How big are air source heat pumps?

If you’re thinking about switching to an energy-efficient heating system, it’s vital that you determine the size of the heat pump first. This way you’ll have a clearer idea of how it’s going to look on your property once it’s installed and you can plan ahead with confidence. Let’s take a look at how big air source heat pumps actually are.

• Heat pump outdoor units are about the size of two wheelie bins side-by-side. Inside the house, you'll need an 80cm x 80cm cupboard space for a hot water cylinder.

• You can disguise the outdoor unit with stylish covers or clever use of plants, but you'll need to leave plenty of breathing room for essential airflow.

• Units range from 4kW to 16kW. Choosing the right size for your heating demand avoids high running costs and unnecessary system wear.

What are the components and how big are they?

The main component of an air source heat pump is the main unit itself, which is a monoblock, usually between 1 and 1.5 metres tall and between 0.5 and 1 metres wide. That means it’s roughly the size of two wheelie bins standing side by side.

If you want the heat pump to provide hot water as well as heating, you’ll need a hot water cylinder and maybe a buffer tank too to hold extra water. The hot water cylinder will require about 80cm x 80cm of cupboard space, but if you already have a cylinder then you can replace it with one suitable for heat pump use easily.

Can you disguise the main unit?

There are a few ways to cover up or disguise the air source heat pump unit if you don’t want it to ruin the aesthetic outside your house. There are a number of decorative frames and covers you can use to hide the unit in a stylish way.

You can also disguise it with plants or shrubbery, which you can plant tactically to obscure it from view. Or you could apply a vinyl wrap to the unit to make it blend in nicely with the colour of your walls.

Whichever method you choose, just make sure to leave plenty of room for airflow, so that your heat pump can operate efficiently, and ensure that it’s accessible for maintenance and servicing.

What size heat pump do I need?

Air source heat pump sizes are typically sorted by their heating output in kilowatts, which can range from 4kW to 16kW. The heat pump size that you need will largely depend on the heating demand of your house.

Larger homes (or less insulated homes) will require bigger heat pump units, between 12 to 16kW. You might also need a larger unit if it’s used for both heating and hot water - however, if the unit is oversized for your particular home, it will be less efficient and can lead to higher running costs and more wear on the system.

We know that getting the correct size heat pump is crucial to both your home’s outdoor aesthetic and the efficiency of the heating system itself. Hopefully you now have a better idea of what a heat pump looks like and what kind of size you might need. If you’ve decided on the size, you might want to learn a bit more about how much an air source heat pump costs before you start making plans.

Ground source and water source heat pumps are very different to air source heat pumps. These will require a significant amount of space of your property for digging trenches and drilling boreholes.

Air source heat pumps require constant airflow in order to work properly, so you must make sure to leave it some breathing room when adding a cover, frame or fence.

We recommend being cautious, as if you get an air source heat pump that’s too big for your home it may run inefficiently. This could lead to higher running costs and more wear on the system, so you won’t save as much money on your energy bills.