A Guide to Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP)

Main benefits

• Significantly reduces the carbon emissions from heating your home, to near-zero if run on electricity from a renewable source.
• The ground retains heat from the summer, which a GSHP draws on when the weather is coldest.
• Has a long lifespan: 50 – 100 years for ground components and up to 25 years for indoor components.

Things to consider

• Only possible where there is considerable outside space, and substantial works to install the pipework in the ground are required.
• Underfloor heating or large radiators, and a hot water tank, are needed.
• To get the most out of a heat pump, it’s best combined with a well-insulated home.

What options are available?

• The piping system can be laid vertically or horizontally.
• Vertical piping extends 100–150 meters deep, depending on the ground conditions. This is more expensive than horizontal piping.
• Horizontal piping extends 1-2 meters deep but requires a larger area, between 300 and 700 m².