ᐅ Heat pump not available. Use a temporary/mobile unit as a substitute?

On December 19th, our move into the new home (170 m² (1,830 sq ft) + 80 m² (860 sq ft) basement) is finally planned. Unfortunately, there are major supply delays with the air source heat pump: Dimplex M22194 System M Comfort Plus.

Can anyone tell us if it is possible to operate the underfloor heating / hot water for two to three months using a portable heating unit?

The financial loss of moving in six months later would probably be greater than the costs for electricity, equipment, etc.

Does anyone have experience whether this could work?

Many thanks in advance to all contributors.

Einplan schrieb:

Can anyone tell us if it is possible to operate underfloor heating / domestic hot water with a mobile heating unit for two to three months?

Yes, that is technically not a problem.

Einplan schrieb:

The financial damage of moving in half a year later would probably be greater than the costs for electricity, equipment, etc.

That is probably the case. Construction with a general contractor or separate trade contracts? Asking regarding scheduling and compensation claims.

Einplan schrieb:

On December 19th, our move into the new home (170 sqm (1830 sq ft) plus 80 sqm (860 sq ft) basement) is finally planned. Unfortunately, there are major delivery delays with the air source heat pump: Dimplex M22194 System M Comfort Plus.

Can anyone tell us if it is possible to operate the underfloor heating / hot water for two to three months using a portable heating unit?

The financial loss of moving in half a year later would probably be greater than the costs for electricity, the unit, etc.

Does anyone here have experience whether this could work?

Many thanks in advance to all contributors.

We had similar concerns, but fortunately, our heat pump was delivered fairly quickly. These mobile heating units can generate very high output, so don’t worry about the house getting cold. A major drawback is that there is no temperature-dependent control. In my opinion, you can manually set, for example, 2 kW, 4 kW, or more (ours had a maximum of 21 kW). If available, you could use your photovoltaic system as well. Occasionally in winter, a 15 kWp system can generate 20 to 30 kWh in a day.
However, you will still need a separate water heater, such as an electric instant water heater or something similar. In my experience, this cannot be done with a portable heating unit.

Thank you in advance for your responses. The home builder is a small local company with whom we have had a very good working relationship so far, which is why I am reluctant to consider any claims for damages. I hope the pump will still arrive.

You don’t have to start right away with an official reminder. Just ask again at the next appointment or phone call if there’s any update regarding the heat pump, and if it doesn’t arrive on time, ask the contractor what they plan to do to resolve the issue.

Save yourself the trouble of demanding compensation and be glad if you can get a portable heater in the current situation, as these are just as scarce as the heaters themselves.
Besides, this also spares your heat pump from the initial heating stress, which many general contractors usually carry out only with an electric heating element anyway—so it’s no different from using a portable heater.

When comparing the initial heating with an air-to-water heat pump to a portable heater, the electricity consumption ratio is not 1 to 3, but closer to 1 to 1.5, if at all. Additionally, you are putting a lot of stress on your heat pump right from the start, which can easily reduce its lifespan by about a year within just a few weeks.

I find this immediate outcry for compensation problematic. You cannot install what is currently not available for delivery.