Which Heat Pump Water Cylinder Is Best for My Home?
Which heat pump water cylinder is best for my home? The best heat pump hot water cylinder for your home is one that has an appropriately sized heat exchanger coil, stores enough domestic hot water for your household, and functions effectively with your heat pump. The number of occupants, bathrooms, hot water demand, heat pump output, and available installation space all influence the best option.
What Size Heat Pump Cylinder Do I Need?
The peak hot water demand in your home should determine the cylinder capacity, not just the number of people living there.
As a general guide:
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150 litres: Smaller households with modest hot water demand.
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200 litres: Typically suitable for two to three occupants. – This is our most popular heat pump cylinder; thus, we have developed the highest insulation level, i.e., a Class-leading “A+” ErP-rated hot water cylinder, with the highest we know of on the UK and Irish markets, and these are listed here: 200 Litre heat pump hot water cylinder – ErP A-plus rated
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250 to 300 litres: Often suitable for larger families or homes with multiple bathrooms. Our 300 litre heat pump cylinders are listed here: 300 Litre heat pump hot water cylinder ErP A rated
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400 litres and above: Properties with particularly high hot water requirements. Our 400 Litre units are listed here: 400 Litre heat pump hot water cylinder ErP A rated and our 500 Litre heat pump hot water cylinder ErP A rated
These are indicative sizes. Shower flow rates, bath volumes and recovery times should also be considered.
Why Is the Heat Exchanger Coil Important?
Air source heat pumps generally operate at lower primary flow temperatures than traditional boilers.
A large surface area heat exchanger coil allows efficient heat transfer into the stored domestic hot water without requiring unnecessarily high heat pump flow temperatures.
Check the manufacturer’s coil performance figures against your heat pump’s heating capacity and intended operating temperatures.
What Other Features Should I Consider?
Look for effective cylinder insulation, low standing heat losses, suitable immersion heater provision and a durable stainless steel or enamelled steel construction.
For an unvented hot water cylinder, the incoming mains water supply must also be suitable, and installation must comply with applicable UK safety requirements, including G3 in England.
Ultimately, the best heat pump cylinder is not necessarily the largest or most expensive. It is the one correctly matched to your household’s hot water demand and heat pump system.