How much land do I need for a ground source heat pump?
The size of a ground source heat pump depends on your heating and cooling needs. A typical horizontal system requires around 7,500 square feet of land. If your house needs 10kw of heating capacity, the system will most probably require 3 boreholes of 100 m deep.
What size ground source heat pump collector array do I Need?
This dictates the size of the horizontal ground source heat pump collector array. A well-installed ground source heat pump can extract about three-quarters of the energy required from the ground, so considering our period cottage, we need a ground array big enough to extract 16.5kW sustainably.
How deep does a heat pump need to be?
These will be anything from 70m to 120m deep, depending on the ground conditions and the size of the heat pump. As will the number of boreholes needed. As the temperature of the ground rises with depth it is often advantageous to have fewer, deeper boreholes, but that is not always possible.
Where should a heat pump be installed?
Heat pumps are generally installed close to an external wall to give easy access to the ground array pipes. There will also need to be space for a hot water cylinder but as they are very quiet in operation they generally sit comfortably in a utility room. What are Hybrid Ground Source Heat Pumps?
How much area does a heat pump need?
General rules for a rough calculation For a heat pump or wall-mounted air conditioner, it's about 1,000 BTU per 100 square feet. So for a 1,000 to 1,200 square foot area, your heat pump would be about 12,000 BTU. For the same area, if space is limited, the power can be reduced to 9,000 BTU.
How much space does a heat pump need outside?
Your heat pump's outdoor unit needs 24 inches of clearance (minimum) on all sides in order to operate safely. Typically, the contractor who originally installed your heat pump will set you up for success by installing it with proper two feet of clearance. If not, you might need the heat pump re-installed.
How much space do you need for a geothermal system?
A geothermal installation requires a team of installers to drill a 3-500 foot ground loop that's 4-6 inches in diameter in your yard. To make this happen, the team needs to remove the dirt inside that hole, this can sometimes cause a mess, especially if there's a high water table.
How much space does a vertical geothermal heat pump need?
For a vertical system, holes (approximately four inches in diameter) are drilled about 20 feet apart and 100 to 400 feet deep.
Where should you not put a heat pump?
Don't install outdoor units in closed areas like garages or attics. Your heat pump will run out of the air to draw heat from, freezing, or heating up that closed space and reduce the comfort level significantly. The unit will lose efficiency because of the restrictions in fresh air delivery.
Where is the best place to install a heat pump?
The pump should also be installed in a place that's easy to access for services and other general maintenance. You don't want it to be in a position that's difficult to get to or that requires scaffolding or ladders in order to reach it. For this reason, it's best located on the ground at the back of a property.
How long is the trench for ground source heat pump?
around 100 metresBoreholes are usually drilled down around 100 metres where the ground is a constant 10-12°C, this makes vertical systems often more efficient as they are not impacted by the changing seasons.
How deep bury ground source heat pump?
For vertical ground loops you'll require one or more boreholes and on average these will be 100 metres deep. If you require horizontal ground loops this means you'll need trenches which are around 1-2 metres deep.
How long should a ground source heat pump pipe be?
What's a typical ground source heat pump pipe length? Ground loops range in size but are typically going to be about 200 meters long. Since many homes will need two or three, with separation between each of them, it is recommended to have about 700-800 square meters to operate with.
What are 3 disadvantages of geothermal?
What are the Disadvantages of Geothermal Energy?Location Restricted. The largest single disadvantage of geothermal energy is that it is location specific. ... Environmental Side Effects. ... Earthquakes. ... High Costs. ... Sustainability.
How deep do ground source heat pipes need to be?
There are two main elements to a ground source heat pump system: The ground array, which can be either a horizontal grid of pipes, which should be 1.2m below ground level, or two or three vertical boreholes, which are likely to be more than 70m deep.
What can go wrong with geothermal?
They also last longer than other systems. However, you should stay alert for common geothermal heat pump problems, including leaks, water contamination, and ductwork issues.
How far should a heat pump be from a wall?
The heat pump needs to be located in a way which allows for a good flow of air through the unit. If placed parallel to a wall, the minimum distance to the wall is 150 mm. A minimum clear distance of 1 meter in front of the heat pump is required.
How much space does an outside AC unit need?
The general rule of thumb is to have at least one foot (or 12 inches) of clearance on each side of your air conditioner. Your air conditioner's manufacturer may have specific clearance recommendations, but they'll generally recommend between 12 and 24 inches.
What size heat pump do I need for a 2000 square foot house?
60,000 BTUIf you have a 2,000-square-foot home, this rule of thumb suggests you need a 60,000 BTU heat pump.
