Do heat pumps work in winter in Ibiza?

What are winter temperatures like in Ibiza?

According to AEMET's standard values for the Ibiza Airport station (1981-2010):

It is a mild winter. The Spanish Building Code places the Balearic Islands in climate zone B3 up to 250 m altitude and C3 above: inland and higher houses are a little colder than on the coast.

How does a heat pump heat when it is cold outside?

Even at 5 °C, air contains heat. The heat pump collects it with its refrigerant, raises its temperature with the compressor and passes it to the heating water.

The milder it is outside and the cooler the water the house needs, the less the compressor works and the better the unit performs. That is why Ibiza's climate and underfloor heating are a good match. We explain it in underfloor heating and heat pumps.

What is defrosting?

With high humidity and low temperatures, frost forms on the outdoor unit's coil. If it were not removed, the unit would lose capacity. From time to time the heat pump melts the frost for a few minutes: that is why steam sometimes comes out of the outdoor unit.

In Ibiza, average humidity in January is around 75 %, so it is worth:

• having a well-designed condensate drain, so water does not build up;
• placing the outdoor unit where defrost water does not bother anyone or wet walkways.

Why is the data sheet SCOP not Ibiza's?

The EU ecodesign regulation (Regulation 813/2013) requires seasonal performance, the SCOP, to be declared for average reference climate conditions: those of Strasbourg, with a design temperature of –10 °C. Ibiza is much milder.

It is useful for comparing units, but real performance depends on the home's climate, the water temperature and the installation. How to read that figure properly: SCOP: how to compare heat pumps.

What does it take to work well all winter?

1. Correctly calculated output based on the home's heat loss, not just floor area.
2. Water as cool as possible: underfloor heating or low-temperature radiators.
3. A heating curve set to the outdoor temperature.
4. A well-placed outdoor unit: with free air flow and the drain sorted.
5. Maintenance: clean coil and no air in the circuit. See the maintenance guide.