DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

Hi,

I would love some advice about ground source heat pumps if anyone knows about them.

I've just exchanged contracts on an old farmhouse, which needs quite a bit of work. I'll need to put in a boiler and central heating system. I've been advised that ground source heat pumps would be good as I'm not on mains gas so the initial outlay will be worth it in time. I can put in underfloor heating downstairs so in theory this sounds good.

My only concern is that I can't believe the systems actually work. Do they really produce enough heat to keep the house warm and is the hot water supply hot enough?

Please help! Has anyone got any experience of this type of system? :roll:

Hi helenyoung,

Yes.

If you have a large lawn /small filed, like what normally comes with a farm its for you.

LPG is expensive, so is getting mains gas put to the house.

It will NOT do everything (), however will give good heating ideal for under floor.

The sun heats the ground by day, yes even through the clouds, this in turn heats the system.

Google Geothermal Heat Pumps or ground heat sink

Regards

Skids

Hi Helen,

Heat pumps do work be they air to water as used for swimming pools ect, or more expensive but more certain ground source types.
I have installed many air to water systems but you have to remember they give off large amounts of cold air, fine if you want to cool a beer by the pool but not good if pointing at the patio!
Many school & public buildings now use G-S heat pumps, 2 basic methods of extracting latent heat from ground, one drilling deep hole for pipes if ground space at a premium such as a built-up area, the other lays network of pipes at shallow depth under lawns ect. or in a pond.
Allegedly the return is around 3-4kW out for each 1kW of energy you put in to pumping system.
Certainly more reliable than solar panels, which are sold with the outright lie that 'they don't need sunshine, only daylight', mine don't give more than a pittance from November till April & they are expensive 'evacuated-tube' not cheaper 'flat plate' type, also need masses to do more than heat water.
One other thought is what about electric central heating boilers such as 'Amptec' sold now by Heatrae-Sadia, very efficient, small, controllable but electricity costs are over inflated so 98% efficiency of a lot of money is still a lot of money!
Have you looked at web site for Eden project, there was a fair comparison on there some time ago for various methods,
good 'converting', SPARX