Heat Pumps

If you’re considering alternative ways of heating your home, you may be interested in having a heat pump installed. Here we look at the 2 most common heat pumps: air and ground source:

Air Source Heat Pumps

An air-source heat pump distributes heat via your central heating system. This heat is generated by the air around your house. The air passes over a heat exchanger and then through a system similar to that found in a fridge (although in reverse). This means the temperature is increased to a temperature you can heat your house and hot water with. Exeter Heating project manages the sourcing and installation of the right air source heat pump for your home. Our experienced air source heat pump installations team will find the right air source heat pump for your needs.

Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHPs)

GSHPs use pipes that are buried in the ground to extract heat from the ground. These pipes can either be put in trenches that have been dug or in boreholes that have been drilled. When the pipes have been laid in trenches, these make up the ground array and effectively turns the ground into a big heat exchanger.

A common misconception made by people considering ground source heat pumps installations is that taking the heat out of the land can turn the ground into a giant ice block. If installed correctly, this will not happen. If space is a bit of an issue, then it is possible to drill holes into the ground. These holes may need to be 100m or deeper, depending on what is necessary to meet the heat pumps requirements. With this flexibility, it does mean that a GSHP can be installed in most properties. Our Exeter team will talk you through exactly what’s involved.

A GSHP circulates glycol, a mixture of water and antifreeze, around the ground array or vertical boreholes to absorb heat from the ground. This is then pumped back to the heat pump and passed through a heat exchanger. The ground stays at a relatively constant temperature under the surface, so the heat pump can be used throughout the year.

You can use a GSHP to provide heating and hot water to numerous dwellings, just like you would find on a conventional district heating system. You can have one main GSHP carrying out the hard work with the individual residences connected to the system. Using this system may entitle you to benefit from the commercial RHI.

Things to consider

  • How well insulated is the property? A heat pump works most efficiently at a lower temperature than a conventional boiler. Having good levels of insulation in a property is very important.
  • Properties need to have good draught-proofing, so no big gaps around windows and doors.
  • Space available to install system.
  • If in a listed building or in a conservation area permission may be required, especially with an air source heat pump.

Exeter Heating are experts in ground source heat pump installations. They can talk you through the entire process so that you are fully involved every step of the way.

To find out more about GSHP and air source heat pumps installations, talk to Exeter Heating today.