Ground Source Heat Pumps and Air Source Heat Pumps

There are two type of heat pump of which Complete Install Renewable Energies carry out and these are air source pumps and ground source pumps.

The most important thing to remember about these systems is the correct design and sizing. It is also important that the property has a good level of insulation to ensure the correct capability and for the best performance of these types of systems.

Both systems are at their best providing heat to under floor heating as oppose to conventional radiators due to their low running temperature. It’s also worth considering solar thermal for your hot water supply as these systems complement each other and integrate well providing your household with a very efficient heating system.

How Ground Source Works

The earth stores an enormous amount of solar energy from both solar radiation and rainfall; ground source heat pumps extract this freely available energy to provide low cost, low carbon, high efficiency heating and hot water.

To extract the energy, ground source heat pumps use collectors filled with a combination of water and antifreeze buried in the earth, either horizontally - if a large land area is available - or vertically in a borehole where land space is limited.

Although more costly to install, with the consistent temperatures below the ground surface throughout the year, ground source heat pumps deliver high levels of efficiency all year round irrespective of seasonal variations in the air temperature.

How Air Source Works

Even cold air is full of energy and air source heat pumps use the freely available heat in the ambient air to provide efficient heating and hot water at air temperatures as low as -25°. Because this particular source of heat (the air) is abundantly available, air source heat pumps have the advantage of low installation costs and minimal space requirements, making them ideal for new build or retrofit applications, especially where space is limited.

Suitable for either indoor or outdoor installation, air source heat pumps can be used for heating, cooling and to produce domestic hot water and, with the relatively mild winter temperatures in the UK, can achieve seasonal coefficients of performance comparable with ground source heat pumps meaning excellent levels of performance being achieved throughout the year.

If you are interested in having a heat pump installed or to find out the suitability of this type of system for your home, please e-mail us at enquiries@completeinstall.com or call us on 020 8658 5122.