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Ground Source Heat Pumps
Heating your Cala home with Ground Source Heat Pumps
When it comes to building more sustainable communities, and helping customers run their homes in more environmentally conscious ways, removing gas in favour of energy efficient heating has become a real priority.
Heating our homes is one of the major producers of CO2, especially when we are reliant on fossil fuels to do so. With this in mind, the Government has laid out that new build homes must be gas-free by March 2024 in Scotland and January 2025 in England.
At Cala, as part of our Sustainability Strategy, we have committed to being ahead of these targets, with all new developments from January 2024 designed to be gas-free wherever infrastructure allows.
One of the technologies we are using to replace gas in our homes is heat pumps, some of which use heat from the air outside (read more on air source heat pumps here) and some using heat from the ground below. Here, we’ll focus on ground source heat pumps, explaining how they work and what they might mean for those who have them installed in their homes.
Ground source heat pump FAQs
Although ground source heat pumps have been around for many years now, we have created a handy guide below, which will help dispel some of the myths around this technology and provide answers to frequently asked questions, as both Cala as a business and the UK move towards an all-electric, zero carbon future.
Ground source heat pumps are fully electric heating solutions for homes. They absorb low-grade energy from the ground and compress it into high-grade, useable heat. The heat is then delivered through a distribution system, such as radiators or underfloor heating, for reliable heating and hot water through the seasons.
A typical system consists of an indoor appliance – the heat pump – that is usually located in a storage or utility space. The pump is connected to an outdoor ground array – a long loop of fluid-filled plastic pipe buried in the ground – and the indoor heating system.
A liquid is pumped through the system and as heat naturally flows from warmer to cooler places, it is constantly warmed by the ground’s low-grade heat. The energy absorbed from the ground heats the liquid and turns it into a gas which is further heated through a compressor. The hot gas then flows into a condenser that delivers the homes hot water needs. The gas then reverts to a liquid and the cycle begins again.
These heat pumps are fitted inside your home and housed in a storage or utility space, much like a traditional gas boiler. The units can be stand alone or be combined with your hot water tank and vary in size, up to approximately the dimensions of a fridge freezer. The outdoor portion of the technology is installed underground.
Maintenance is no different to having a boiler – routine maintenance, usually once a year, must be carried out to ensure longevity and efficient operation of the unit.
It’s recommended that as well as complying with warranty requirements, a maintenance/service package is considered. It is important that maintenance is always carried out by an authorised installer or service agent.
Fully maintained and serviced, a ground source heat pump has a lifespan of between 15-25 years, whereas gas boilers typically last between 10-15 years.
Ground source heat pumps are an extremely energy efficient heating technology. The system is dependent on the temperature in the ground, which is typically around 10˚C in the UK, regardless of ambient conditions. This minimal variation gives ground source heat pumps a high seasonal and cold day efficiency.
A ground source heat pump runs at an efficiency rate of between 300-500%, meaning for every 1kW you put in of electricity you generate 3-5kW of heat energy for your home, while a gas system which operates at 85% efficiency, 1kW of energy is needed to generate 0.85kW of heat.
A ground source heat pump can reduce the lifetime operational carbon emissions of a medium-sized home by around 85% or more; that’s equivalent to driving about 375,000 miles in an average car, or driving 15 times round the earth. It in turn reduces your own annual carbon footprint by 20% straightaway.
Ground source heat pumps run on electricity, so costs will naturally vary depending on tariffs and market fluctuations, but they are very energy efficient.
When combined with a well-insulated home to retain heat and factoring in the lifespan, efficiency and low carbon impact of the system, there can be overall cost benefits when compared to a standard gas boiler.
Further, there are variable electricity tariffs on the market that can be better suited to heat pump users. These tariffs offer lower electricity prices during times of low electricity demand; this can make running your heat pump cheaper than a standard electricity tariff.
Ground source heat pumps that are running correctly and maintained, emit 27-60 decibels, which is only slightly higher than a low library whisper or a fridge.
Inside the home, there will be even less noise compared to a gas boiler and less creaking of pipes and radiators throughout the system due to lower temperature differentials.
Yes. They can operate effectively at -15°C, although their efficiency can drop slightly in very cold weather.
Ground source heat pumps also have the advantage of having a much more stable ambient temperature source in the ground. No matter the time of year this should stay at around 10°C.
The system works no differently to the traditional gas boiler way of heating your hot water with a cylinder – ground source heat pumps are capable of providing hot water up to 65°C.
Whilst it is not possible to run a ground source heat pump directly from solar/PV panels, it is possible to run the heat pump from battery power stored from solar/PV electricity generated.
A storage battery would be needed for this and may be available as an added extra to some homes (please speak to the development Sales Consultant for more information).
