ᐅ Installation of an Air-to-Water Heat Pump – Is This Setup Correct?

Hello dear forum members,

We have been considering the installation location for our planned air-to-water heat pump for several days now. It is intended to be placed on the east side of the house, specifically in the gap between the bay window wall and the back wall of the garage (see image).

The discharge direction would be toward the east, away from the house, but after about 3 meters (10 feet) there is the neighbor’s garage/garden shed.

After researching various manufacturers, the heat pump fits in this space, as the minimum clearances from walls at the back and sides range between 15–40 cm (6–16 inches), which we can achieve.

However, I have two concerns:

1.) Possible thermal short-circuit: Given the enclosure by the bay window, our own garage rear wall, and the neighboring building, will the air-to-water heat pump be able to discharge the used, cooler air effectively enough and far enough so that sufficient fresh, warm air can flow to the intake? I do not want to compromise the efficiency of the heat pump due to the installation location. Unfortunately, there is no other feasible place to install it...

2.) Noise impact: It is often advised that air-to-water heat pumps should not be placed in wall niches or corners to avoid sound amplification/reflection. Although I plan to decouple the heat pump as much as possible and build a proper foundation, our bedroom is located on the first floor directly above this spot.

What are your thoughts on these two points? Do you have any experience regarding this? Point #1 is especially important to me, as I have found some good approaches to avoid or reduce noise.

Thank you very much for your advice!

Have a great weekend everyone!

I would definitely not place the air-to-water heat pump there. As you mentioned, from a noise perspective, this is the worst-case scenario, no matter how well the pump is decoupled. Especially if there are sensitive rooms, like bedrooms, or neighbors close by, I would definitely look for a different location.

Thank you, Tego12! However, a 60cm (24 inches) roof overhang and an additional glass roof would be needed for the air-to-water heat pump. Also, the bedroom on the side of the house only has one Velux roof window. Would you still be able to hear the air-to-water heat pump from there?

That is difficult to answer from a distance. I believe there is definitely a risk of noise issues occurring. How it will actually be in reality... well, I can't really make an assessment on that. I simply wouldn’t take the risk if there are other options for installation.

I can only agree with Tego12. This location combines all the risks associated with installing a heat pump. As it appears, even the minimum clearance of 25cm (10 inches) of air between the pump and the wall on the sides is not provided. Acoustically, there will be a significant amplification of low frequencies below 50Hz. This “thumping” will penetrate every wall and window.

Regards
Karl

We have installed our unit on the opposite side of the house from the bedroom... it is freestanding, inverter-controlled, and an especially quiet model... but you can still hear it in the living room when it switches on... I don’t want that in the bedroom...