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Heat pumps in cold, damp housing stock: what actually goes wrong
A COP of 3.5 collapses to 2.1 on oversized emitters and 65 °C flow. Fabric first, low-temperature radiators, then the machine — in that order, every time.
By BFN Editorial DeskBFN Editorial Desk3 min
COP 3.5 → 2.1 when misapplied
A COP of 3.5 collapses to 2.1 on oversized emitters and 65 °C flow. Fabric first, low-temperature radiators, then the machine — in that order, every time.
The machine is rarely the problem. Oversized emitters running at 65 °C, an uninsulated buffer tank and a control strategy copied from a gas boiler will turn a COP of 3.5 into 2.1. Fabric first, then flow temperature below 45 °C, then sizing — in that order.
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