A ground source heat pump is a renewable heating system that extracts low-temperature solar energy stored in the ground or water using buried pipework and compresses this energy into a higher temperature. A ground source heat pump provides a building with 100% of its heating and hot water all year round.
A ground source heat pump is a heating system that takes heat from the earth and brings it into your home to provide year-round heating and hot water. Ground source heat pumps can even support different forms of cooling.
Because they use stable thermal energy from the earth and run on electricity – which is getting greener – ground source heat pumps are the lowest carbon of all heating types. For households this means the lowest possible energy bills, which are even more affordable when the system is paired with solar PV, batteries and agile tariffs.
Ground source heat pumps are discreet, durable and efficient. They sit in your home and can be fitted in a cupboard or kitchen cabinet. Kensa ground source heat pumps last for up to 25 years and the ground array for 100 years or more. Because the earth stays warm throughout the year – between about 8℃ and 12℃ even in winter in the UK – ground source heat pumps are a consistent low-cost heat source that is there when you need it most. In ideal design conditions they deliver up to six times the amount of energy they need to run and provide the same lasting solution across every type of housing, individually or in a network.
Air source heat pumps sit outside your home and rely on the fluctuating temperature of the air, meaning the colder the temperature outside, the harder the heat pump has to work, and the more expensive the running costs. Because they are exposed to the elements, they require more maintenance and have a shorter life span (10-15 years).
While upfront costs tend to be higher for ground source heat pumps than air source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps deliver heating, hot water and cooling more affordably each year and over time. Of course, the cost impact depends on what kind of system a household switches from: savings will be most significant when replacing an oil boiler or direct electric heating because their relative efficiencies are much lower. No matter the setting, ground source heat pumps provide greater value over time than air source heat pumps.
No, ground source heat pumps are not noisy. Ground source heat pumps are often confused with air source heat pumps, which look like large outdoor air conditioning units and can make a lot of noise. Air source heat pumps are becoming larger to accommodate improvements in acoustics – but this comes at the cost of outdoor space requirements. Ground source heat pumps are smaller in size, more efficient and make about the same amount of noise as a modern fridge.
The ground infrastructure required for ground source heat pumps can be installed in different ways. Either vertically into 
What are boreholes, and how are they used for ground source heat pumps? Boreholesboreholes, or horizontally via trenches. Horizontal arrays are typically laid as 
What are Slinkies & Straight Pipes?What are Slinkies & Straight Pipes?slinkies, which have a coiled pattern. Installation requires a certain amount of time and outdoor space, depending on the method chosen. But once the pipes are fitted, they are buried and invisible. Fitting the heat pump unit inside is no more intrusive than fitting a traditional boiler.
For individual homes, Kensa has experienced installer partners across the country. For large-scale networked systems, we deliver a turn-key solution, overseeing project development, installation and commissioning.
We are experts at fitting 
What are Networked Ground Source Heat Pumps?Networked Heat Pumpsnetworked ground source heat pumps. Known for their efficiency, these use a single system of pipes to serve multiple heat pump units in different homes, such as in an existing social housing estate or new build housing estate.
Most ground source heat pump installations are classed as permitted development and don’t need planning permission. Installations involving more than one heat pump and those covering more than half a hectare in ground array are exceptions to this. It is more common for air source heat pumps to require planning permission; some local authorities take a stringent approach to the aesthetic preservation of historic buildings and appropriate noise levels in residential areas.
Ground source heat pumps require very little maintenance. As they are non-combustion heating systems, they do not need annual servicing. Since they are safely inside, they are protected from the elements. As with any utility, it is sensible to carry out simple checks over the unit’s lifetime to make sure it is performing properly.
These include checking the ground array to make sure they’re absorbing the optimum amount of energy; looking over the distribution system’s room stats and programmers to make sure they’re operating and functioning correctly; making sure any battery-charged components have charge; ensuring the pressure of the system is above 2 bar; and testing the gas charge pressure on the heating system’s expansion vessel.
Ground source heat pumps work in most types of property. But they are particularly suited to individual homes with land for boreholes or slinkies, and large estates, when installed as networked solutions.
For individual homes, boreholes and slinkies are available. For the fitting of slinkies, Kensa generally recommends 10 metres of trench per kilowatt of the heat pump size. So a 4kW heat pump, which can heat an average house, will require one 40m long trench.
Boreholes take up less space because they are drilled vertically and are often installed in an individual home setting. Boreholes are most commonly used as part of networks for estates, since they are adept at fulfilling high heat demands.
No, though it is important that the capacity of the heat pump covers the heating and hot water requirements of your property. Bear in mind that insulating your property will reduce the heat loss of your property and might reduce the capacity of the ground source heat pump needed. This may not reduce your upfront costs – because insulation can be expensive - but would reduce your system’s annual running costs.
No, but it can be beneficial to get the most out of your heat pump. Changing your heating system can be a good time to update your heating distribution system – your radiators and pipework – but it is not necessarily a requirement.
Heat pumps work well with higher surface area radiators and underfloor heating, because they can be run at a lower flow temperature so don’t have to work as hard to deliver the desired output. If you do choose to change your distribution system, your heat pump installation company will help you choose the right sized radiators for the heat loss in your property and the overall efficiency you desire.