Question:Are Ground Source Heat Pumps Cheap To Run?

Are Ground Source Heat Pumps Cheap To Run?

Ground source heat pumps (Geo thermal energy heating), and similarly air and water heat pumps, are generally cheaper to operate than other traditional residential heating systems. Geo thermal energy heating uses a renewable source by tappin...

What are the running costs for a ground source heat pump?

A ground source heat pump will incur very low running costs, and the payback on the capital cost will be even better if the fuel costs for comparative oil or gas systems go up over time.

Are you running a geothermal heat pump?

The Governor’s Energy Office, Climatemaster and the Market Development Group are creating a database of functioning geothermal heat pump system installations in Colorado. The information will be used to document typical installations, compa...

Does anyone have Ground Source Heating in their home?

Q: We're moving to a house that has no heating (apart from a few electric storage heaters). Our first thought was to install oil-fired central heating as there's no mains gas in the area. However, someone has told us about Ground Source heating and we're very interested in it as it's cheaper to run than gas or oil heating, and it's more environmentally friendly.But...does it actually work? I need to hear from people who have experience of it.Thanks in advance for answering.Here's a link that tells you more about it if you haven't heard of it:http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/generate_your_own_energy/types_of_renewables/ground_source_heat_pumpsThanks Omstarts - good answer - we may have a problem with underfloor heating as the property has solid floors not floorboards. Not an insurmountable problem but it will add to the cost and inconvenience of installation.

A: I'm a building services consultant and I have designed various schemes, mainly for commercial sized sites but for some domestic installations.Basically, you need to have a competent contractor/installer/plumber, the ground loops or boreholes need to be installed correctly, and the GSHP (ground source heat pump) needs to be from a reputable manufacturer - Veissmann, NIBE, Geothermal International etc etc. The most important thing is the controls - this needs advice from a consultant for best results.Because they are not standard, it is an ill-informed opinion they do not work. They most certainly DO work, but all in all are still more expensive than a conventional combi-boiler option. However, funding is available through the Low Carbon Trust, so you can recoup up to 35% of the capital cost, including the excavating/drilling costs.GSHP technology is ideal for underfloor heating. The problem with radiators is that they operate at temperatures much higher than a GSHP can deliver. So, as a result, to use radiators witha GSH you need much bigger radiators than normal, which is not ideal, to get the required wattage output. This is the most common cause of belief a GSHP doesn't work. Hope that helps!!!