Knowing how to suitably and effectively heat your home can make all the difference, particularly in terms of your energy bills, so we thought we’d give you a helping hand.
Join us as we talk about all things heating and discover what your best solution is!

1. What is the optimal heating system?
This is a subjective issue that actually depends on where you live and what kind of house you own, but popular systems include heat pumps, central heating (water radiators) or geothermal energy.
Heat pumps are perfect for areas that enjoy hot temperatures in summer as they can also cool your home, whereas central heating will just be switched off. Geothermal solutions are generally reserved for homes in areas that are hard to access with standard utilities.

2. Which radiators should I choose?
This really comes down to a style choice as all radiators are designed to emit maximum heat.
Tall, lean versions, such as the one shown here, are a modern trend that many people are enjoying. In period houses, traditional cast iron versions with intricate detailing are still a better choice.
Just make sure you don’t block them in or cover them as that will stop the heat from circulating.

3. Heat pump or boiler?
In terms of installation and material costs, boilers are less money in the short term, but will use more energy over their lifetime than a heat pump.
You need to weigh up the cost of overhauling your system; ease of payment and even aesthetic concerns before you make a decision as sometimes the cheaper option isn’t the best!

4. Are stoves and fires a good idea?
On their own, woodburners and fires are rarely enough to heat an entire home but they make fantastic supplementary heat sources for when your heating system needs a little boost.
Remember that stoves and fires also look fab! The only thing to be wary of is buying firewood, as that will add significant costs to your bills.

5. What should I consider when installing a new system?
Your heating system should be perfectly designed to keep heat in the winter and be cool in summer so, if you’re considering a brand new build, you should keep this in mind when selecting your insulation options.
The more you can prevent heat escaping, the better. From there, you can simply opt for the lowest ongoing cost system.

Via smarter house

One of the most common types of heat pumps is the air-source heat pump. An air source heat pump is a system which absorbs heat from the outside air transfers it to a water source and pumps it inside a building. This heat can then be used to heat radiators, underfloor heating systems, or warm air convectors and hot water supply in your home.
Heat from the air is absorbed at low temperature into a fluid. This fluid then goes through a compressor where its temperature is increased, and transfers its higher temperature heat to the heating and hot water circuits of the house. There are two main types of air source heat pump system;

An air-to-water system delivers heat via your wet central heating system. Heat pumps work much more efficiently at a lower temperature than a typical boiler system would. This makes them more appropriate for underfloor heating systems or larger radiators, which give out heat at lower temperatures over longer periods of time.
An air-to-air system produces warm air which is distributed by fans to heat your home. They are unlikely to provide you with hot water as well. For the warmer times of the year, particularly the summertime from June to August, air to air systems work like air conditioners to provide you with cold air.
Installing a typical system, costs around €8,500 to €13,000. Operating costs will vary depending on a several of factors including the size of your home, how well insulated it is and what room temperatures you are intending to achieved.

The payback period (the time required to depreciation the cost of the system in energy savings) depends on how efficiently your system works, the type of system you’re replacing, and how you’ll be using the heat generated from the pump.

Heat pump systems typically come with a warranty of two to three years. You can expect them to operate for 20 years or more, nevertheless they do demand programmed maintenance. A yearly check by you and a more detailed audit by a professional installer every three to five years should be adequate.

An air source heat pump system can assist to lower your carbon footprint as it utilizes a renewable, natural source of heat – air. The amount of CO2 you’ll save depends on the fuel you are replacing. For instance, it will be higher if you are replacing electric heating rather than natural gas.

A heat pump also requires a supplementary source of power, usually electricity, to power the pump, so an air source heat pump can’t be regarded entirely zero-carbon unless this is provided by a renewable source, such as solar power or a wind turbine.

Via Seai

| Brace yourself, winter is close |

Book your central heating service by 9th December and get 10% discount.

Get in touch with us here.

Your choice of a heating system decides the way heat is distributed. Underfloor heating produces radiant heat which makes you feel warm. The term radiant heating is used as radiation is responsible for a significant proportion of the “thermal comfort” achieved by this form of heating.

Radiators work by heating the air surrounding them using convection. The air heated by a radiator rises towards the ceiling and once this warm air has cooled down, it falls down to the ground level to be heated by the convection of the radiator again. This creates a flow of hot and cold air, hot and cold spots where areas near to the radiators are warmer than the areas elsewhere in the room.

Underfloor heating and radiators distribute heat differently. This illustration compares radiant floor heating and the uneven heat distribution from a radiator system. As some areas take much longer to heat with radiators and other areas are overheated, hot and cold spots reduce desired comfort levels.

| Brace yourself, winter is coming |

Book your central heating service by 31^st October, and benefit from 10% discount.

https://www.zandxmechanicalinstallations.com/contact-us/