GROUND SOURCE HEATING

Energy Saving Heating

Hendley’s Heating Engineers supply and install Ground Source Heating pumps, suitable for use in all of your hot water and heating requirements.

Ground Source Heating is a central heating (or cooling) system used to pump heat into or from the ground. It uses the Earth or a heat sink to generate heat, the design takes advantage of the moderate temperatures found underground to increase the efficiency and reduce the operational costs of the system.

When combined with a solar heating system they can be very effective at heating a home or office, they are a very effective energy saver and can help reduce bills after the initial installation costs.

Ground Source Heating pumps are also known as Geothermal heat pumps, although the heat is actually coming from the sun (as it heats up the crust of the planet). They are also referred to as geoexchange and Earth energy systems.

The temperature in the ground (below 6 meters) is approximately equal to the mean annual air temperature at that latitude. Heat pumps are used to force the heat to transfer from the ground into cooler areas inside a building.

Why have Ground Source Heating?

• Reduces carbon footprint.
• Requires very little maintenance.

Heat pumps generate heat at lower temperatures over longer periods of time; in comparison to gas and oil boilers (you’ll notice radiators aren’t as hot to the touch). Through the winter they may need to be on constantly to heat your home.

Should I invest in Ground Source Heating?

Before you invest any money into a new heating system such as Ground Source Heating, you need to ask a few questions.

• Is your garden suitable for a ground loop? Your garden needs to be suitable for digging a trench or borehole. It doesn’t have to be big as such, just accessible for digging machinery.
• Is your home properly insulated? Before upgrading or installing any type of heating system, it’s best to check you’ll be getting the most out of them. Poorly insulated homes will easily lose the lower temperatures produced by an Air to Water Heating system.
• What type of heating system do you currently use? Ground Soruce Heat pumps work more efficiently with an Under Floor Heating system than with a radiator based system because of the lower water temperatures required.
• Is it a new development? If the property is a new development, combining a Ground Source Heating system with other building work can reduce the costs.

Costs

A Ground Source Heating system usually costs at least £9,000. The ongoing costs and savings depend on what system you are currently using and how well insulated your home is.

Ground Source Heating uses a pump and thus still requires electricity to run, this also means that the system is not entirely environmentally friendly.

It is a good idea to learn the controls on your new installation so you can get the most out of it. You will most likely need to set the heating to come on for longer hours, and you might be able to turn the system down and still be warm enough. Ask your installer how to use the system fully.