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Find the right heat pump for your detached house

Thanks to consistent developments in environment friendly technology, manufacturers and contractors can offer homeowners a range of heat pump solutions for detached houses. Modern heat pumps are extremely efficient in both new and existing buildings. Read on to find out what you need to look for.

Why use a heat pump?

A heat pump converts environmental heat from the air, the ground or groundwater into heat for your home. It only requires electricity (approx. 25%), but supplies significantly more heating energy (approx. 75%). A heat pump can slightly increase the electricity consumption of a detached house. Using your own photovoltaic system to generate the power you need makes the heat pump even cheaper to run and largely carbon-neutral. You can read more about how a heat pump works in our article “Understanding heat pumps”.

A heat pump is an efficient and climate-friendly heating solution for your building. The advantages of a heat pump are covered below:

Environmentally friendly

Environmentally responsible

Sustainable

Heat pumps use free and unlimited environmental heat, making them particularly sustainable.

Low emissions

Since no fossil fuels like gas or oil are used, the CO2 emissions of a heat pump are very low.

CHA heat pump in winter with snow

Reliable

Efficient all year round

Heat pumps function reliably all year round, both in new houses and in existing buildings.

Save costs

Inexpensive

Cost-effective to run

Heat pumps use environmental heat instead of costly fossil fuels, making them inexpensive to operate - especially in combination with a photovoltaic system.

Eligible for subsidies

The cost of a heat pump can be reduced by making use of government subsidies.

Which heat pump should you choose for a detached house?

The answer to this question depends on your individual requirements. Here are the main heat pump types which you might consider using in a detached house:

The air-to-water heat pump

Suitable for most detached houses

The most popular and cheapest heat pump solution for a detached house. The heat source for an air-to-water heat pump is the ambient air. It draws in outside air through a fan and feeds it to the heat exchanger in order to make the thermal energy usable for the heating system.

Efficient monoblock units are flexible and cheap to install. They provide the energy needed for central heating and DHW heating in detached houses all year round. Split units with separate components (one indoors and one outdoors) are another alternative. Air-to-water heat pumps are also far cheaper than other types of heat pump.

Icon Air-to-water heat pump

Air-to-water heat pumps

CHA-MONOBLOCK

The CHA Monoblock air source heat pump from WOLF is one of the most efficient air source heat pumps on the market. It is low-maintenance, made in Germany and comes with a five-year warranty. It also has a stylish design.

WOLF CHA heat pump

Benefits and drawbacks of air-to-water heat pumps

Benefits
Drawbacks
Not dependent on fossil fuels and their prices
Slightly less efficient than brine-to-water or water-to-water heat pumps (but highly efficient models are available)
Eligible for subsidies when installed in a detached house
When the outside temperature is very low, additional electrical reheating may be required (rarely necessary in a detached house)
Cheaper to purchase than brine-to-water or water-to-water heat pumps
Environment friendly, low emissions
Low-cost operation - especially when using solar power generated by a PV system on the roof of a detached house
Easy installation
Flexible range of applications
No permits required
Minimal space requirement

Benefits and drawbacks of air-to-water heat pumps

  • Drawbacks

    Not dependent on fossil fuels and their prices
    Slightly less efficient than brine-to-water or water-to-water heat pumps (but highly efficient models are available)
    Eligible for subsidies when installed in a detached house
    When the outside temperature is very low, additional electrical reheating may be required (rarely necessary in a detached house)
    Cheaper to purchase than brine-to-water or water-to-water heat pumps
    Environment friendly, low emissions
    Low-cost operation - especially when using solar power generated by a PV system on the roof of a detached house
    Easy installation
    Flexible range of applications
    No permits required
    Minimal space requirement

    Geothermal heat pump

    For detached homes with a larger footprint

    Brine-to-water heat pumps use heat from the ground and are also known as geothermal heat pumps. This involves placing collectors in the ground. Since the temperature in the ground remains stable throughout the year at a certain depth, geothermal heat pumps provide reliable and consistent heat for your detached house.

    However, these heat pumps often requires time-consuming and expensive drilling work, most of which requires a permit. These can make adding heat pumps of this type more of a challenge in existing buildings. This is especially true when using flat-plate collectors. These can be installed close to the surface but require a large amount of land.

