The right heat pump for your living situation

Heat pump types

There are three ways that heat pumps use natural energy as a heat source. All three operate according to the same principle: the pumps extract heat from the air, the ground or water and release it where it is needed, such as in your home. Each type of heat pump offers its own individual benefits. Which heat pump is right for you will depend on your own circumstances and needs.

Heat pumps for a single-family home: cost-efficient and flexible

Choosing the right heat pump for your single-family home is crucial in terms of being able to heat your home efficiently and cost-effectively. Compared to apartment buildings, single-family homes often occupy less land and require less heating. In single-family homes, criteria such as noise levels and how unobtrusively a pump can be installed in the house or garden are decisive. It is important to consider the space requirements and installation conditions.

An air/water heat pump is one potential alternative heating solution for single-family homes. These pumps use ambient air for heating and can be installed inside or outside the house. This type of heat pump can be installed relatively quickly and economically. The following CTA products are suitable air/water heat pumps for your single-family home:

• Aeroheat Inverta All-in-One

• Aeroheat Inverta Economy

• Aeroheat Inverta CI

• Aeroheat CS

• Aeroheat CN

• Aeroheat Inverta CNI

• Aeroheat Livera CL

• Aeroheat Inverta CM

• Domestic hot water heat pump

Geothermal heat pumps, which draw their energy from the ground, are also an appropriate option as a heat pump in a single-family home. Geothermal probe drilling is cost-intensive, which makes them somewhat more expensive to purchase, but their source temperature remains constant over 20 years of operation, making them the most cost-effective heating system. The following CTA products are suitable heat pumps for your single-family home:

• Optiheat Inverta TWW

• Optiheat Inverta Economy

• Optiheat All-in-One

A groundwater heat pump can also be used in single-family homes. Although they are cost-effective to operate, the high investment costs required and the time-consuming procedure for obtaining permission make groundwater heat pumps less appealing than other heat pumps for single-family homes.

At the end of the day, the right heat pump for your single-family home will depend on your own personal circumstances and requirements. We therefore recommend that you seek professional advice from us or from your regional heating engineer.

Heat pumps for apartment buildings: scalable and with a focus on efficiency

Choosing the right heat pump for your apartment building is important if you are looking to guarantee efficiency, profitability and long-term comfort for your residents. Apartment buildings often require a greater heating output than single-family homes. At the same time, scalability is also a crucial consideration when choosing a heat pump for an apartment building. 

A groundwater heat pump provides a high thermal output. This makes it more attractive for larger buildings where there is the option of using groundwater or seawater. The high installation costs are worthwhile for larger outputs, as a lot of energy can be saved here. Discover the range of CTA products for this heat pump type.

• Optiheat Inverta TWW

• Optiheat Inverta Economy

• Optiheat All-in-One

• Optiheat Duo

• Optialtum Inverta HT

If no access to water is available, a geothermal heat pump can be worthwhile, especially for larger buildings. The higher investment and construction costs from drilling the geothermal probe are offset by the long-term savings.

Air/water heat pumps can also be a viable alternative for apartment buildings. These are often easier to install and require fewer modifications to the building’s structure. If an air/water heat pump is to be set up outside, however, there must be sufficient space available. These CTA products are suitable for apartment buildings:

• Aeroheat Inverta CI

• Aeroheat CS

• Aeroheat Inverta CM

• Aeroheat Inverta SCI 

At the end of the day, the right heat pump for an apartment building will depend on the residents’ personal circumstances and requirements. We therefore recommend that you seek professional advice from us or from your local heating engineer.

Potential heat sources and legal requirements

Each canton and municipality has its own regulations for zoning and construction. It is important to be familiar with these. There may also be stipulations on minimum distances between an air/water heat pump or a geothermal probe for a geothermal heat pump and the neighbouring property. These regulations will tell you which types of heat pumps can even be considered for your single-family home or apartment building.

Spatial conditions indoors and outdoors

If drilling is possible in principle[↗], you need to check whether there is sufficient space for it. If you plan to install a geothermal probe heat pump or a groundwater heat pump, it must be possible to bring large or smaller drilling equipment onto the land, potentially with the help of a crane. The length of the pipe leading to the heating room must also be taken into account. The same considerations apply to air/water heat pumps installed outdoors: the closer the exterior device can be placed to the heating room, the more cost-effective it will be, because the hole dug will not need to be so deep. 

It should be determined how much room there is in the heating room inside the house for the heat pump itself, not to mention for accessories like hot water or buffer tanks. It is also important to clarify how the device will be brought inside. Depending on their model, some CTA pumps can be disassembled while others need to be brought in in one piece.

Heating output required

The size of the heat pump will be determined by the heating output required. In other words, it depends on how much energy your single-family home or apartment building needs. It helps to know the average energy consumption over the past three to five years (number of litres of oil, volume of gas/wood, units of electricity consumed). When calculating the dimensions of a heat pump system, it is also important to know the surface area of the space to be heated (in m2).

Structural considerations

The condition of the building is also a determining factor in the type of heat pump and the accessories. If the building is well-insulated (roof, façade, windows) – and this is always something we recommend ensuring as a first step – it will require less heating and thus a different size heat pump. If the building has a photovoltaic or solar thermal system or if there are plans to install one, this must also be taken into consideration when planning an appropriate heat pump system. Something else important to know when planning is whether underfloor heating or radiators distribute the heat throughout the house. This will determine how high or low the flow temperatures need to be. 

Financial resources

Although heat pumps are more expensive to buy than fossil fuel heating systems, their maintenance and energy costs are significantly lower. This is mainly due to the fact that heat pumps are largely operated with free energy from water, air, or the ground. Heat pumps also require relatively little maintenance. While, in the short term, heat pumps are therefore somewhat more expensive, they harvest their cost benefits in the medium and long term. Find out more about the costs in this article.

Good to know: cantons and municipalities are promoting the replacement of fossil fuel heating systems with solutions using renewable energy. Visit energiefranken.ch to find out more about which subsidies are available in your municipality. Also good to know: investments in heat pump heating systems can be spread over three tax periods.