The farmhouse benefited from the installation of an Air to Water 16kW Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) which has transformed the farmhouse‚ heating and hot water provision.
It is designed to provide a consistent background temperature in each room of 17 degrees from the nineteen radiators that are now situated in every room.
Prior to the installation of the ASHP, the farmhouse‚ main heating source were two wood burning stoves with the hot water being heated by an Aga in the kitchen. The wood stoves will still provide a boost in heat when needed in the colder weather which will save electricity in itself.
ASHP‚ absorb heat from the outside air. In the case of Fedw Farmhouse, the heat is being used to heat radiators and provide hot water.
ASHP‚ extract heat from the outside air in the same way that a fridge extracts heat from its inside. It can get heat from the air even when the temperature is as low as -20 C.
Heat pumps have some impact on the environment as they need electricity to run, but the heat they extract from the air is constantly being renewed naturally.
With the support of Llangattock Green Valleys through their Reach For The Renewables offering,the tenants at Fedw Farmhouse intend installing 3.5kWp of solar PV which will help towards mitigating some of the electricity used by the ASHP.
To gain the maximum efficiency possible from the ASHP, The Estate and the tenants at Fedw Farmhouse are upgrading the single glazed windows at the property to double glazed units.
The insulation has also been topped up to the recommended level of 270mm and voltage optimisation has been installed.