Air Source Heat Pump – Why Should You Install One?
You may have seen the latest way to optimise your
Hot Tub energy efficiency is to install an air source heat pump to your spa. Whilst our spas are
fully insulated using JH53
, full foam body insulation, we agree! The Gecko air source heat pump can save you up to 75% on
your Hot Tub energy bills and is equipped with a realistic payback time.
So, what is an air source heat pump and… How does it work?
Using a compressor, your heat pump uses the surrounding air to increasethe Hot Tub temperature.
Here is how it works:
Outside air is blown over a network of tubes filled with a refrigerant using the fan. This warms up the refrigerant, turning it from a liquid into a gas.
Pressure is increased by the compressor. This creates heat similar to how the air hose warming up when you top up the air pressure in your tyres.
The compressed, hot gases pass into a heat exchanger, to which the cool hot tub water will flow through. The refrigerant transfers its heat to this cool water, making it warm. And this is circulated around your hot tub to provide hot water. Meanwhile, the refrigerant condenses back into a cool liquid and starts the cycle all over again!
What is their efficiency really like?
Air Source heat pump manufacturers, such as Gecko (One of the industry leading control system manufacturers) claim to save you up to 75% of your Hot Tub energy costs, but how true is this?
Naturally, the cooler the outside air temperature, the less efficient your heat pump will be. The warmer climates in the summer give us a much higher efficiency, providing you with an average over 12 months.
It is estimated that pumps are up to 350% effective. Heating the spa quicker uses less P/KWH and also means that the heater will be running for shorter periods whilst maintaining temperature (Even at 40 degrees Celsius).
Co-efficient of performance (COP)
Looking more specifically into the efficiency of our Hot Tub heat pumps, what is the efficiency?
An example: Gecko’s air source heat pump has a COP rating of up to 6.
The COP is calculated like this:
We have a range of branded heat pumps listed on our site. There are cheaper models available online, however reliability, durability and functionality can be limited. Models that are not branded with your Hot Tub can be limited to an ‘On/off’ functionality only. This often means that your Hot Tub heater must be unplugged and settings cannot be tailored to your usage (The heat pump will either be on, or off).
We strongly recommend fitting an air source heat pump to your Hot Tub to ensure you maintain a sustainable, affordable product.
Check our range here.
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