UNICO’s 3-in-1 heating, ventilation & cooling system is the ideal solution to retrofit older homes for the optimal environment

The UNICO  3-in-1 heating, ventilation and cooling is the ideal solution to retrofit older homes that may be draughty, energy inefficient, have poor insulation and generally hold uneven temperatures that encourage problems like mould and suffer from little ventilation and air flow. User friendly and easy to control, the system improves the environmental impact of a property and boosts its sustainability credentials.

This system provides a convenient solution for homeowners or prospective buyers when considering older, drafty properties with ineffectual insulation and old boiler systems that can often lead not only to unwanted expense, but also homes that are often too hot or cold throughout the seasons.

The Home

The property in Worcestershire is an 85 square metre, 1980 standard build detached home with equal floor space on each level, owner by customer Joe Roberts. There are two double bedrooms, a single bedroom and a bathroom upstairs. At ground level there is a hallway, kitchen and a large dining/living area which takes up the majority of the space. The home already featured double glazed windows, a loft space fitted with 200mm loft insulation and cavity wall insulation.

The fact that good insulation in place from the outset was important, enabling accurate heat loss surveys and meticulous system sizing to be carried out with a thorough understanding of exactly how heat would transfer through the accommodation.

The Solution

Our customer has expertise in renewable technologies in his professional capacity at UNICO’s official partners Bell Plumbing Supplies, and with the ability to install the new system himself, Joe selected the units himself. He chose a Worcester Bosch Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) with weather compensation that for added efficiency, adjusts its performance automatically based on external weather conditions. Alongside this Joe chose the Unico Heating, Ventilation & Cooling (HVAC) system, which he knew would integrate perfectly with the heat pump and was ideal for retrofitting into a home of this type and age.

With a 4.5 kW house heating and cooling load, the compact 1218 Series Unico Air Handling Unit with a chilled water coil was specified and installed out of the way in the loft space. The fully insulated and sound-attenuated ducting delivers conditioned air via multiple branches to room outlets on the two floors. It was conveniently routed above ceilings and inside cavity walls with its small diameter and flexibility making it simple to install. A total, of 13 round ceiling mounted room outlets were set up throughout both levels of the property.

The Results

Energy Saving Heating and Air Conditioning System

Running the Unico HVAC system in conjunction with the ASHP has enabled the creation of a truly energy efficient heating and air conditioning system. The Unico System maintains a comfortable 18ºC temperature throughout the whole house.

Customer Joe commented: “Energy saving comes from the efficiency of the Air Source Heat Pump and the overall design of the installation which is running at an efficiency of 350%.” 

For additional economy, a Mixergy intelligent hot water cylinder has also been installed. Located in the loft alongside the Unico Air Handler, this provided the happy bonus of allowing an existing airing cupboard to be used for a new shower, extending the existing bathroom.

Minimal Impact to the Improved Interiors

With no need to pull up floorboards to get rid of old heating system pipework, the installation caused minimal disruption. Furthermore, the 13 ceiling outlets are finished in white, integrating naturally with the newly decorated rooms and totally discreet in appearance.

Joe added: “Friends who visit actually assume that the outlets are ceiling spotlights  and are surprised when they are told that they blowing conditioned warm or cooled air around our home. Our clothes are also successfully being dried in the jet stream of the room outlets, which is an unexpected benefit.”

A major interior design benefit of the installation for Joe was the ability to remove all the old radiators, freeing up wall space for new bookshelves to accommodate an extensive library collection. 

Year-Round Even Temperatures Delivered by Quiet Technology

Whilst traditional heating and cooling systems effectively distribute warm or cooled air into a room unevenly, the Unico system works on the aspiration principle, with the room outlets delivering conditioned air into each room at a consistent temperature with no more than a +/-1ºC variation, no drafts, and no cold or hot spots.

It operates with minimum noise too as Joe explains: “ Once the Unico System was set up to the requirements of our home, it has run quietly in the background of our day to day life, causing no noise disruption and is scarcely noticeable to the eye either.“

A major interior design benefit of the installation for Joe was the ability to remove all the old radiators, freeing up wall space for new bookshelves to accommodate an extensive library collection. 

Improved Air Quality and Piece of Mind

The three-in-one system has the ability to provide cooling and ventilation alongside heating, providing peak functionality 365 days a year.  Cooling and ventilating in the summer allows windows to be kept closed, ensuring pollen and other pollutants cannot diminish the indoor air quality. The air filtration and optional UV light for air disinfection removes odours, mould and bacteria from the home.

The system also removes 30% more humidity than conventional air conditioning systems, resulting in the significant reduction of condensation on windows and keeping mould at bay.

CONCLUSION: A Versatile System Suitable for Every Home

Joe commented: “The system is designed to be as efficient as possible and it is nice to prove that a standard 1980s built home can have a heat pump and be fitted with a Unico System to provide heating and hot water very efficiently, with no improvements to the insulation. It has been faultless in operation. We will also add solar power and battery storage in our transition to a greener lifestyle.”

In conclusion, this installation has provided many benefits in terms of embracing sustainability, the versatility of heating and cooling with a single system, ventilation and moisture reduction resulting in a much fresher and more pleasant indoor environment and offering much-improved interior design freedom. “You don't need to have a new build home to realise the benefits of a Unico Heat Pump installation!” Joe confirms.

The Unico System are Industrial Associates of CIPHE, to see the full list of Industrial Associates check out the directory HERE