If you have a large house, it’s possible your electricity supply might not be able to deliver all the heating energy you need using a single heat pump. Cascaded heat pumps overcome this problem and can be an ideal heating solution for larger homes.
Most houses in the UK have what is described as a “single phase” electricity supply. Bigger commercial buildings have “three phase” electricity supplies, enabling them to use more electricity and larger heat pumps.
Single phase domestic heat pumps are generally designed to only deliver a maximum of around 12-14kW of heating power. If you live in a house with a high heat demand, a single heat pump might not be able to provide heating all year round which is when you may benefit from a cascaded heat pump system. Hybrid heat pumps are another possible solution for buildings with high heat demands on single phase power supplies, as they use a back-up boiler or other heating source to make up any shortfall in extremely cold weather.
Your installer will advise on what the best solution might be for your property home. There could be multiple ways to meet your heating needs so it’s a good idea to speak to more than one installer for recommendations.