ᐅ Heat Pump & Central Mechanical Ventilation System

Our controlled residential ventilation system is connected to the heat pump. It reduces the flow of cold air, but whether this is noticeable in other houses, I have no idea—this is just what I know. The controlled residential ventilation system, however, is an in-house design by Schwörerhaus, probably modified from a product by a larger manufacturer.

Insolator schrieb:

If you can use a heat pump for cooling as well, why buy an air conditioner? That means double costs for purchase, installation, electricity, maintenance, and repairs.

We have both. An air-to-water heat pump plus a controlled residential ventilation system (combined unit), and additionally, air conditioning in two rooms and a split system for the entire upper floor.
I did a lot of research beforehand about the cooling function of a heat pump combined with underfloor heating in summer. Most people say you get a maximum of 1–2°C (2–4°F) cooling. And cold air doesn’t rise, unlike warm air.

Whether an air-to-water heat pump plus controlled residential ventilation makes economic sense, I can’t conclusively judge yet. Functionally, it has made sense for us.

kati1337 schrieb:

Whether an air-to-water heat pump combined with a controlled residential ventilation system is economically viable, I cannot fully assess yet.

Well, maybe it can be explained like this. Using an air-to-water heat pump plus controlled residential ventilation with the intention to cool is like watering a soccer field with a watering can. Sure, it’s possible and makes some sense—you save on water pipes and sprinklers, and the amount of water used will be less because, timewise, you simply can’t cover the volume like with an irrigation system.

So, it sounds great in principle, right? Lower investment, lower operating costs, and somehow the grass still turns green? Sounds like an efficient system.

But precisely because you can’t apply the necessary amounts, what starts as a nice carpet of grass will sooner or later become a patchy lawn.

In contrast, watering a strawberry bed with a watering can is completely fine and makes sense.

The same applies here: since the required airflow can’t be achieved due to design limitations, it’s like a drop in the ocean.

kati1337 schrieb:

Functionally, it has made sense for us.

More than a somewhat smarter control of the systems (single-family home) to ensure they work better together rather than against each other is usually neither necessary nor possible.

I especially appreciated the coordinated interaction between the systems. Whether this actually proves advantageous in practice is something we will probably never be able to assess, since we only have this one system and no comparison. But logically, it makes sense that the controlled ventilation system with 90% heat recovery works reasonably well together with my air-to-water heat pump.

For the climate control, we planned it separately exactly for the reasons you mentioned, meaning we do not intend to use the air-to-water heat pump or controlled ventilation system for cooling. Instead, we’ll install split units in the rooms.

kati1337 schrieb:

We are installing split units in the rooms.

These should then also be able to communicate properly with the controlled residential ventilation system and the air-to-water heat pump. And if so, then do it correctly.

If pipes are installed within ceilings, load-bearing walls, or concrete walls—that is, with a ducted air system—it is feasible to cool with an air-to-water heat pump. The climate is controlled by the mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery.

Using underfloor heating with an air-to-water heat pump for cooling is better than nothing, but not much more than that.