Concerns about a possible shortage or continued rise in gas prices, rising electricity prices and rising government subsidies are the main reasons why interest in heat pumps is growing.
–
“Even though all energy, including electricity, is becoming more expensive, the heat pump is currently perceived as the source that is the least dependent for energy supply for heating,” says Ondřej Popelka of Enbra, which sells and services heating technology.
–
It was the change in subsidies that could “break” anyone who had so far hesitated to buy a heat pump. Households with lower incomes can use them when replacing an old boiler Kettle subsidywhich can now cover 95% of eligible expenses (with a limit of up to 180 thousand crowns).
–
For other families, the subsidy from the program is interesting New green savings (NZÚ), where, in addition, individual subsidies can be combined according to which modifications in the house the owner plans.
–
| Contribution to the heat pump from NZÚ | |
| Heat pump with hot water heating system and hot water preparation | CZK 100,000 |
| Heat pump with hot water heating system without hot water preparation | CZK 80,000 |
| Heat pump for hot water heating system with hot water preparation connected to the PV system | 140,000 CZK |
| Air-to-air heat pump | CZK 60,000 |
| Source: NZÚ | |
—
Although the conditions for purchasing a pump are ideal in terms of possible contributions from the state, those interested should not be lulled by them alone.
–
It is always necessary to take into account its future operating costs, which include, for example, regular annual service inspections or post-warranty repairs – these are the ones that prolong the overall return of the heat pump.
–
It fits almost everywhere
In general, the heat pump is suitable for practically all installations – for low-energy new buildings (low-temperature pumps are installed there), but also for older houses.
–
BoxAir Inverter Split pumps with a compressor located in the indoor unit have the most valuable components in the engine room, where they are protected against the external environment. They have a longer service life and are easier to service. Price from 177 900 CZK without VAT.
Foto: Master Therm
There, if we do not want to invest in new distribution and we need to connect the pump to the existing heating system, it is necessary to purchase a so-called high-temperature heat pump, which can heat water even in severe frosts without bivalence.
–
It is best to choose from such devices that can heat water to at least 70 ° C at an outdoor temperature of -15 ° C. The pump will thus require less electricity for its operation, which means greater financial savings.
–
The Zubadan range of air / water pumps achieves high heating performance even at very low outdoor temperatures. Thanks to the advanced refrigerant injection technology Flash Injection Technology, 100% heating power down to -15 ° C is possible. Price 230 900 CZK without VAT
Photo: Enbra
| Do you know what a bivalent point is? |
| The bivalent point is the outdoor temperature at which the pump must already use a backup (bivalent) energy source supplied by an electric coil to replenish the missing heat to achieve the required output and cover the heat loss of the house and water heating. In the Czech Republic, -5 ° C is considered a sufficient bivalent point, but in reality it is much more reasonable to count on temperatures of -7 ° C to -10 ° C, which are not, albeit for a short time, anything special.
It is obvious that a pump with a bivalence point of 0 ° C will be cheaper, but a large part of the winter will use a bivalent source, which draws energy directly from the network, thus making the operation of the pump significantly more expensive. |
—
Where to buy a heat pump
“If you have built a house in a passive standard and you have it so insulated that there is practically no heat loss – simply, if you heat your house with a toaster, you really don’t need a heat pump for heating,” says Vladimír Macháček from Daikin.
–
“But you will always need to heat domestic hot water or, conversely, cool the house in the hot summer months. Especially young families who build such eco-friendly houses today tend to consume hot water much higher than, for example, their parents, who live alone in an older house, ”he adds.
–
Even according to the new legislation, which has been in force for new buildings since January this year, it is necessary to provide a source of heating and hot water from renewable sources, for example using a heat pump.
–
Older homeowners will have to count well
“Any heat source, be it a heat pump or a gas boiler, must always match the heat loss of the building. It is therefore ideal to have them calculated, or to know at least the fuel consumption in kilowatts. If the house is already old, uninsulated and still has the original windows, it is necessary to take into account greater heat losses, “points out Jakub Tykal from Acond (Czech manufacturer of heat pumps).
–
In the Czech latitudes, it is better to choose a pump that works at a temperature of -15 ° C without the so-called bivalence, ie without the need to use a bivalent heater (spiral).
Photo: Acond
Anyone planning to renovate the house, insulate it and replace the windows should consider the order of the steps.
–
It will be more sensible to make the first mentioned building modifications, and only then to acquire a heat pump, which will already be possible to dimension according to the new – lower heat losses of the house.
–
Those who do not anticipate modifications in the foreseeable future must choose a pump with an adequately higher output.
–
What type
There are currently four basic types of heat pumps on the market.
–
The best-selling and most popular is currently the type air / waterthe installation of which does not require such extensive preparations, there is no need to obtain a building permit or to provide drilling into the ground.
–
It pays to buy a pump type for small flats and offices air / airwhich generally has lower output and would otherwise require more units to heat larger spaces.
–
“We definitely recommend considering a heat pump type, especially for homes with higher heat consumption earth / waterwhich has a higher seasonal heating factor, ”points out Jiří Svoboda from the Czech company Master Therm, which is a manufacturer of heat pumps.
–
This type uses the earth’s thermal energy as a heat source, either from a deep well or from an area collector located at a non-freezing depth. Its performance is not affected by the season. However, it is a technically and financially more demanding variant of the pump.
–
The Altherma geo ground / water heat pump draws energy from the ground via a borehole (left) or a surface collector.
Foto: Daikin
Only for a limited number of houses does it make sense to consider the last type of pump, which works on the principle water / water. It is necessary to have some kind of water area near the house, such as a pond, watercourse, etc.
–
In any case, it is necessary to have a system with a heat pump tailored to the heat loss of the house, its size, etc. In particularly large houses, it can sometimes be worthwhile to buy two pumps.
–
Questionnaire
Are you considering purchasing a heat pump this year?
Yes, very seriously.
–
In the future, yes, but not yet this year.
–
Not yet, but in the future – who knows?
–
No, it doesn’t appeal to me at all.
–
No, because we already have it.
—
A total of 5099 readers voted.
–
Also to apartment buildings and recreational facilities
According to the experience of heat pump sellers, associations of unit owners (SVJ) in apartment buildings are also beginning to show more and more interest in this type of heating. They also often want to get rid of gas boilers and replace them with heat pumps.
Heat pumps are also becoming an attractive option for owners of recreational facilities. By coinciding with the warm days, the season when they use their cottages often combines a heat pump with a solar water heating system.
——
