A Ground Source Heat Pump circulates a mixture of antifreeze and water around a loop of pipe which is buried in the garden. Heat from the ground is absorbed into the fluid. This then passes through a heat exchanger into the heat pump itself.

The beauty of the Ground Source Heat Pump system is that the grounds stays at a largely constant temperature under the surface (unlike air above the service) so the heat pump can be used throughout the year. You may have frost on your lawn, but the temperature below the surface is far warmer than it looks!

If there is enough space, the collector loop can be laid horizontally in a trench about a metre below ground. If you don’t have room to do this due to the size or specification of your garden, you can drill vertical boreholes to extract heat much further down.

Both methods work equally well, although the vertical boreholes can be more labour intensive and therefore sometimes a little more expensive.

The space required for horizontal loop vs depth for a borehole depends on a number of factors, and Severn Valley Renewables would be delighted to assist you in this decision-making process, with an onsite visit and talking you through the options available.

We have helped many customers in selecting and installing a Ground Source Heating System and have a plethora of before, during installation and after photos and videos we can share with you from other projects.

Ground Source Heat Pumps have a much more minimal impact on the environment compared to a conversion heating system using a boiler. They do need electricity to run but they are very efficient, requiring only 1kW of energy input which gives up to 5kW of energy output.

The heat they extract from the ground is constantly being renewed naturally, so this is an environmentally friendly and hugely efficient system – saving you significant money on your utility bills and many systems are eligible for a Green Homes Grant or RHI schemes which actually pay you money on top of the savings.