Ground Source Heat Pumps

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Ground source heat pumps work by absorbing the heat from the sun which is stored in the earth between 1m and 2m deep.  A system of flexible pipes are buried underground where a fluid being pumped around the pipes absorbs heat from the ground and circulates it to your house. 

This heated water can then be used to warm water for underfloor heating systems, or stored in a conventional hot water cylinder or thermal store.

Ground source heat pumps are an ideal way of providing heat throughout the year as the ground stays at a constant temperature.

Ground source heat pumps are an efficient means of providing heat to your home as they produce between 3 - 5 times the amount of renewable energy than the amount of electricity needed to power them.

How does a ground source heat pump work?

A ground source heat pump circulates heat from the ground to your home via a fluid travelling around a loop of pipe (a ground loop) that is buried in the ground.  As the fluid travels around the pipe it absorbs heat from the ground and transfers it into your home.

The ground loop is sized according to the size and heating needs of your home.  The longer the loop the more heat is generated.

A trench of about 2 metres deep is dug and the loop laid flat or coiled at the bottom and covered with earth.  Where there is insufficient ground area available for a horizontal ground loop there is also an option to install vertical loops with boreholes.

The benefits of ground source heat pumps

• Energy efficient heating.  Ground source heat pumps comfortably generate temperatures between 45 and 55 degrees and heat a whole house.
• Reduced carbon emissions.  The average ground source heat pump saves around 540kg of carbon dioxide a year when replacing an oil boiler.
• Cost effective energy.  Ground source heat pumps have one of the lowest and most consistent running costs.  As they run on electricity you no longer need to pay for gas, oil or solid fuels to heat your home.

Ground source heat pumps are also particularly suitable for new build, highly insulated renovated houses and houses with underfloor heating.

There are however a few points of caution with ground source heat pumps:

Installation costs are slightly higher than other types of heat pumps.

There needs to be sufficient ground available to accommodate the ground loops.  The pipes require space for trenches or a suitable terrain for boreholes.

If you use boreholes you will need to commission a survey to understand the ground conditions before you can work out the suitability.

The cost of a ground source heat pump

Ground Source Heat Pump Systems can cost anything from £10,000 upwards.  This is for a fully installed system including ground works.  The cost will also depend on the size of the building and your heating requirements.

Sizes range from 6-16kw on single phase electrical supply and on a three phase supply you can do much more.

Your savings

Heat pumps tackle your whole heating bill and are often twice as cheap to run versus traditional fossil fuel systems.  Heating and hot water can be around 50-60% of your energy bills, so by tackling this your payback will be much better.

Whilst initial investment is expensive when compared to a conventional gas boiler, the payback is relatively quick. 

These savings assume the ground source heat pump is installed in a detached property which provides 100% of space heating and up to 50% of domestic hot water, the additional 50% is met through an electric heater.  (Source:  The Energy Saving Trust).

Your ground source heat pump check list

To help you make your choice and decide if a ground source heat pump is right for you there are a few points to consider first:

• Do you have sufficient ground available for the ground loop?  Is there access for digging machinery and is the ground suitable for digging a trench or borehole?
• What fuel is being replaced?  The older the type of fuel (electric, oil, LPG or coal) the greater and faster the savings.  The newer (and more efficient) the heating the smaller the savings.
• How well insulated is your home? Due to the lower temperatures a ground source heat pump produces, compared to a traditional boiler, your home needs to be well insulated and draft proofed to make it effective.
• What type of heating do you want it to provide?  Ground source heat pumps are better for underfloor heating systems or warm air heating than for radiator heating.
• New or old development?  By installing ground floor heating at the time of building a property, or combining it with other renovation work, can help to reduce the installation costs.

Your next steps to a ground source heat pump

When you are ready, please call 0800 023 2326 or send us an email.

We are happy to provide advice over the phone and, provided your property is suitable, arrange a no obligation site survey to assess your property and surrounding land.

We recommend you get a SAP report done to assess your heating load accurately.