils to block high winds from hurting it.

• However air source heat pumps needs plenty of space to have ample airflow around. It can be mounted on an external wall or to be placed on the ground.

• There should be at least 400 to 500 cubic feet per minute (cfm) airflow for every ton of the heat pump's air-conditioning capacity. The efficiency and performance would go down if airflow is less than 350 cfm per ton. As result you should have your unit serviced to get the evaporator coil cleaned, fan speed increased or duct work modified, if required.

• The insulation of the house and ducts is very important for effectiveness of the heat pump.

• The level of refrigerant charge should be checked as well as leaks should be watched out for at installation and during each service call. Packaged heat pumps are charged with refrigerant at the plants. So you will rarely find them incorrectly charged. But splits are charged on the field. This can sometimes result in either too much or too little refrigerant.