HEAT PUMPS - GENERAL
A heat pump is an energy-efficient system that removes heat from a cold source, usually ambient air, and transfers it to another, warmer one (indoor building space) using electrical energy.
It can be used for heating, cooling, and domestic hot water (DHW) production, achieving high energy efficiency up to 610% (energy class A+++), as it operates using 80% renewable energy extracted from the air and 20% electrical energy, unaffected by outdoor temperatures down to -25°C.
It belongs to the safest heating and cooling systems and is environmentally friendly! It does not require a fuel tank or gas fuel connections, produces no combustion byproducts, emits no pollutants to harm the environment, and poses no risks of leaks, fumes, or unpleasant odors.
It can be installed in residential or commercial spaces, in new or existing buildings, and can be combined with all heating-cooling systems, e.g., radiators, heating/cooling floors, fan coils, as well as for pool heating, even with your existing system, significantly reducing operating costs while simultaneously increasing the property's added value.
The payback of the money spent on purchasing the system takes 1 to 3 years and can cover all needs as outputs range from 4 to 95 kW (from 50 to 1,200 sq. m.).
Heat pumps meet all the requirements and are an eligible expense for the energy upgrade program "Exoikonomo – Autonomo", qualifying for an even higher funding category!
Our company has been installing heat pumps since 1989 and using them in our installations since 1994!
Heat pump installed at our previous headquarters, 1995 - Charilaou, Thessaloniki
Heat pump installed at our new headquarters, 2008 - Pylaia, Thessaloniki
New heat pump installed at our headquarters, 2021 - Pylaia, Thessaloniki
OPERATING COST – COMPARISON WITH OTHER HEATING SYSTEMS
According to a study by the National Technical University of Athens (see diagram below), heating via heat pumps is significantly more economical, offering up to 80% savings in energy consumption compared to any other system. The savings lie in the fact that with 1kW of electrical energy, the system can deliver up to 5kW of thermal energy to our home (whereas, for example, oil gives us 0.9 kW of heat), as it uses heat from the outside air as an energy source for 80% and only 20% electrical energy, regardless of the outside temperature!
To heat utility water in a building, we have the following methods:
– With water heater (via electric resistance – more expensive solution)
– With oil boiler (10% savings compared to the water heater)
– With natural gas boiler (40% savings compared to the water heater)
– With heat pump (70% savings compared to the water heater)
INSTALLATION
The installation process is relatively simple and the cost very low. It can be installed in minimal time since all the required hydraulic components are already integrated (circulator, expansion vessel, safety valve, buffer tank). The unit is installed like a conventional air conditioner, without the need for a boiler room, fuel storage tank, chimney, or any kind of ventilation. No interior house work is required and maintenance costs are very low.
BASIC HEAT PUMP CATEGORIES
The main categories into which heat pumps are divided are Monoblock and Split, but taking other criteria into account, they can also be divided into others, such as air-to-air, air-to-water, or low-high temperature systems.
1. Monoblock or Compact heating - cooling heat pump & domestic hot water production
It consists of a single unit that includes the hydraulic assembly and is designed for outdoor installation to absorb energy from the environment.
2. Split (split system) heat pump for heating - cooling & domestic hot water production
It is divided into 2 parts, one installed outside and the other inside the building. The outdoor unit constitutes the refrigeration assembly which absorbs energy from the environment, while the indoor unit constitutes the hydraulic assembly, which will be connected to the heating hydraulic pipes.
3. Split (split system) heat pump with built-in boiler for heating - cooling & domestic hot water production
It is divided into 2 parts, one installed outside and the other inside the building. The outdoor unit constitutes the refrigeration assembly which absorbs energy from the environment, while the indoor unit has a built-in stainless steel boiler for domestic hot water production. This specific type of pump is ideal for cases where we want the pump to also provide us with domestic hot water, but have limited space to install a separate boiler, as it combines the two systems. Furthermore, the indoor unit can be comfortably placed in everyday living spaces, such as the kitchen, as it is silent and its size does not exceed that of a medium-sized refrigerator. It is an ideal solution for apartments and renovations.
4. Heat pump boilers exclusively for domestic hot water production with 70% savings
Boiler heat pumps - water heaters provide us with abundant domestic hot water for the bathroom and kitchen at a low annual cost, as they save up to 70% energy. In the room where they are installed, they reduce the presence of moisture and mold, and they can also be used for air conditioning (cooling) an adjacent room "for free", as well as helping to dry clothes. They feature an automatic legionella protection system! The anti-legionella function involves a monthly disinfection cycle during which the pumps automatically run a check and, if necessary, heat the water up to 65°C, maintaining this temperature for a period long enough to destroy any potential spread of bacteria in the tank and subsequently in the hot water.
5. Heat pump with hybrid condensing boiler system
Compact hybrid system consisting of a heat pump with a built-in condensing boiler for heating, cooling, and instant domestic hot water production.
6. Ground/water heat pumps - Geothermal
Geothermal heat pumps are capable of heating our space by absorbing approximately 75% of energy from the environment, specifically from solar energy stored in the ground, using a network of water pipes to exchange heat with it. They can be used for both winter heating and summer cooling.
BhT Tsolakidis has been using a Geothermal Heat Pump in its facilities (Prasakaki 82, Pylaia - Thessaloniki) since 2009.
COMBINATION OF HEAT PUMP WITH SOLAR COLLECTORS - FREE HEATING FROM THE SUN!
Heat pumps can be combined with other renewable energy sources, e.g. solar panels/photovoltaic panels, which will produce up to 70-100% of the energy needed for their operation, significantly reducing or even completely eliminating the cost of operating the system, resulting in free heating from the sun in the building!
For example, if a 12 kW heat pump is installed to heat an average-sized home, the annual electricity consumption for heating will be approximately 6,000 kWh. With the simultaneous installation of a 5 kWp photovoltaic system, which yields an annual average of 6,250 kWh, the heating cost is eliminated by offsetting its production with the heat pump's consumption, resulting in completely free heating for the building!
You can learn more about the benefits of photovoltaics here.
Savings examples from our customers after using a heat pump...
At the ARIANE hair salon on Martiou Street in Thessaloniki, the annual cost of Domestic Hot Water using a boiler (oil burner) was €6,600/year and now with a Heat Pump, it is just €1,600/year.
PROFIT: €5,000/year
Cost payback: 6 months of operation
At the DANAI BEACH RESORT hotel in Halkidiki, the annual cost of Domestic Hot Water using a boiler (oil burner) was €30,000/year and now with a Heat Pump, it is just €10,000/year.
PROFIT: 20,000€/year
Cost payback: 6 months of operation
Use of Heat Pumps at Polis Hammam in Athens and Thessaloniki for 70% SAVINGS compared to other domestic hot water production methods.
In a 5-member family home, 50 lt/person x 5 people = 250 lt of domestic hot water for the bathroom are needed. Its annual cost, for 24-hour operation, with a recirculation circulator, was €700 with oil, while now with the use of a heat pump it is only €200.
PROFIT: €500/year -
Cost payback: 3 years of operation
In a 200 sq.m. residence in Panorama, Thessaloniki, the annual operating cost with oil is €7,000, with natural gas it is €5,000, with a pellet boiler – wood boiler it is €4,000, and with a heating heat pump it is only €2,100 annually.
PROFIT: €4,900/year
Cost payback: 2 years of operation
Useful…
Changing heating system without the approval of the apartment building
Learn more here: FEK.pdf
FROST -Heat pump protection guide
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