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Should We Rethink the Name “Heat Pump” for Homeowners?

 
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Mars
 Mars
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Topic starter 23/11/2024 9:08 am  
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The term “heat pump” has become familiar in the UK’s renewable heating industry, especially with the recent surge in interest around air source heat pumps. Yet, for many homeowners, the term can be puzzling. Heat pumps are promoted as one of the most efficient ways to heat homes, but the name “heat pump” itself may not actually convey what they do – or how they work, leading to unnecessary confusion.

Why Are They Called “Heat Pumps”?

The term derives from the process of moving heat rather than generating it. Unlike traditional boilers, which burn fuel to create warmth, heat pumps work by transferring heat from one place to another.

The word “pump” here might make sense to engineers, but from a homeowner’s perspective, it can be misleading. Many might assume it’s similar to a mechanical pump used to push liquids or gases, which doesn’t fully capture the principle of heat extraction and transfer. This disconnect between the technical term and the everyday understanding of the word raises an interesting question: should the name change to something more intuitive for consumers?

Does the Term “Heat Pump” Create Confusion?

For homeowners unfamiliar with the technology, the term “heat pump” might not intuitively explain what the system does. In fact, some homeowners may think it’s related to traditional pumps or systems that circulate water or air through radiators. This misunderstanding could partly contribute to the reluctance of some homeowners to adopt heat pumps; if they’re unclear on how the system works or even what it does, they might be less inclined to trust it over a conventional boiler.

Unlike a “boiler,” which clearly conveys that it heats (or “boils”) something, the term “heat pump” lacks a similar straightforward implication. It doesn’t tell you if the system will warm up your home, if it’s energy-efficient or even if it uses renewable energy. This ambiguity might leave many homeowners wondering: Why switch to a heat pump? Is it different from a boiler, and if so, how?

Could a Name Change Make a Difference?

The idea of renaming the heat pump isn’t new. Industries often rebrand products to make them more appealing or easier to understand. Consider the shift from “LED lamps” to “LED light bulbs.” While both terms are accurate, the latter is more consumer-friendly and gives a clearer sense of what the product actually does. Similarly, renaming heat pumps could help homeowners understand their benefits more clearly and help them compare them directly to other heating systems like boilers.

What Do Homeowners Think?

Of course, rebranding would only be effective if it truly resonates with homeowners. After all, they’re the ones who ultimately decide whether or not to install a heat pump. It’s possible that the term “heat pump” has already gained enough familiarity to make a new name disruptive rather than helpful. However, if a clearer name helps people better understand the technology and its benefits, it could also speed up adoption rates.

We’d love to hear from homeowners on this. Does the term “heat pump” make sense to you, or would a different name make things clearer? If you have any ideas for names that better capture the purpose and function of these systems, share them with us by leaving a comment.

Let’s see if we can find a term that’s intuitive, descriptive and maybe even inspiring – a name that can challenge the established “boiler” and position heat pumps as the clear choice for a sustainable future.


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Toodles
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23/11/2024 9:45 am  

Nearest without too much disruption: ‘Heating Pump’.
 
But will give it some more thought. Toodles.


This post was modified 12 months ago by Mars

Toodles, heats his home with cold draughts and cooks food with magnets.


   
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Jancold
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23/11/2024 9:51 am  

Seriously? This device "pumps heat" into a dwelling or space what is there not to like? LED bulb, why add bulb it is a Light Emitting Diode surely (don't call me Shirley) not that difficult. I don't believe a boiler boils actually, well I hope not maybe it should be called a water warming device with a pump that makes your house warm. Oh no that could be confused with Heat pump! OK I'll get me coat!!


This post was modified 12 months ago by Mars

Daikin 6Kw ASHP.
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 JamesPa
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23/11/2024 10:34 am  

Cue the 'ignore climate change and it might go away' lobby running articles telling their readers that heat pumps have been cynically rebranded by the left wing wokerati in order to fool us into thinking that they are a good idea. 


4kW peak of solar PV since 2011; EV and a 1930s house which has been partially renovated to improve its efficiency. 7kW Vaillant heat pump.


   
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 Lucia
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24/11/2024 11:40 am  

Heat pump(s) is fine - most people know what they are these days.

Homeowners? What about tenants? Housing Association etc...?

I think the 'owners' bit needs to go. 