    Icon brine-to-water heat pump
    Benefits and drawbacks of a brine-to-water heat pump
    Benefits
    Drawbacks
    Sustainable, very low emissions
    Planning and development more complex and costly than with an air source heat pump
    Independent of fossil fuel prices
    Often subject to official approval
    Eligible for subsidies when installed in a detached house
    Not a feasible option for all detached houses
    Provides constant energy for heating all year round
    Can be used for heating, cooling & DHW heating
    Cost-effective to run, especially with solar power
    Increases the value of a detached house
    Benefits and drawbacks of a brine-to-water heat pump
    • Drawbacks

      Sustainable, very low emissions
      Planning and development more complex and costly than with an air source heat pump
      Independent of fossil fuel prices
      Often subject to official approval
      Eligible for subsidies when installed in a detached house
      Not a feasible option for all detached houses
      Provides constant energy for heating all year round
      Can be used for heating, cooling & DHW heating
      Cost-effective to run, especially with solar power
      Increases the value of a detached house

      The water-to-water heat pump

      Can also be implemented in detached houses with limited space

      Water-to-water heat pumps also use the consistent temperatures of your heat source to heat the detached house. Unlike a geothermal heat pump, however, it uses the thermal energy of groundwater. This requires drilling two wells - one to draw in groundwater and one to return it after the heat has been transferred. Because of this, you will need enough space for these wells on your property. You will also need a permit for construction in most cases.

      Icon Water-to-water heat pump
      Benefits and drawbacks of a water-to-water heat pump
      Benefits
      Drawbacks
      Environment friendly, low emissions
      Permit may be required
      Independent of fossil fuels
      Not a feasible option for every detached house (for example, if the groundwater level is too low - very rare)
      Heating system eligible for subsidies in detached houses
      Extensive and costly development & planning processes
      Cost-effective to run, especially with power from your own PV system
      Less efficient when using cold ground water at great depth
      Lower costs for setting up than for geothermal heat pumps
      Pump can be corroded or blocked with silt, depending on the quality of the water
      Year-round supply of energy, heat reservoir is constant
      Can also be implemented when limited space is available
      Benefits and drawbacks of a water-to-water heat pump
      • Drawbacks

        Environment friendly, low emissions
        Permit may be required
        Independent of fossil fuels
        Not a feasible option for every detached house (for example, if the groundwater level is too low - very rare)
        Heating system eligible for subsidies in detached houses
        Extensive and costly development & planning processes
        Cost-effective to run, especially with power from your own PV system
        Less efficient when using cold ground water at great depth
        Lower costs for setting up than for geothermal heat pumps
        Pump can be corroded or blocked with silt, depending on the quality of the water
        Year-round supply of energy, heat reservoir is constant
        Can also be implemented when limited space is available

        Efficiency criteria for heat pumps in a detached house

        The German Federal Environmental Agency (“UBA”) recommends using the following criteria for even greater efficiency when using heat pumps in detached houses:

        • High coefficient of performance (COP) and seasonal performance factor of heat pump
        • Low flow temperatures (the heat pump still works efficiently at a flow temperature of 55°C)
        • Temperatures of the heat source extremely consistent
        • Harmonisation of individual components

         

        The coefficient of performance (COP) of the heat pump can be used to compare different devices. The less electricity you need to generate heat for your heating, the better.

        The heat pump works most efficiently in detached houses in conjunction with a surface heating system (for example, underfloor heating), as this only needs a low flow temperature. However, efficient heat pump designs are now also available for use in combination with traditional radiators.

         

        Hybrid heating systems (i.e. heat pumps combined with another heating system with renewable energies or a combination of a heat pump with traditional oil or gas heating) can be used, but are usually not necessary. The heat pump covers the energy requirement and works reliably all year round. This removes the need for an additional heating system in a detached house. This is especially true for refurbished houses or energy-efficient new buildings. Fossil fuel-based heating systems can be used as a backup in old and inefficient buildings, but this is fairly rare.

        WOLF Service bus & employee

        Top advice from WOLF

        If you are looking for an efficient heat pump for your existing building or a new build, you should seek in-depth advice. Correct dimensioning and careful planning are crucial for efficient heating. The experts at WOLF will be happy to help you.

        Get in touch with us now!

        A heat pump heats your home economically without impacting the environment

        Future-proof and climate-friendly heating is easy to achieve by using a heat pump in a detached house - both in new and existing buildings. An air-to-water heat pump is particularly cost-effective and easy to install. You should always find the right heating system for your detached house to make sure that it is efficient. This will involve comparing the output rating of different systems. A heating output of about 4 to 5 kW is usually sufficient for a building covering 100 square meters. Only very large houses with poor insulation need more power.

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