General Commercial Heating Questions
We’ve tried to answer any questions you might have. If you can’t find an answer, please reach out to us by filling out our contact form and a member of the team will be in touch as soon as they can.
Is Ideal Heating a British Company?
Ideal Heating Commercial is the UK’s leading commercial heating manufacturer of high efficiency commercial heating solutions. Operating from its Hull manufacturing plant and offices since 1906, they are one of the few true British manufacturers left in the heating industry.
With over 100 years of experience and knowledge they have developed a range of low carbon heating solutions for commercial properties.
Is Ideal Heating part of Groupe Atlantic?
Yes, Ideal Heating is part of Groupe Atlantic’s UK, Republic of Ireland and North America division. They are the market leader in commercial and domestic heating across Europe.
Based in Hull, the Groupe Atlantic UK manufacturing plant has an 800-strong workforce, with over 1,500 staff employed across all brands within the UK. Globally, Groupe Atlantic has over 13,000 employees. Groupe Atlantic products are distributed in more than 17 countries, with thirteen brands operating across: heating, hot water, air conditioning and ventilation.
Do Ideal Heating just sell commercial boilers?
No, Ideal Heating delivers commercial heating solutions that are at the forefront of technology and developed in line with the latest market trends and legislation.
Armed with everything from market-leading commercial condensing boilers, commercial heat pumps through to heat interface units, they provide a range of solutions to help decarbonise heat and help the UK on its journey to net zero.
Do Ideal Heating offer free commissioning on its commercial products?
Yes, Ideal Heating offers free commissioning on its commercial products. This needs to take place within three months of installation to qualify for full warranty.
The free commissioning service is available on the following products: Evomax 2, Imax Xtra 2, Imax Xtra EL, Evomod and ECOMOD commercial heat pumps.
To take advantage of their market-leading free commissioning service, simply fill in a few details: Free Commissioning Request
Why you should commission your boiler?
The commissioning process involves checking if your new appliance is installed and set-up correctly. This will help to ensure you are gaining maximum efficiency from your heating and hot water system, whilst checking steps are in place to avoid any technical issues.
During a boiler commission, a Gas Safe registered engineer will complete several tasks on the boiler commissioning checklist. In a heat pump commission, an engineer will complete several tasks on the heat pump commissioning checklist.
To request free commissioning service, simply fill in a few details: Free Commissioning Request.
Commercial Heat Pump FAQs
Do Ideal Heating sell commercial heat pumps?
Yes, Ideal Heating sell a full range of commercial heat pumps or ASHPs, these are the ECOMOD monobloc range.
The three ranges feature either R290 Propane, R744 CO2 natural refrigerants or R32 synthetic refrigerants and with outputs from 14kw to 130kW they are able to cascade for larger commercial applications. Find out more about the ECOMOD range
Do Ideal Heating sell natural refrigerant heat pumps?
Yes, Ideal Heating sell two ranges using natural refrigerants.
Featuring R290 natural refrigerant the ECOMOD 290HT range is available in 3 chassis sizes and five outputs: 15kW, 18kW, 27kW, 40kW and 50kW.
The ECOMOD CO2 & CO2Q low noise commercial heat pumps uses R744 natural refrigerant and come in three chassis sizes and outputs: 65kW, 95kW and 130kW.
Both developed using natural refrigerants to satisfy the changing market needs and offering competitive performance with a ultra-low GWP.
Find out more: Natural Refrigerant Commercial Heat Pumps
Are heat pumps able to achieve high flow temperatures?
Yes, the ECOMOD 290HT range of commercial heat pumps can achieve water flow temperatures of up to 75 degrees Celsius. To find out more: High Temperature Commercial Heat Pumps
What are natural refrigerants?
They are naturally occurring substances that are widely available for example Propane R290 or R744 carbon dioxide CO2. These refrigerants typical can generate higher flow temperatures. The ECOMOD range of commercial heat pumps utilise natural refrigerants, read more: ECOMOD Natural Refrigerant Commercial Heat Pumps
What is a hybrid heating system?
This is where the heating system uses different fuel sources to heat the building. This can be a mix of technologies for example an ASHP working alongside a traditional boiler to obtain the best efficiency from either appliance.
Are heat pumps suitable for commercial buildings?
Yes, ECOMOD heat pumps have a wide range of commercial and industrial applications, including new build, refurbishment and retro-fit. Any commercial building can benefit from a heat pump as long as it has effective insulation, external space for the heat pump unit, and the unit is correctly sized, as well as having access to a sufficient electrical supply. Read more in our Blog: Are Heat Pumps Suitable for Commercial Buildings
What is a heat pump and how does it work?
A heat pump is an appliance that extracts heat energy from the environment, ground, water or air and upgrades it to useful heat for central heating and domestic hot water.
What are the different types of heat pump?
There are several types of commercial heat pump the most common ones being: air source, commonly called air to water, ground source and water source. All Ideal Heating commercial heat pumps are monobloc air source heat pumps – find out more about the complete range of ECOMOD Heat Pumps
What is an air source heat pump?
An air source heat pump extracts heat energy from the outside air and upgrades it to useful heat for central heating and hot water. Find out about the ECOMOD range of ASHPs
What is a Monobloc system?
A monobloc heat pump system has all of the refrigerant components contained within the outdoor unit, meaning the central heating system and the DHW coil are directly connected to the external unit.
