Ground Source Heat Pumps

Use warmth from the ground to heat your home or business

Ground source heat pumps circulate a mixture of water and antifreeze around a loop of pipe called a "ground loop" which is buried in the garden. The water/glycol fluid absorbs heat from the ground as it circulates passing through the loops. The fluid then passes into the heat pump, of which there are three main parts.

The Evaporator takes the heat from the water in the ground loop (often around 12˚C). The Compressor then moves the refrigerant around the heat pump and compresses the gas refrigerant to the temperature needed for the heat distribution circuit. The Condenser finally gives up heat to a hot water tank, which feeds the distribution system, which could be underfloor heating or radiators.

The required operating temperature of your heat pump will depend on your heat distribution system, e.g. radiators or UFH. Our ground source heat pumps and underfloor heating systems are a common choice, as we are able to provide an efficient primary source of heating, whilst operating at flow temperature of just 35˚C in some cases.

The efficiency of a ground source heat pump is measured by a coefficient of performance (CoP) – the amount of heat it produces, compared to the amount of electricity needed to run it. A typical CoP for a ground source heat pump is around 4.0, but again this depends on the type of heat distribution you intend to implement.

Key features & benefits:

• Renewable Heat Incentive: significant savings can be achieved using ground source heat pumps, under the government's new scheme the 'Renewable Heat Incentive' (RHI) allows for an annual pay back as a credit on your energy bill.
• Eliminate your fuel bills: ground source heat pumps run on electricity, so there's no need to pay for gas, oil or solid fuels toheat your home.
• Cut down on wasted electricity: heating your home with a ground source heat pump is much more efficient than conventional heating systems.