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You know my views on social class and climate change policy! Just consider me the forum commie. ✊🏻🫢😂


This post was modified 12 months ago by Lucia

   
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 IanMK13
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24/11/2024 5:38 pm  

I think the term has entered into the English vocabulary now and it doesn't need to be descriptive - rather like a hoover.


This post was modified 12 months ago by Mars

   
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Toodles
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24/11/2024 6:09 pm  

@ianmk13 That just leaves a total vacuum in my mind…
When I consider all the ‘modern expressions’ that have been foisted upon us (example. ‘I was like...,’ frinstance), I really feel that the public in general should accept ‘Heat Pump’ - it is accurate, short and self explanatory. Toodles.


This post was modified 12 months ago by Mars

Toodles, heats his home with cold draughts and cooks food with magnets.


   
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Jancold
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24/11/2024 6:35 pm  

@toodles Like Cycles per sec becoming Hz, Centigrade to Celsius. Finisterre to Fitzroy Perfectly descriptive terms IMHO.


This post was modified 12 months ago by Mars

Daikin 6Kw ASHP.
MG4 EV
1926 Semi with loft and wall cavity insulation, all radiator.


   
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Toodles
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24/11/2024 6:46 pm  

@jancold No, I had in mind ‘modern idioms’ mainly; yes, I am showing my age! Ancient Toodles.


This post was modified 12 months ago by Mars

Toodles, heats his home with cold draughts and cooks food with magnets.


   
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 Lucia
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24/11/2024 7:06 pm  

Posted by: @ianmk13
↑

I think the term has entered into the English vocabulary now and it doesn't need to be descriptive - rather like a hoover.

Agree....
For goodness sake we have had heat pump tumble dryers since the 90's - everyone knows what they are. They sell them in Currys and AO.
Meanwhile, you can buy heat pumps in every shed builders merchants these days including Wickes - they are mainstream. 
 


This post was modified 12 months ago by Mars

   
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Majordennisbloodnok
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26/11/2024 9:44 am  

Like many here I read the OP and immediately jumped to the conclusion any renaming was unnecessary. Nonetheless, not wanting to be too quick to judge I have taken the time since to have a bit of a think.

Does "heat pump" say what it does? Yes, I've decided it does. It moves heat rather than generate it, so the name is a fair reflection of its job. It's also a name that uses two very readily understandable words so wouldn't put people off due to excessive jargon, methinks.

Does the name allow people to understand how it works? Perhaps not. In some ways it's too simplistic a name for that purpose. Nonetheless, people don't necessarily want names for that purpose; how many people refer to their car's tachometer as a rev counter? Not accurate but common currency nonetheless.

Do people need or want to know how a heat pump works in order to be inclined to buy one? Hmm. Much more difficult question to answer. If someone doesn't understand the principles of a heat pump, they're unlikely to understand how their fridge works either but I'll lay odds they own at least one of the latter. The problem is that they might not know how a fridge works but they have complete confidence that it does work and there, I think, hangs the rub. Heat pumps have been denigrated by several different groups for several different reasons and so home owners do not have the same confidence, and I don't think a name change will fix that.

Alternative terms? I did try to think up at least one serious alternative but every time I thought about how they work I found a streak of whimsy creeping in. They take heat from outside and deposit it in the home so should one be called a Garden Cooler? They work like a fridge in reverse so should one be called a "Defrigerator"? If they take from the outside to give to the inside, perhaps we go the whole hog and call one "Robin Heat".


105 m2 bungalow in South East England
Mitsubishi Ecodan 8.5 kW air source heat pump
18 x 360W solar panels
1 x 6 kW GroWatt battery and SPH5000 inverter
1 x Myenergi Zappi
1 x VW ID3
Raised beds for home-grown veg and chickens for eggs

"Semper in excretia; sumus solum profundum variat"


   
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Toodles
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26/11/2024 10:01 am  

@majordennisbloodnok Perhaps in a way, we are likely to be the wrong people to ask this question - we know what heat pumps are and what they do. We would probably accept a name such as ‘discumbobulator’ as we know that the device appears to Joe Public as a strange device that could keep us warm in our homes.
I still feel there is nothing wrong with ‘Heat Pump’ but, if the general public who maybe don’t subscribe to the likes of RHH are at a loss as to what a heat pump is or does, perhaps the government should allot a few £M to a Public Relations organisation to consult the man and woman on the 49 bus and ask and then educate them!😉 Regards, Toodles.


This post was modified 12 months ago by Majordennisbloodnok

Toodles, heats his home with cold draughts and cooks food with magnets.


   
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