(Heat) pump it up

Welcome to the Strawman, the newsletter that's like that first ray of sun on a crisp winter morning. We remind you of the joys of life.

Today, we’re diving into the world of heat pumps - technology that’s over 150 years old and like that 50 year old that gets really into marathons/cycling, is gunning for a comeback story. Let’s dive in.

Keeping it toasty - how heat pumps work

Like most miracles of modern society, the answer to how heat pumps work is simple: science.

These bad boys work by using the power of science to transfer heat from the air or ground outside your home, into your home. Here's how it works:

1. Absorption: The heat pump's outdoor unit is filled with a fluid that absorbs heat from the air and ground - called a refrigerant. As it heats up - it evaporates, turning into a gas.

2. Compression: The high-pressure gas then moves into the compressor, which squeezes it, raising its temperature even further - talk about getting hot 🥵 

3. Heat exchange: The hot, high-pressure gas flows through a coil inside your home, where it transfers its heat to the air or water - this is what helps warm your house up. This process cools the refrigerant back down, turning it back into a liquid.

4. Expansion: The cooled liquid refrigerant then has a lower pressure and temperature - making it ready to absorb more heat from the outdoors and start the process all over again.

The beauty of heat pumps is that they can also work in reverse, cooling your home in the summer by extracting heat from inside and releasing it outside.

Battle of the heaters - who wins?

Now you might be wondering - if a heat pump and a traditional heating system got into an octagon UFC style, and fought until one taps out, who would win?

Lucky for you, The Strawman also loves a fight - and heat pumps come out swinging - here are the pros and cons:

Pros:

• Heat pumps are super energy efficient - generating up to 300% more heat energy than then consume in electricity - meaning money saved for you

• Lower carbon emissions - good for the environment which is always a big win

• Low maintenance - heat pumps tend to last longer, saving you money in the long term

Cons:

• More expensive upfront - although they save money long term, you still gotta put up the cash at the start

• Slower to heat - especially when it’s properly cold, heat pumps take a little longer to warm up - but slow and steady wins the race right?

• Can be difficult to install - although government schemes mean more and more general tradespeople know their way around a heat pump now

Pumping in cash

With all this talk about heat pumps, governments and corporates are keen to get involved. Companies like Bosch, which is a huge producer of these pumps have committed €1Bn over this decade to expand their manufacturing capabilities.

On the other side, governments across the world are offering subsidies on heat pump installations - making them a potential bargain for those looking to lock in energy cost savings.

In any case - heat pumps have people’s attention especially as energy prices have gone through the roof, creating a win-win situation that’s hard to resist.

If you enjoyed today's issue of the Strawman, don't keep it all to yourself – share the love (and warmth) with your friends and family.

See ya next time,

The Strawman