Can a heat pump be installed under a deck?
Can a heat pump be installed under a deck? No. Any installation that causes the air being discharged from the top of the heat pump to be recirculated back into the heat pump will cause a loss of capacity and efficiency in the heat pump.
What is a ground source heat pump?
Ground source heat pumps (GSHPs) extract heat from the ground. This heat is extracted from rock or surface soil, and can also be extracted from underneath lakes and riverbeds. There are a couple of options for ground source heat pumps; you can drill a deep borehole or lay heat collectors in shallow trenches. We will discuss the sizings in more detail in the next section.
How much space does a ground source heat pump need?
Answer: A ground source heat pump needs more space than an air source heat pump. A typical horizontal system requires around 700 square metres. A vertical system needs enough space for the drilling rig to access the site, but boreholes are only around 20 centimetres wide. If multiple boreholes are needed, these are placed 5-6 metres apart.
How deep is a borehole?
This can be tricky in confined built-up areas. For the typical UK home, one borehole is enough. This borehole is perhaps 0.25m across, and up to 100m deep. Loops are then placed into the hole, feeding into the system in a nearby plant room. If multiple boreholes are needed for larger properties and/or district heating systems, these are placed around 5-6m apart from one another.
Why are ground source heat pumps more efficient?
Vertical ground source heat pumps (boreholes) Vertical systems are often more efficient, due to a constant temperature and the lack of impact from the changing seasons. These systems are often chosen due to lack of space for trenches, or in situations where the earth is not suitable for horizontal systems. In terms of space, the main issue is ...
How big is a plant room?
A plant room usually needs to have a 1 x 2/2.5 metre footprint, subject to the system size. This should be considered before the start of the project. For more information about what type of heat pump you need, and for advice about the process of installation, contact IMS Heat Pumps today.
Why are horizontal systems preferred?
Horizontal systems are preferred, mainly due to reduced costs when compared to vertical systems. However, they do require a larger amount of outdoor space.
Do ground source heat pumps need more space?
A ground source heat pump requires more outdoor space than an air source heat pump. This one reason is why air source heat pumps are the most common form of heat pump in the UK. Let’s take a look at how much space you need for horizontal and vertical GSHP systems.
WHAT IS A GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMP?
Ground source heat pumps (GSHPs) extract heat from the ground. This heat is extracted from rock or surface soil, and can also be extracted from underneath lakes and riverbeds. There are a couple of options for ground source heat pumps; you can drill a vertical borehole or dig shallow trenches horizontally. In either scenario ground collectors are laid which are coils of pipe circulating a solution of water and antifreeze, it's these pipes which collect the heat energy in the ground and pass it back to the heat pump where the temperature is raised and then used to efficiently provide heating and hot water all year round.
HOW MUCH SPACE IS NEEDED FOR BOREHOLES AND THE INSTALLATION OF VERTICAL GROUND LOOPS?
Boreholes are usually drilled down around 100 metres where the ground is a constant 10-12°C, this makes vertical systems often more efficient as they are not impacted by the changing seasons. Boreholes are often chosen due to lack of space or unsuitable ground conditions for horizontal trenches. A vertical system needs enough space for the drilling rig to enter the site which can be tricky in built up areas, however the boreholes are only around 20cm wide. If multiple boreholes are needed, these are placed 5-6 metres apart. How many boreholes you need depends on the required heat load for your home (typically the bigger the property the more boreholes required) and also the type of ground your property sits on. On average 1 borehole is required per 6kW, meaning one borehole for a small residential property is usually enough. It takes approximately 2 days to drill one borehole.
Why are boreholes so expensive?
Boreholes are a more expensive method of installation, this is due to the cost of transporting the drilling rig and the specialist team required to operate it.
How does a ground collector work?
In either scenario ground collectors are laid which are coils of pipe circulating a solution of water and antifreeze, it's these pipes which collect the heat energy in the ground and pass it back to the heat pump where the temperature is raised and then used to efficiently provide heating and hot water all year round.
How long does it take to get a borehole?
On average 1 borehole is required per 6kW, meaning one borehole for a small residential property is usually enough. It takes approximately 2 days ...
Why do we need boreholes?
Boreholes are often chosen due to lack of space or unsuitable ground conditions for horizontal trenches. A vertical system needs enough space for the drilling rig to enter the site which can be tricky in built up areas, however the boreholes are only around 20cm wide. If multiple boreholes are needed, these are placed 5-6 metres apart.
How are trenches dug?
The trenches are dug using a small excavator, so there needs to be enough room for this to enter the site.
