Can A Ground Source Heat Pump Save You Money?

Homeowners are getting to be increasingly concerned because of the continuous rise in the price of energy. They are seeing their electric bills getting larger every month often higher than the rate of inflation. With no end coming soon nearly everyone is now on the lookout for alternative methods to help save on their heating costs.

Although on the face of it science fiction there is one way of heating your home that although not free comes pretty close to it. It's called a ground source heat pump which is merely a fancy name for a heat exchanger. The sun's energy in the form of heat is continually making the earth warmer and this heat is stored like a giant battery a short distance under the ground. A ground source heat pump utilises this heat which can then be used to heat your property.

A trench is dug approximately 1 metre deep and about 200 metres long (the length will vary based on how big a house you're looking to heat) and into this trench is put a pipe usually made of plastic. The trench is then back filled with Earth and left buried underground. Because the temperature of the ground at this depth is generally 12 to 14°C more than the surface temperature if water is pumped around this pipe heat from the ground will transfer into it thereby heating the water up.

This water isn't hot enough to operate a central heating system however , if the pipe is then run into a system which contains a compressed refrigerant the temperature of the water can be brought up to 40° Celsius or higher. This will be suitable to be run through an underfloor network of pipes to help keep the house warm. This is not normally hot enough for most people but it may be easily supplemented with a small traditional gas or oil boiler that will provide hot water for showers or a bath.

However some energy does need to be put into the system mostly to power a pump that circulates the cold water round the pipeworl the amount of energy outputted in the form of heat is more than the energy going in. Commonly for every unit of energy you put in you can draw out to to three times the total amount thus , making this just about the most efficient heating systems available today and almost to good to be true!

Although an incredible system it does possess a couple of drawbacks. Firstly as a result of necessity to dig a trench and also to install pipework under the floor it means it's only really ideal for a brand new house in which the pipework can be laid at the same time as the foundations. Secondly the installation cost of this kind of heating system is more expensive when compared to a traditional boiler. This second disadvantage is nearly negated because of the lifespan of this system which is often in excess of 50 years.

If you ever have the option to build a brand new house the ground source or an air source heat pump can provide you with cheap energy for many years to come.

Is it possible to save money on your utility bills by joining the likes of the Utilities Warehouse or is it better to stay with your existing supplier? Find out how saving on energy costs can be easier than you think and why you ought to take action today.