Ground source heat pump system harnesses natural heat from underground by pumping water through it in pipes. The heat pump then increases the temperature, the heat is then used to provide home heating or hot water.
Ground source heat pump systems are made up of a network of water pipes buried underground and a heat pump at ground level. They do need electricity to run, but they use less electrical energy than the heat they produce, making them an attractive eco friendly heat source for your home or property.
Though they are called heat pumps, they work all year-round. During the summer months, the ground source heat pump takes away heat from the home and dissipates it underground while in the colder months, latent geothermal heat is transferred into the home. This occurs because beyond a certain depth (generally 7m or 23ft) the ground remains at a constant temperature that equates to the average ambient yearly temperature for that specific location, generally anywhere between 7 to 12 ºC in the UK.
A mixture of water and anti-freeze is siphoned around the ground loop and absorbs the naturally occurring heat stored in the ground. The water mixture is compressed and goes through a heat exchanger, which then extracts the heat and transfers it to the heat pump. The heat is then transferred to your property heating system. A ground source heat pump can increase the temperature from the ground to around 50°C. It must be stated the hotter you heat your water, the more electricity you’ll use. You can then use this heat in a radiator, for hot water, or in an underfloor heating system. Whether you’ll need an additional back-up heating system will depend on your property.
Air source heat pumps absorb heat from the air outside to heat your home and hot water. They can still extract heat when air temperatures are as low as -15°C.
Air source heat pumps need electricity to run, but because they are extracting renewable heat from the environment, the heat output is greater than the electricity input. This makes them an energy efficient method of heating your home when coupled with Solar Panels.
If you have large garden space, you could consider a ground source heat pump. Although installing a ground source heat pump is a lot more pricey, this type of pump is more efficient when it comes to heating your home, which results in higher fuel savings and lower energy bills.
Heat from the air is absorbed at low temperature into a fluid. This fluid then passes through a compressor, increasing the temperature, and transfers that higher temperature heat to the heating and hot water circuits of your house.
Air-to-air heat pumps require a warm air circulation system to move the warm air around your home. Please be aware when making a decision Air-to-heat pumps do not provide you with hot water as well. Air-to-air heat pumps are not eligible for the UK government’s Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme.
You’ll need a place outside your home where a unit can be fitted to a wall or placed on the ground. It will need plenty of space around it to get a good flow of air. A sunny wall is ideal. The external unit is connected to an internal unit containing circulation pumps and hot water, which is usually smaller than the average boiler.
As a general rule, air source heat pumps are easier to install than ground source heat pumps, as they do not require any land to be dug up for installation. The size of the air source heat pump will vary depending on your home’s heat demand – the bigger the home, the bigger the heat pump unit you’ll need.
Since air source heat pumps work best when producing heat at a lower temperature than traditional boilers, it’s important that your home is well insulated and draught-proofed to minimise heat loss.
Air source heat pumps will continue to operate at temperatures of around -15°C . They are a lot more efficient at higher temperatures.
While air source heat pumps don’t take up too much outdoor space, the unit will be visible from the outside of your property, so it’s best to check with your local planning authority first, to find out if you need planning permission. As the unit is above ground, it will produce a noise similar to that of an air conditioning unit, which could be bothersome to you or your neighbours.
Our lead time from consultation to solar panel installation is around 4-6 weeks, unless you need an application to your local network – then it can take a little bit longer.
A Ground Source Heat Pump could allow you to be completely off grid when combined with a solar battery storage system. Pump systems can offload most of the heavy lifting when it comes to household energy use by taking care of two of the three most energy-intensive tasks, namely heating and hot water. Solar energy could then comfortably take on general lighting, electronics and cooking during the day and with added home battery storage during the night. For more information on Solar Panels Installations click here.
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