Common Heat Pump Faults

As a ground source heat pump owner, you will already be aware that the system is significantly more complex than a fossil fuel boiler, with energy transfers taking place throughout the system. Knowing what is happening at each stage and controlling all these energy transfers is a key aspect for setting and maintaining efficiency throughout the system.

Central to the overall performance of any heating system will be the efficiency and reliability of the distribution pumps. In ground and air source heat pumps the presence of brine circuit distribution pumps means that there is even more necessity to ensure smooth operation at all times.

All ground and air source heat pump systems rely on intelligent control units to ensure that energy transfer between the collector, heat pump and building heating distribution system is carried out in the most efficient way.

The sight of corroded pipework or rusty flexi hoses around your heat pump can be the cause of worry for many people. They are both common problems that we get contacted about regularly, and are prevalent due to the normal environmental conditions we have in this country and the fact that most plant rooms are not heated. Here we highlight the causes of rusting pipework.

As part of our maintenance work we carry out inspections of the glycol transfer fluid in systems, which can be the cause of low heat pump efficiency and even breakdowns. Here, we look at what glycol actually is and how some simple precautions can be taken to ensure that your heat pump is not suffering due to poor glycol quality.

Ground and air source heat pumps have been successfully installed in a wide variety of properties for over a decade in the UK, with an even longer history throughout other countries in Europe. Despite this, there is a general feeling that heat pump technology can be unreliable and problematic. We are increasingly coming across sites where the heat pump unit has suffered a compressor failure, having been in constant operation for the last six or seven years. This does not mean that the technology itself is poor and although every site is different our experience shows that there are certain measures that can be taken in order to increase the longevity of the compressor.

Heat pumps are often described as being like a fridge in reverse, due in part to their usage of a refrigerant gas which will boil at temperatures of around -10°C.  This vaporised refrigerant gas is then passed through the compressor and the heat that is generated passed via a condensing heat exchanger to the heating distribution system. The now cool refrigerant passes through a series of valves as it turn back into a gas before the whole process starts again.

The financial reality of installing any heat pump system is an expectation that running costs will be reduced as you take advantage of the provision of free energy from the air, ground or water. By installing a suitably sized system, many owners have been able to remove themselves altogether from the need to have oil or gas to heat their home. The corresponding increase in electricity bills means that we are often asked why these bills are so high, and what can be done about it. There are several steps that can be taken to ensure that your electricity bill is reduced.