“Are air source heat pumps noisy?” is a question that I get asked almost every day. This article will aim to explain that while it is a valid query, there are factors such as quality of installation and choice of manufacturer that can dramatically change the answer.
Are air source heat pumps noisy?
My role at Source Energy involves giving honest advice to clients in Essex, Cambridgeshire, Derbyshire and beyond about which specialist heat pump solution is best for their project.
For projects where a ground source heat pump isn’t suitable, due to lack of space and/or budget, an air source heat pump can be installed to heat well insulated buildings, as a fantastically efficient alternative to fossil fuels.
Comparing noise levels – are air source heat pumps noisy?
Before asking “are air source heat pumps noisy?”, let’s put sound levels into a comparable perspective, this table looks at the volume of everyday noises.
A typical good quality combi gas boiler, which is obviously installed in the house and not outside like an air source heat pump, will easily produce 43 dBA.
A commonly specified 8.5kW Mitsubishi Ecodan, operating under normal heating conditions at an outdoor temperature of 7 degrees C, will only produce 42 dBA. Yes you heard that correctly (the only thing you will really hear!)
Of course, it is a practical decision to not place the heat pump underneath a bedroom window, as on those hot summer nights when your heat pump is producing hot water, your window is open and the slightest pin drop is enough to wake you, you may not appreciate the dulcet tones of Japan’s finest, or in the case of the 8.5kW unit, Scotland’s finest, as it is UK made in Livingston!
Heat pumps are not “really noisy”
Quite often the very first question people will ask when discussing a renewable solution for their project is “are air source heat pumps noisy?”
In January 2012, Mitsubishi Electric’s range of Ecodan air source heat pumps received the Quiet Mark from the Noise Abatement Society. “Ecodan heating systems are the first air source heat pumps to receive the official backing of the Noise Abatement Society which has awarded a new ‘Quiet Mark’ of approval.”
The Quiet Mark is a new badge of approval awarded by the Noise Abatement Society to manufacturers of the quietest products currently available, and is validated by the Association of Noise Consultants. Products awarded a Quiet Mark will feature in the on-line directory at www.quietmark.com.
Ecodan – Built for the UK
In a world of cheap, poorly designed, ill performing, lookalike products, the air source heat pump has not escaped this disservice. But unlike many other brands that are designed around crude air conditioning units, the Mitsubishi Ecodan air source heat pump has been designed specifically from the ground up for the UK climate, which is one of the key reasons that they account for 45% of all the air source heat pumps installed in the country. Read more about Mitsubishi air source heat pumps..
Not all systems are as quiet as Ecodan
“More households are discovering the benefits of using air source heat pumps for their home’s heating, but not all systems are the same and not all of them are as quiet as Ecodan” explains Max Halliwell, Business Development Manager for Mitsubishi Electric’s range of domestic heating products.
To discover just how quiet the Mitsubishi Ecodan range is, please watch the video below, and be sure to turn up what sound you can hear! Don’t forget to read our other helpful air source heat pump articles such as “5 air source heat pump questions answered”.
Jim is the Midlands & East England Heat Pump Expert. Call 0800 865 4328 or request a free quote today to discuss your project in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Rutland, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex.
