Planning to upgrade your home heating system to a Daikin air source heat pump? A smart choice — Daikin’s heat pumps are among the best in the market, boasting advanced inverter technologies to deliver the highest energy efficiency possible.
By switching to Daikin, you can potentially save 50 to 60% and sometimes up to 85% on energy bills. In this Daikin air source heat pump review, we discuss everything you need to know about Daikin’s energy-efficient heating/cooling systems, including the models available.
What Is Daikin Air Source Heat Pump?
Air source heat pumps (ASHPs) are effective HVAC systems that transfer heat out of your home in the summer and extract heat from outside into your home in winter. They come in two main types: air-to-air and air-to-water.
Air-to-air heat pumps extract heat from the outside air and transfer it inside the home, while air-to-water heat pumps transfer heat to a water-based system for heating and cooling. Daikin manufactures both types of air source heat pumps.
Why Buy a Daikin Air Source Heat Pump?
Daikin air source heat pumps provide numerous advantages over traditional heating/cooling systems.
For one, they’re incredibly energy efficient. They use approximately 30% less energy than traditional electric heating systems, offsetting the initial investment and saving you energy bills in the long run.
They’re also fairly easy to install. No extensive ductwork is needed; only one hole in the wall to connect the outdoor unit to the indoor unit. Installation takes no more than a couple of hours, if that.
Another major advantage is versatility. Daikin heat pumps have both heating and cooling capabilities in one single system, making them suitable in areas where temperature fluctuations are common throughout the year.
Air source heat pumps are also much more gentle on the environment. They rely on electricity to transfer heat rather than burning fossil fuels, producing few carbon emissions overall.
Main Models in the Daikin Air Source Heat Pump Range
As mentioned earlier, Daikin manufactures both air-to-air heat pumps and air-to-water heat pumps. Here’s a list of their most popular models:
Air-to-Air Heat Pumps
- Ururu Sarara: Feature-rich heat pump with heating, cooling, humidification, dehumidification, ventilation, and air purification functionalities.
- Emura: Has a curved front and back panel for optimised air distribution.
- Stylish: Prioritizes aesthetics with a sleek design that blends into your home décor. Available in white, silver, black, and matte.
- Perfera: Offers advanced features like Wi-Fi connectivity and multi-zone control for customised comfort.
- Nepura: A no-frills budget-friendly air-to-air heat pump option.
Air-to-Water Heat Pumps
- Daikin Altherma Split: A two-unit system with an outdoor unit and an indoor unit connected by refrigerant lines.
- Daikin Altherma Monobloc: Houses all components, including the compressor, condenser, and expansion valve, in one outdoor unit. Ideal for homes with limited space.
- Daikin Altherma High Temperature: Designed for colder climates, it can deliver very hot water (up to 70°C) for traditional radiators.
- Daikin Altherma Hydrobox: Integrates a Daikin Altherma heat pump with a domestic hot water tank and other hydronic components for a complete heating and hot water solution.
Daikin Air-to-Air Heat Pump Comparison
| Features | Ururu Sarara | Daikin Emura | Stylish | Perfera | Nepura |
| SEER (Cooling Efficiency) | Up to 25+ | Up to 22.5 | Up to 22.5 | Up to 22.5 | Up to 21 |
| HSPF (Heating Efficiency) | Up to 13.5 | Up to 13.5 | Up to 13.5 | Up to 13.5 | Up to 12.5 |
| Smart Features | Wi-Fi enabled, app control | 2-Area Intelligent Eye (shuts off automatically if the room is empty for 20 minutes), night mode | App control, sleep mode, and eco-friendly settings | Wi-Fi enabled, app control, multi-zone control | Limited smart features |
| Indoor Unit Sound Power Level (dB(A)) | 19-46 | 22-43 | 21-44 | 19-46 | 20-45 |
| Outdoor Unit Sound Power Level (dB(A)) | 45-58 | 47-53 | 46-53 | 45-58 | 46-54 |
| Air Purification | Flash Streamer | Titanium apatite photocatalytic filter | Streamer Discharge | Flash Streamer | Flash Streamer |
Air-to-Water Heat Pumps Comparison Table
| Features | Daikin Altherma Split | Daikin Altherma Monobloc | Daikin Altherma High Temperature | Daikin Altherma Hydrobox |
| SEER (Cooling Efficiency) | Up to 17 | Up to 18.15 | Up to 19 | Up to 19 |
| HSPF (Heating Efficiency) | Up to 10 | Up to 8.92 | Up to 10 | Up to 8.92 |
| Energy Efficiency Features | Inverter technology | Inverter technology | High-temperature operation | Hydrobox integration |
How Much Do Daikin Air Source Heat Pumps Cost?
In the UK, Daikin air source heat pumps cost between £1,500 to £9,000, depending on the type (air-to-air or air-to-water), efficiency, model, and capacity. For installation, it costs another £2,400 to £10,000.
The good news is that the UK government offers heat pump grants and rebates to help pay for equipment and installation.
Among the many grants include the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which offers a £7,500 discount to homeowners in England and Wales looking to upgrade their boilers with an energy-efficient heating pump. The Energy Company Obligation Scheme (ECO4) also provides financial assistance of up to several thousand pounds for energy-efficient installations in eligible homes.
Even with government assistance, purchasing and installing air-source heat pumps in your home can be a significant investment. However, the running costs of a heat pump can save you a lot of money in the long run.
How Efficient Are Daikin Heat Pumps?
Daikin heat pumps run at an efficiency of 360%.
To put that into perspective, electric storage heaters, which are at best 100% efficient, cost around 28.34p per kilowatt hour (kWh) to run. Daikin heat pumps, on the other hand, typically would cost around only 7.37p per kWh.
This means that they’re almost four times cheaper and more efficient than traditional healing/cooling solutions.
Daikin heat pumps pay for themselves in just a few years, which is pretty good considering they last upwards of 20 years.
Final Thoughts
Daikin air source heat pumps are among the best in the market. They’re 300 to 400% more efficient than traditional heating systems, translating to significant energy cost savings in the long run. Your heat pump will more than pay for itself throughout its lifetime in terms of decreased energy costs, comfort, and dependability.