Ground Source
Ground source heat pumps use pipes buried in the garden to extract heat from the ground.
Beneath the surface, the ground stays at a fairly constant temperature, so a ground source heat pump can be used throughout the year - even in the middle of winter.
They heat your home via radiators or under-floor heating systems to which they are ideally suited and provide hot water.
The underground pipework - called a ground loop - is buried in the garden. Heat from the ground is absorbed into a thermal transfer fluid and is pumped through a heat exchanger in the heat pump. Low temperature heat passes through the heat pump compressor and is converted into a higher temperature heat capable of providing your heating and hot water needs.
The length of the ground loop depends on the size of your home and the amount of heat you need - longer loops can draw more heat from the ground, but need more space to be buried in. Normally the loop is laid flat, or coiled in trenches about two metres deep, but if there is not enough space in your garden you can install a vertical loop down into the ground to a depth of up to 100 metres for a typical domestic home.
Unlike gas or oil boilers, heat pumps deliver heat at lower temperatures over much longer periods. This means that radiators should never feel as hot to the touch as they would do when using a gas or oil boiler.
System design depends on many factors, the Dodd Group Surveyor will advise you on the most efficient system for your property. A major factor in the design of ground Source Heat Pump systems is the availability and suitability of the outdoor space in which the ground loop will be installed. Please note that for maximum efficiency and cost savings it is important that the system is controlled appropriately for your needs.
The heat distribution system: If the installation of an underfloor heating system isn’t possible, then Dodd Group will design and install a suitably sized radiator system. And associated controls system.
The Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) have announced that the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) is expected to be launched in June 2011. It is designed to provide financial support to encourage the uptake of renewable and low carbon heat technologies like heat pumps. It is currently in a planning stage and no final decisions have yet been made by DECC