Ground source heat pumps

Ground source heat pumps use similar principles to air source heat pumps to extract heat from the ground using pipes buried in the garden. 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.

Costs

The cost of installing a typical system ranges from about £9,000 to £17,000. Running costs will depend on a number of factors - including the size of your home and how well insulated it is.

Ground source heat pumps, once installed, are unobtrusive. As the ground maintains a more constant temperature than the air, ground source heat pumps are not prone to fluctuations in efficiency in colder weather and are generally therefore more efficient than air sourced systems,. However, installing the ground loop can be expensive, and sizing it depends on geological factors - a real issue in the UK, where local geology varies widely across locations.