"What a monstrosity, I'm not having that outside my house. "
Graham Hendra
Heat Pump Subject Matter Expert, Refrigeration and Air conditioning lecturer
The first rule of renewables is it has to be ugly, Heat pumps are ugly, solar panels are ugly, need I go on?
I love a heat pump but even I have to admit they are bloody ugly, all of them.
Every year people say that someone should make a heat pump that looks nice, but so far this has been just a dream, it looks like its never going to happen.
There is no getting away from it, if you cant hide the heat pump it can ruin the look of your house. Sticking one in the front garden has a similar aesthetic impact to storing an old mattress out there. It looks shit. Most of us hide them out the back of the house so no one can see them, its like we are ashamed of them.
So if you dont like the look, why not cover them up?. In the picture above is a heat pump in a natty little yellow number, I saw this on a ship on holiday, this is NOT what I'm recommending.
The key is to heat pump cover is it must be able to let the air out, IF and only IF the air can escape and new fresh air can get back into the unit a cover is perfect. People who have never tried a cover will tell you all the reasons they dont work. But they do.
Recently a company has set up by someone who isn't a heat pump bore, they have some style, they make beautiful covers for heat pumps. they actually look good.
They are called air source covers
They make them in standard sizes and custom sizes too, so they will fit any unit. It looks like 2025 might be the year renewables shake off the ugly.
And no I haven't got a cover, I dont own share in heat pump covers and I'm not on a retainer. I just want people to love this brilliant, ugly, technology.
-Retired-
1wASHP'S can still work fine out of site with a bit of thought without loosing any efficiency!
Specification Manager (Midlands) at Stelrad Ltd
1wJust thinking out loud here but surely any restriction in airflow would adversely affect the COP? And what about icing in colder weather exacerbating the restricted airflow? That being said a mixture of the two images would negate that by allowing unrestricted airflow over the fan but still improving the aesthetics.
Inventor : Green Tech Entrepreneur
1wThat little yellow guy is pretty cute.
Managing Director at Tío
1wI actually find Solar Pannels quite attractive…. I think they make properties look smarter. Especially the newer integrated type!