A heat pump draws heat from sources such as the ground, rock, the water in a lake or from the air. The investment cost is relatively high for certain types of heat pumps, but heat pumps may still be economical since the variable costs of heat are low. In an electrically heated house, a heat pump can halve the electricity consumption for heating and hot water.
A heat pump with an optimized rating can meet 80–95 percent of the heat and hot water needs of the dwelling. The marginal demand beyond this value is covered by electricity or some other source of heat.
Choice of energy source
A domestic heat pump draws heat from the air, ventilation air, rock, ground, groundwater or lake water. This will work even if the temperature of the energy source is only a few degrees above freezing. The heat is distributed inside the house by means of a water-based heating system, the ventilation system or by warm air.
If your house has a low energy consumption, outdoor air may be a alternative source of heat for the heat pump. If the house has a high energy consumption, the heat source may be the ground, rock, groundwater or lake water. If you need to improve the ventilation, the exhaust air can be used as a heat source. You can read more about the various types of heat pumps on the pages at the top to the right.
The Swedish Heat Pump Association (SVEP) runs installer training that leads to certification. The certificate gives proof of knowledge acquired by the installer at an approved course and a security for you as a customer. The installer must be capable of performing the following typical tasks: Calculate the thermal power demand of the house, various heat carrier systems, domestic hot water systems, control of the heat pump, solid and liquid condensation, refrigeration principles, rating of the collector, agreements and claims.
Advantages and disadvantages
+ low operating costs compared to electricity and oil
+ low work input
+ no maintenance in the form of chimney sweeping, ash removal, etc
+ no local emissions
- the advanced technology requires a high level of knowledge in the event of operating disturbances
- requires electricity
- high investment costs