Renewable Heating Solutions
EcoTherm Mechanical Services are also specialists in renewable energy solutions. If you are looking to invest in making your home less reliant on fossil fuels for heating and becoming more self-sustainable then we can help! Our expertise include air source heat pumps & solar thermal hot water systems; each can be installed in a whole range of homes to make you huge savings in the long-run.
Air Source Heat Pumps
In properties where it is not possible to install a ground source heat pump, an air source heat pump can be used. Slightly less efficient than ground source heat pumps, air source heat pumps still deliver excellent efficiency levels.
Air source heat pumps extract heat from the external ambient air and transfer it to your heating and hot water system.
Grants
There may be grants or loans available to those installing heat pumps in their property through an MCS accredited installer like EcoTherm Mechanical Services.
EcoTherm Mechanical Services can provide free estimates for, and assist in, the application of these grants.
Solar Thermal Heating
Solar water heating (known as solar thermal) systems capture the free heat from the sun and use it to heat up water for use in your home or business.
It’s a simple process:
- – Panels on your roof absorb heat from the sun – they are known as the collector
- – The water in the panels heats up
- – This hot water is pumped through a coil in your cylinder
- – Which transfers the heat to the water in the cylinder
Is solar thermal suitable for my home or business?
One of our experts would visit your property and provide all the information needed, to meet your requirements. They would provide an in-depth understanding on solar thermal, ensuring that you have complete knowledge to make the right decision.
The ideal situation for solar panels is facing due south, although they are effective facing anywhere between south east and south west. As a rule of thumb you need between 1 and 2 m2 of collector (solar panels) per person living in the house. Shade on the panels at any time of day will reduce the performance. Most panels are mounted on a roof, but they can also be mounted at ground level. It is important that they get direct sunlight. To get the best results they should be at an angle between 20 and 50 degrees from horizontal (most pitched roofs fall within this bracket).
If you have an electric shower it won’t use your solar hot water. Similarly, cold-fill dishwashers and / or washing machines heat the water they use. In this situation, solar water heating is not suitable unless you use the bath for most of your washing and bathing, as you won’t be able to use much of the solar hot water you generate.
Solar panels are compatible with most existing hot water systems. However, you will need a new cylinder with two coils. Ideally it should be big enough to hold two days worth of hot water.
If your present system is gravity fed, it will need a control (such as a valve and pump) for the hot water circuit so the panels can work effectively in winter when the boiler is running for central heating.