Air-to-water heat pump NIBE LIV / LICV

An air-to-water heat pump extracts energy from the ambient air, transfers it to the refrigerant, and uses a compressor to produce heat that is used for heating and domestic hot water. In summer, the process can be modified for cooling.

A brine-to-water heat pump uses geothermal energy. To do this, it draws thermal energy from the ground and conducts the heat into the house. The heat extraction works even if the upper layer of the earth is frozen in winter, because the geothermal heat remains constant.

The heat pumps are suitable for both and and can thus be used in new buildings and renovation properties. The maximum flow temperature in continuous operation should not exceed 55°C, as the efficiency decreases sharply.

However, it is worth replacing the old radiators with new ones with a larger heating surface. Seek advice from specialists. In general, energy-saving measures on the building envelope to directly reduce the heat demand and thus the flow temperatures should be examined.

Yes, because all our heat pump systems are designed for the design temperature. However, there are some differences between the various heat pump systems that need to be considered:

Air-to-water heat pumps:

Air-to-water heat pumps have a lower operating limit of approx. -25°C. For heating systems, this means that the heat output is guaranteed up to the design temperature (in the midlands, for example, at -7°C outside temperature). If the outside temperature drops below this design temperature for one or more days, the auxiliary heating switches on automatically. Statistically, however, this case occurs only very rarely.

Brine-to-water heat pumps:

With these heat pumps, the correct dimensioning of the geothermal probes is important. The heat at depth is constant and changes only minimally, even if the upper layer of the earth is frozen.

The heat pump needs on average 7'200 kWh per year, but this is strongly dependent on the energy requirement of the building. A heat pump in combination with a photovoltaic system makes sense and helps to reduce the cost of electricity consumption.

The sound insulation of heat pumps can be improved by structural measures. The most important is the physical decoupling of floors, walls and pipes. Sound insulation hoods or sound insulation walls can also significantly reduce noise generation.

Heat pumps are in principle very low maintenance. However, a heat pump should not be neglected. Dirt on the outdoor unit or in the heating circuit, incorrect settings, wrong heating curve, etc., can damage the heat pump or its efficiency. Therefore, a periodic maintenance is always advantageous and extends the life expectancy.