Due to the increased size of a monobloc unit it is normally ground mounted and to minimise the higher heat losses, the fan unit should be located as close to the property as possible.
What maintenance do heat pumps require?
Typically, a heat pump should be serviced on an annual basis.
To request a service or for any queries contact your local business development manager on Contact Us
Are heat pumps hard to install?
As long as the heating system has been designed correctly and is installed by a qualified engineer; Ideal Heating Commercial heat pumps are straightforward to install.
Heat pump training is available from the Ideal Heating Expert Academy, book your course now.
Can a heat pump replace a boiler?
Yes. In most cases if the heating system has been sized correctly, a heat pump is a suitable alternative to a traditional fossil fuel system.
Why choose an air source heat pump?
Air source heat pumps are used around the world as an efficient and reliable way of heating buildings and offer a good alternative to traditional fossil fuel boilers. With a compact design, air source heat pump technology is one of the most versatile and cost-effective low carbon appliances on the market. To find out more about the ECOMOD commercial heat pumps visit.
Why should I consider a heat pump and what are the advantages of having a heat pump?
- Heat pumps are a great way of reducing a buildings carbon footprint.
- Incentives and funding are available to minimise installation costs.
- Significant savings can be made on running costs when compared to alternative fuel solutions.
- A renewable solution can protect building owners against fluctuations in energy costs.
Read our blog about installing commercial heat pumps: Are heat pumps suitable for commercial-buildings
How noisy are heat pumps?
Our heat pump noise levels go as low as 64 dB(A).
What is COP?
The coefficient of performance (COP) refers to the efficiency of a heat pump and directly relates to the energy the output from a heat pump. It is the ratio of heat produced, relative to each unit of electricity consumed in the heat pump.
What is SCOP?
The seasonal coefficient of performance (SCOP) is the average COP carried over the annual heating season (the full year).
How efficient is a heat pump?
Our ECOMOD heat pumps can be up to 494% efficient. (A7/W35)
Can a heat pump be used with radiators?
Absolutely, heat pumps work very well with radiators as long as they are sized correctly.
Will a heat pump work with underfloor heating and different zones?
Yes, a heat pump will work with different emitters like underfloor heating or fan coils.
Can a heat pump be used with other renewable technology such as solar PV?
Yes, our heat pumps can be integrated with most renewable energy sources such as solar PV. Take a look at our ECOMOD ranges.
What are the running costs of a heat pump?
Heat pumps traditionally cost almost the same as gas boilers but should be significantly cheaper to run in comparison to oil, LPG or direct electric boilers.
Are our heat pumps safe?
Yes, heat pumps have been installed around the world for over 50 years and are rigorously tested in the most extreme conditions.
What types of building can a heat pump be installed in?
Yes, as long as the heating system has been designed correctly, the ECOMOD heat pumps can be fitted into most types of property including new build, refurbishment and retro-fit and have a wide range of commercial and industrial applications. Read our blog article: Sustainable heating systems for commercial buildings.
What are the differences between each refrigerant (R410A, R32, R290)?
- R744 Carbon Dioxide CO2: Natural refrigerant with ultra-low GWP of 1, very eco-friendly and non-flammable.
- R290 Propane: Natural refrigerant with ultra-low GWP of 3, very eco-friendly and highly flammable.
- R32 HFC-32: Lower GWP of 675, eco-friendly, mildly flammable, lower cost, most popular refrigerant choice.
- R410A Puron,AZ-20: Slowly being phased out, higher GWP of 2088, worse for the environment, non-flammable, higher costs.
- R407c Klea66: Still used but will be phased out in 2025 in systems with less than 3kg charge, high GWP of 1774.
Can a heat pump function when it is freezing outside?
Yes, it can work to temperatures as low as -20°C
Is there a warranty?
All our ECOMOD ranges come with a 2-year warranty. The ECOMOD and ECOMOD 290HT can be extended to 5-years if commissioned by Ideal Heating.
To find out more about our free commissioning service, visit: Free Commissioning
How easy is it to commission a heat pump?
Commissioning heat pumps should be carried out by Ideal Heating.
To find out more about our free commissioning service, visit: Free commissioning.
What is a buffer tank and how does it work with a heat pump?
A buffer tank is typically an insulated vessel of water; it doesn’t usually contain any coils or heat exchangers; most will have top and bottom connections, and some will have a baffle plate internally. The primary role of a buffer tank is to keep a minimum volume of water ‘in circuit’ at times when the heating load is very low. This prevents the heat pump from short cycling and provides a bypass route to maintain the minimum flow rate through the heat pump if most of the heating zones have shut down.
How much outdoor space do I need to install an ASHP?
Most heat pumps require a minimum clearance for efficiency and service. Refer to the specific heat pump installation manual for exact requirements.
Can heat pumps help prevent Legionnaires Disease?
Heat Pumps usually operate at a lower temperature than boilers – around 50°C – which means they are not effective at eliminating Legionella bacteria, when used for domestic hot water production. However, heat pumps using the natural refrigerants CO2 or R290 – such as our ECOMOD CO2 and ECOMOD 290HT – are not only a more environmentally friendly and energy efficient alternative to gas boilers, but did you know they are also highly effective in preventing the spread of Legionella bacteria in domestic hot water (DHW) applications? Read our blog: Natural refrigerant heat pumps an effective means of reducing the risk of legionnaires disease