13th July 2023 Part 2. Heat pump[s]?

 ~o~

 I keep wondering where, on earth, I could put a heat pump's indoor unit. The kitchen ceiling is low. With exposed joists. Nowhere on the upper walls in there, nor in either hall, makes any sense at all. I had a flash of inspiration yesterday. The heating unit could go under the open tread stairs. The ceiling height isn't much more than elsewhere but at least it wouldn't take up room on a useful wall. 

 The downside is bringing the heating hoses to the indoor unit. They would have to cross the low ceilings of the bathroom and rear entrance hall. Penetrating the modestly dimensioned joists? It might not even be possible. Easy access would also be required to the heating unit for filter cleaning and maintenance. So it couldn't go too high on the wall. Or the stairs would seriously hinder routine work. 

 There are floor standing, internal units but they are bulky and not so efficient as wall mounted units. Placement for maximum air movement is vital. No point in heating the corner of a single room. When the whole house needs efficient warmth. My "cottage" height ceilings and multiple rooms do not lend themselves to such placement. There is quite a modest house down the road. With at least five, visible heat pumps! One to each room!

 A little homework later: The Panasonic floor standing units are really quite modest in size. 750W x 60cmH x 20cm deep. My fuzzy logic suggests that low lying unit will heat a space more effectively. What I am trying to avoid is the external heat pump under the bedroom window. Because of potential noise. Sadly that is precisely where one would be best sited. For a middle of the living room wall, floor mounted, indoor unit. Such a position would be some distance from the consumer unit for the power supply.  I dislike conduits running all over the outside of my hovel.

 Such a position would push warm air towards the front hall and kitchen. Opening all the internal doors would provide a circuit for the warm air to travel in circles. Probably wishful thinking! The heat pump is supposed to provide background warmth when I am not at home. Also at night. Another option would be a heat pump in the kitchen and another in the lounge. Or, utilizing the unused underfloor heating in the bathroom and kitchen. The price of air to water units is falling.

 Having a stove which lasts only a couple of hours is strictly the stuff of the 1950s!  People, myself included, need continuous warmth. Such warmth keeps the fabric of the building above freezing. Without it needing to be warmed up from scratch. Every time I light the stove on a winter morning.

 Reducing the need for fetching and splitting logs would be a major advantage. I am getting no younger and my present strength and abilities may well be reduced. Logs need a car and a trailer. Both of which are rapidly nearing the ends of their useful lives. 

For dinner I am going with chicken and mushroom curry. With Ben's Medium Curry sauce. It is ages since I had curry. It was too dry. 

 

 ~o~