Columbus Energy S A : Jak przygotować nowy dom pod pompę ciepła?

Modern buildings should be of a high energy standard and not emit harmful substances to the atmosphere. For this reason, new homes increasingly use economical and ecological heating devices such as a heat pump. It is a solution that, together with photovoltaics, allows you to meet the technical conditions for buildings erected from 2021 and is extremely economical. When building a house, we can immediately prepare it for the installation of a heat pump. What to consider when preparing a house for this heating device?

A house without a chimney

If we decide to heat with a heat pump at the stage of choosing a house design, we can opt out of a chimney. The heat pump has no firebox, so no fumes are produced, so the construction of a chimney is unnecessary. Thanks to this, we will not only reduce the costs during construction, but also the further operation of the house. Chimneys not only cause heat losses, but also require maintenance and regular inspections, which are quite expensive. According to the applicable law - maintenance - cleaning of chimney pipes should be performed by a person with appropriate qualifications - a journeyman or a chimney sweeper.

The frequency of cleaning works in residential buildings:

pipes from solid fuel-fired furnaces - at least once every 3 months, i.e. at least 4 times a year,

pipes from furnaces fired with gas and liquid fuel - at least once every 6 months, i.e. at least twice a year,

ventilation ducts - at least once a year.

Fewer chimneys also mean more usable space in the house, as well as more space on the roof. The fewer elements on the roof, the more space and possibilities for the installation of the photovoltaic system.

Boiler room - is it needed?

Boiler? Fuel storage location? When choosing a heat pump, you do not need to plan an additional room for a heating device or a place to store fuel. You can install the pump in any place where there is an electrical installation. The dimensions and volume of the device can be compared to a refrigerator, so it is not a problem to place it at home. A typical space needed to connect the most important elements is from 1 m2 to 3 m2, depending on whether only an indoor unit of the All In One type is installed, or an additional utility water tank. Remember to ensure easy access to the device.

The heat pump and the value of the connected load

An important issue is the electrical installation. For the operation of the pump, we need the appropriate power of the electrical connection. The recommended minimum connection power from the energy company is 17kW. In modern buildings, we deal with a high demand for power. In order to prevent device shutdowns at times of increased consumption by the heat pump and receivers at home, it is recommended to increase the contracted power to a minimum of 17kW, and the pre-meter protections to 32A. In order to change the connection power, an application must be submitted to the operator for an increase of the connection capacity and for appropriate pre-meter protections.

Heat receivers - radiators or floor heating?

The heat pump is most efficient when the temperature difference between the lower and upper source is the smallest. The device then uses the least electricity to heat the heating medium, hence lower operating costs. Heat receivers can be divided into high-temperature and low-temperature ones. High-temperature receivers are, for example, heaters and other point sources, low-temperature receivers are in the form of the so-called surface heating (floor, wall and ceiling heating) and forced air heating. Low-temperature receivers, especially floor ones, work best with the heat pump. Why? Their main advantage is a much larger heat transfer surface compared to high-temperature heating. With the same heating power demand in the building,

The heat pump is the perfect solution for a new home. It is economical, comfortable to use, and at the same time provides thermal comfort all year round. Due to the fact that its operation does not require a combustion process, the device does not emit harmful dusts and gases into the environment. This clean and multifunctional device will work in any energy-saving, modern building.

Are you building a house, or are you just at the stage of choosing a project? Check out our offer for renewable energy installations for new homes.