Heat Pumps

Ground Source Heat Pump can provide all your hot water and space heating requirements free for life at a cost of around £8,000!

The ground heat exchanger is a loop or coil of pipe that is buried in the ground. A fluid consisting mainly of water mixed with antifreeze circulates through the loop and increases in temperature by absorbing heat from the surrounding soil.

A heat pump works by driving the fluid around a circuit which comprises of an evaporator, compressor, condenser and an expansion valve. As heat is absorbed by the heat source, the refrigerant changes its state by evaporation from a liquid to a gas. The refrigerant is now at a low temperature and pressure; it enters the compressor where both the temperature and pressure are increased as a result of work done on the refrigerant. The gas now enters the condenser where the heat absorbed by the collector coil is released, to be used in the dwelling via the heat distribution system.

The distribution system used to transfer the heat extracted from the ground by the heat pump is often in the form of hot water, and is distributed around the dwelling by radiators or a low temperature underfloor heating system.

The Ground Source Heat Pump would replace the domestic hot water boiler.

Air Source Heat Pumps are similar to the above except they take the heat from the external air and require no excavation and very little space. The costs and performance is similar to that of a ground source heat pump but are considered more reliable.