When David Dalton was building a home for his family three years ago, he didn't know what a heat pump was. Today he wouldn't be without one.
He and his partner, who have two children, aged four and one, built their home in Summerhill, Co Meath. From the beginning, they knew it had to be built sustainably and not rely on fossil fuels.
"It had to be A-rated, that was a condition of the planning. As part of that the architect told us we'd be having a heat pump, because it's the way forward," he explains.
At the time the couple knew little about BER ratings or heating systems. "We were green behind the ears when it came to building, because neither of us were in the trade," says Dalton, who works in the food sector.
From the outside their four-bedroom 2,500 square foot home has a traditional two storey farmhouse style. But inside, its Mitsubishi Ecodan heat pump technology and ventilation system mean it is warmer, better insulated and more comfortable than any house they've lived in before.
"We both grew up in draughty houses. This one is triple glazed and so well insulated that, even though we have a wood burning stove in the sitting room, we hardly ever light it. The house is so warm that if we do light it, it's only for effect," he says.
Like many Irish people, Dalton and his partner grew up with oil-fired central heating. "Heat pump technology was completely new to us but when we discovered that it's what they use in Scandinavia, which gets pretty cold, we knew it must be good."
Heat pumps operate by taking energy out of the air and converting it to heat. They do that even on the coldest days. That heat is then spread through his house via underfloor heating.
"We don't have radiators here, only underfloor heating across both storeys. When I go to my parents' house now, it's warm, but I find it stuffy. Here it's warm but different because the air is non-stuffy," he adds.
Warm, clean air
The house has a heat recovery system ventilation system too. Each room has a device, like a speaker, on the ceiling, which continually takes air out of the room and sends it outside, replacing it with clean air from outside.
As well as being more comfortable to live in, the Mitsubishi Ecodan heat pump is easier on their wallet.
Once the architect told them they'd be using a heat pump, they looked at a number on the market. "Mitsubishi was the most energy efficient one we considered. It's also the quietest, which was a factor for us. Very often the outside unit of a heat pump is at your back door, so you don't want it to make noise, and some are noisier than others," he points out.
Their other option was to look at geothermal heat pump but their research indicated that an air to water heat pump solution such as Ecodan would be more cost effective for them, and require less labour.
SEAI grant
The fact that there are SEAI grants available for both kinds of heat pump, of up to €3,500, helps too. In fact, heat pumps not only represent the next generation of home heating, they form a cornerstone of the government's climate action plan to reduce carbon emissions generated through heating.
As a leader in both commercial and domestic heat pumps, Mitsubishi Electric is a pioneer in the development of this renewable technology. Around the world, heat pumps have been utilised for decades and, in Ecodan, Mitsubishi Electric has refined this technology to produce one of the most advanced, efficient heating systems available on the market today.
"Getting the right heating system is vital when you live in a country where it can be 15 degrees one day, 5 degrees the next, with a freeze overnight", says Dalton.
The system works beautifully for his family. "And because it's all electric, it meant we could opt to go with a green electricity supplier, a choice you can't make with oil," he adds.
It's good for all the family, and the environment too. "To be honest, at the time we were building the house, we had one baby and weren't really thinking in terms of our children," he admits.
"But now we have two children and they are at crèche and learning all about sustainability and water - and running around the house turning off lights - so it's nice to be able to tell them about the heat pump too."
Find out more about Mitsubishi Ecodan heat pumps at mitsubishielectric.ie/heating