Modern Cooling Options
Whilst historically the UK has been associated with rain, cold weather and mediocre summers, this has not necessarily been the case in recent years. Gradual climate change means that the UK is starting to experience periods of intense heat in summer months, as well as milder winters. As a result, more and more people are starting to consider ways to cool their home as well as heat them.
At PBT Installations, we offer some methods of cooling which can be used in isolation, together, or in conjunction with other technologies such as a heat pump.
Let’s look at some of the ways a space can be cooled.
AIR CONDITIONING
If you currently have a gas boiler at home, then traditional air conditioning might be the best method of cooling for you. Likewise, if you have a smaller space like a garden room, outdoor office or even a shop or cafe, then an air conditioning unit offers the perfect solution for both heating and cooling.
Air conditioning works by pulling warm air from a room and passing it over cold evaporator coils filled with refrigerant, which absorb the heat. The refrigerant is then pumped to the condenser outside, where it releases the heat. The cooled air is circulated back into the room, and the process repeated.
A/C units can also filter allergens and dust particles from the air, improving air quality.
Fan Assisted Radiators
Whilst cooling the entirety of a home might feel excessive, there are ways to cool individual rooms in your property to ensure you feel comfortable on the warmest days.
If your home has a heat pump, then comfort cooling can be used to help bring a room temperature down. Cold water is pumped through the house by the heat pump and fan assisted radiators draw air over the cold radiators and disperse cooler air into the room. This is ideal for bedrooms where cooler temperatures are a must for a good night’s sleep.
Mechanical Ventilation and heat recovery (MVHR)
This system is used to extract stale air from bathrooms and kitchens and replace it with fresh air. MVHR systems continuously extract moist, stale and polluted air from the wet rooms of a property such as bathrooms, utility rooms and kitchens. This air is passed over a heat exchange cell which recovers and retains the heat that would otherwise be lost from the extracted air. In summer this is bypassed to allow fresh air to be brought into the property without heat.
Through the summer, MVHR systems work by removing humid air and replacing it with fresh air from outside. During cooler summer nights, particularly evenings with no breeze, the system can help cool a property by drawing air inside the property and expelling the warmer air.
