Ground Source Heating

Ground source heat pumps use a buried ground loop which transfers heat from the ground into a building to provide space heating and, in some cases, to pre-heat domestic hot water. The system does not require any external fuel and is designed to heat a whole building. lengths of pipe are buried in the ground, either in a borehole or a horizontal trench. The pipe is a closed circuit and is filled with a mixture of water and antifreeze, which is pumped around the pipe absorbing heat from the ground. Constraints of installing Ground Source depend upon Space outside your house for the ground loop.

The ground will need to be suitable for digging a trench or borehole.

Ground source heat pumps can be combined with radiators but these will normally be larger than with standard boiler systems. Under floor heating is better as it works at a lower temperature.

Photos courtesy of NIBE Energy Systems Limited