Augmentation the price of gas and electricity, increase in the price of wood pellets. Today, more and more French people want to find a solution that is both economical and ecological, in order to heat themselves optimally. So, you may be considering equipping yourself with a heat pump? Before you start, we advise you to take note of the main disadvantages associated with this type of heating.
The disadvantages of the heat pump
The heat pump allows you to produce heat using the energy available outside your home. Indeed, this system is able to capture external heat from air, earth and/or water. In addition, some models can also produce domestic hot water.
However, even if this system has many advantages, it should be remembered that some disadvantages remain.
1/ Your home must have good insulation
If you want to install a heat pump, you must first ensure that your home is well insulated. Indeed, if you want to benefit from all the advantages of a heat pump, it will be necessary to carry out certain insulation work in order to avoid significant heat loss. You should know thata poorly insulated home will have significant consequences on your electricity consumption.
Do you want to carry out insulation work? Know that 5 aids are available for the insulation of your attic at the start of 2023.
2/ Heat pump: variable performance depending on the model
You may not know it, but weather conditions play an important role in the performance of your heat pump.
Indeed, if you live in a fairly cold region, and the temperatures are between 2 and 7 degrees, your heat pump will have difficulty capturing the external calories to turn them into heat. For this reason, the lower the outdoor temperature, the more energy the heat pump will consumeelectricity.
However, if you have a substantial budget, you can opt for a geothermal heat pump which will allow your ground to keep a constant heat even in the middle of winter.
3/ Installing a heat pump: costs to consider
You should know that a heat pump generally requires subscribe to a more powerful electricity subscriptionwhich will have a definite impact on your electricity bill.
In addition, even if the heat pump is eligible for many aids, you should know that such a system requires a substantial investment. Indeed, it takes on average between 12,000 and 15,000 € for air / water systems. It is therefore appropriate to anticipate the cost of the installation heat pump within your budget.
4/ You must have a large outdoor location
We remind you that when installing the heat pump, it will be necessary to install an indoor unit et an outdoor unit. You should know that the more powerful your heat pump, the larger the outdoor unit will be.
Thus, it will be necessary to reserve a location ranging from 1m² to 1.5m² outside your accommodation. In addition, be aware that this dedicated surface must be concreted over more than ten centimeters thickin order to offer real stability to your equipment.
5/ The outdoor unit is exposed to bad weather
The outdoor unit of a heat pump is exposed to the weather. So, depending on the region you are in, it will be best to build a shelter to protect your equipment.
However, some more expensive heat pumps are made of stainless steel to increase their resistance to corrosion and weathering.
6/ Noise pollution not to be overlooked
Some heat pumps have the disadvantage of being noisy. However, the noises do not come directly from the heat pump, but generally vibrations it can create.
However, if you wish to limit noise pollution, we advise you to do not install the outdoor unit of your heat pump directly to the wall of your house. Indeed, it will be preferable to favor an installation on the ground and to leave a sufficient gap between the wall and the pump in order to avoid vibrations.
7/ Have your heat pump checked regularly
The control and maintenance of your heat pump are mandatory for all appliances whose power is between 4kW and 70 kW. Indeed, they must be carried out by a professional, and this, every 2 years maximum. For more powerful systems, the overhaul must be carried out every 5 years.
8/ Installation of a heat pump: a mandatory declaration at the town hall
Installing a heat pump changes the exterior appearance of your home. Thus, you will have to file a preliminary declaration of work with the town hall of your municipality. The latter will provide you with a receipt, indicating the date on which your work can begin. Generally, it will take a period of one month between the filing of your request and the date authorizing the work.
In addition, some heat pump models such as geothermal heat pumps require a second statement. This must be made to the Regional Department for Industry, Research and the Environment (DRIRE) and allows you to obtain an authorization to carry out a drilling.
If you wish to equip yourself with a heat pump, note that the government has decided to increase the aid relating to the MaPrimeRenov device.
After a career in commerce, I changed jobs several years ago to become a copywriter specializing in the home. You will discover on this site my articles related to energy (heat pump, stove, solar, …), decoration and DIY.