Grant Engineering have been supplying home heating systems for over four decades, keeping households warm and cosy with their diverse range of heating products. These include award-winning air source heat pumps and a comprehensive range of ancillary products including hot water cylinders, solar thermal systems, underfloor heating systems and radiators. In this guest blog, Grant UK explain more about their efficient heat pumps and how their package heating solutions can provide you with a sustainable central heating system that will keep your home warm while also reducing your dependency on fossil fuels.
How do Grant air source heat pumps work?
Grant heat pumps are air-to-water heat pumps which means they transfer heat energy which is held in the air outside and transfer this into water. This water flows through ‘wet’ heating systems, passing through radiators and/or underfloor heating to heat up your rooms and heating up the water contents in a cylinder to provide hot water to your taps. As part of its operation, a heat pump uses a refrigerant which enters a cycle of being a gas then a liquid and back to a gas state and this plays a key role in converting the heat energy from the outside air into useable energy within the heating system.
The infographic below summarises how an air heat pump works, using renewable energy to fulfil the heating and hot water demands of a home sustainably and efficiently.
An introduction to Grant air-to-water heat pumps
Grant UK launched its first generation of heat pumps fifteen years ago and since then, it has invested in continuous product development to ensure it provides customers with the latest innovations in reliable heat pumps systems. Today, Grant air source heat pumps comprise of two ranges – the Aerona³ heat pumps and the Aerona 290 heat pumps. Each of these heat pump ranges offer their own unique benefits but they also share some features too, including:
- All Aerona³ and Aerona 290 heat pumps are MCS approved and eligible for Government funding, such as the £7,500 grant available through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme
- All Grant heat pumps are incredibly efficient with every model achieving an A+++ ErP energy rating (at 35ºC flow temperature)
- Both the Aerona³ and Aerona 290 heat pumps are compatible with the Aerona Smart Heat Pump System Controller which can help maximise system efficiency and facilitate remote control and monitoring of your heat pump (when installed alongside the Aerona Smart WiFi Hub)
The Aerona³ air source heat pumps are available in heating outputs from 6kW up to 17kW and they all use R32 refrigerant. Compact in size, the Aerona³ heat pump takes up minimal outdoor space and it operates at low noise levels, with both the 13kW and 17kW models having Quiet Mark accreditation. The Aerona³ range is also incredibly efficient, maximising the amount the heat energy produced into the system for every kilowatt of electricity used.
Meanwhile, the Aerona 290 air source heat pumps come in five models ranging in output from 4kW up to 15.5kW. With their distinctive black, durable casing, the Aerona 290 has an ultra-modern design to suit both younger and older styles of homes. All of the Aerona 290 heat pumps have Quiet Mark accreditation and the range uses R290 refrigerant which is a more sustainable, environmentally friendly choice of heat pump refrigerant. With exceptional efficiencies, the Aerona 290 delivers with design, performance and peace of mind.
You can discover more about the features and benefits of Grant heat pumps here.
What are the differences between R32 and R290 heat pumps?
R32 and R290 heat pumps work in the same way as each other but they use different refrigerants. R32 heat pumps use R32 refrigerant which is a hydrofluorocarbon with a Global Warming Potential value of 675. R290 heat pumps, however, use a different refrigerant called R290 (which is also know as Propane) which is a pure hydrocarbon, comprising of carbon and hydrogen only, and it is referred to as ‘natural refrigerant’. R290 refrigerant has a significantly lower Global Warming Potential value of just 3 which means that it remains in the atmosphere for less time compared to R32 refrigerant and therefore warms the atmosphere less as well.
The infographic below highlights some of the key differences between R32 and R290 refrigerant – if you are interested in learning more about R290 refrigerant, please visit the Grant UK Home Heating Blog.
How to choose a heat pump for your home
Installing an air source heat pump system is different to installing a traditional central heating system that uses a gas or oil boiler. Heat pumps are low temperature systems which means they can operate very efficiently to keep your home up to the desired temperature but the system must be correctly designed. Not only must the model of heat pump be correctly sized to ensure it is large enough to meet your heating and hot water requirements, but the heat emitters in your home must also be appropriately sized because the lower temperature of the system water requires a larger surface area to emit warmth into a room. This is why it is incredibly important that you work closely with your installer, such as Air to Heat, to ensure that the heat pump system designed for your household will meet all your requirements.
Every heat pump installation will be different but some of the key stages include:
- Carrying out a thorough assessment of your property, calculating its heat loss and calculating the amount of energy needed to keep your rooms up to temperature and to fulfil your hot water demand. The good news here is that Air to Heat will complete this step in order to provide you with a quotation and they can use Grant UK’s in-house Design Team to support with the heat loss calculations and system specification.
- Depending on your property’s age and build, it may be recommended that you improve the energy efficiency of your home, either by increasing the amount of insulation in your walls or roof or by upgrading your windows to double or triple glazing. These measures will reduce the amount of heat that escapes from your home, which in turn will help a heat pump’s efficient operation.
- Selecting the right heat pump model and heat emitters – when Air to Heat have calculated the heating demand of your property and any heat loss, they will then be able to recommend the size of heat pump you will need (such as small unit like the Aerona 290 4kW heat pump or a larger, twin fan unit like the Aerona³ 17kW heat pump). They will also advise on whether your existing radiators can be used or if they need to be upgraded.
Why choose a G1 Heat Pump Installer such as Air to Heat?
Grant UK have a membership programme called the G1 Installer Scheme. Installers who join the G1 Scheme must fulfil the requirements and to become a G1 Heat Pump Installer, they must complete product training with Grant UK’s Training Academy. Air to Heat have completed Grant air source heat pump product training and as a G1 Heat Pump Installer, they can activate a 7 year guarantee on their Aerona³ and Aerona 290 heat pump installations (terms and conditions apply). This gives their customers, such as you, complete peace of mind with a new heat pump for years to come.
Hot water cylinders, underfloor heating and radiators from Grant UK
Grant UK’s range of products not only include their Aerona air source heat pumps. They also supply other products to complete the system including their QR hot water cylinders for hot water storage, Uflex underfloor heating systems which include traditional screeded UFH solutions as well as low profile UFH, Afinia aluminium radiators, and solar thermal systems which can help you harness the free energy from the sun to heat much of your annual hot water. Consequently, you can order a complete package heating solution all from one manufacturer, making life easier for you and your installer.
You can view Grant’s complete range of sustainable heating products here.
How Grant UK can help you
Alongside their efficient heating products, Grant UK also have a team of Renewables Experts who are on hand to help installers and their customers from start to finish with their heat pump installations. G1 Installers like Air to Heat can access support from Grant UK’s in-house teams, including system design and specification as well as on-site assistance with heat pump set-ups and help with the all-important customer handover. With their comprehensive customer support, Grant UK are here to help make heat pump installations as straightforward as they can be.
Ready to take the next steps towards installing a heat pump in your home? Then speak to Air to Heat today!
Image assets supplied:
- Grant UK logo
- How a heat pump works infographic
- The differences between R32 and R290 refrigerant infographic
- Aerona³ R32 heat pump lifestyle image
- Aerona 290 heat pump lifestyle image
