Air-to-water heat pump: what it is, how it works, advantages and disadvantages

Heat pump “Air-water” is installed not only for heating the house. The system is capable of air conditioning a room in the summer, heating water and providing heat to rooms in the winter. It can heat water in swimming pools during the cold season. Air-to-Water heat pump is also used during the tourist season in resorts, hotels or private summer houses. You can heat greenhouses.

What is an air-to-water heat pump?

The heating system “Air-water” has two blocks: an external and an internal one. It resembles a split system. The units have a built-in condenser, evaporator and compressor.

How the “Air-to-Water” heat pump works:

• A fan draws in air from the outdoors. It makes contact with the heat exchanger or evaporator.
• Heated refrigerant circulates in the system and vaporizes, becoming gaseous. It moves into the compressor and is compressed. This causes its temperature and pressure to rise.
• The heated medium moves into the condenser and gives up heat to the water in the system. The temperature of the refrigerant drops and the gaseous substance condenses, turning into a liquid. The cycle repeats itself.

This ensures that the system is constantly receiving heat from the air and transferring it to the system. This is a renewable natural resource that can be used for free. Even if the temperature drops below freezing, there is still heat flowing into the system.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of air-to-water heat pumps:

• It is a multi-functional piece of equipment. An Air-to-Water heat pump can heat a room, heat water, and cool rooms like an air conditioner in the summer.
• The system is installed quickly. There is no need to drill a well. The external unit is installed on the wall of the house.
• Breakdowns of this equipment are easy to repair. The warranty on the heat pump “Air-to-Water” is 10 years. With proper use and suitable conditions, it can serve and much longer.
• It is an economical system. It consumes approximately 1 kW of electricity and produces approximately 5 kW of heat.
• The air-to-water heat pump can be controlled remotely if the model provides for this.
• The system works by being powered by electricity. It can be connected to a generator.
• This equipment does not pollute the environment.
• Compared to gas or solid fuel heating equipment, the Air-to-Water heat pump is safe.

Disadvantages of Air-to-Water heat pumps:

• The warmer it is outside, the faster the water in the system heats up. In cold weather, it takes more energy to get the amount of heat needed.
• You need to choose where to install the outdoor unit so that it is not hit by strong gusts of wind.
• When the heat exchanger freezes in the winter, the system stops heating the home and defrosts.
• To condition the indoor air in the summer will require much more electricity than other heat pumps.

It is important to keep in mind that in an area where very cold temperatures persist for long periods of time, the capacity of an air-to-water heat pump may not be sufficient to heat the home. An additional heat source in the form of a gas boiler or electric heating system will be required. In late fall, early winter and spring, when there are no severe frosts, the Air-to-Water heat pump can fully heat the house.