Heat your home with a heat pump by extracting heat from the ground outside

What is a Ground Source Heat Pump?

A short introduction

The basic principle is as simple as it is brilliant; taking the free energy that exists in the ground outside and converting this energy into heating your home.

This heat can then be used to heat radiators, underfloor heating systems, or warm air convectors and hot water throughout your home.

For every 1kW of electricity fed into a Kensa ground source heat pump unit you could achieve 4kW of heating energy. A ground source heat pump extracts heat from the ground outside in the same way that a fridge extracts heat from its inside.  The benefit of a ground source heat pump is that the ground remains at an almost constant 8 – 12 degrees Celsius all your round.

Heat pumps are particularly suitable for rural locations, whether on oil, LPG or direct electric, as huge savings can be obtained

GS Heat Pumps Introduction VideoKensa Partners

The Benefits of Heat Pumps

Dramatically cut your heating bills and reduce your carbon footprint
  • Lower fuel bills, especially if you are replacing conventional electric heating
  • Qualifies for the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) or Commercial RHI scheme
  • Lower home carbon emissions, depending on which fuel you are replacing
  • No fuel deliveries needed
  • Can heat your home as well as your water
  • Minimal maintenance required
  • Ground Source Heat Pumps are perfect for larger properties
  • Lower VAT – Domestic Heat Pump 5% – New Build 0%
IS A HEAT PUMP SUITABLE FOR ME?

How does a Ground Source Heat Pump Work?

Watch this video introduction to ground source heat pumps

Is a Heat Pump Suitable for my Home?

To establish whether a ground source heat pump is right for your property, there are a few key questions to consider

Do you have a location for the heat pump to go?

You will require a position inside your home where an indoor heat pump unit can go along with a buffer vessel. The most common location for these types of units are in utility rooms, garages or plant rooms should you have one.

Is your home well insulated?

Since ground source heat pumps work best when producing heat at a lower temperature than traditional boilers, it’s essential that your home is insulated and draught-proofed well for the heating system to be effective.

What fuel will you be replacing?

The heat pump system will pay for itself much more quickly if it’s replacing an electricity, oil or coal heating system. Heat pumps may not be the best option for homes using mains gas.

What type of heating system will you use?

Ground source heat pumps can perform well with both UFH and radiators. But both of these heat emitters need to be properly designed and installed in order for the system to work correctly.

Is the heat pump system intended for a new-build, extension or renovation?

Combining the installation with other building work can reduce the cost of installing the system. Although correctly applied they can be installed in all of the above as well as retrofitted into an existing system.

Ground Source Heat Pumps from Kensa

Kensa is an award-winning and market-leading manufacturer of ground source heat pumps based in Cornwall in the UK.

About Kensa

In order to ensure our customers receive the highest quality service and product information Abel Environmental Services Limited are pleased to be affiliated with Kensa Products. Kensa is an award winning British Manufacture of Ground Source Heat Pumps.

When given the opportunity we will always endeavour to work alongside and endorse other manufacturers products. We feel the Kensa Ground Source Heat Pump meets our expectations from a product stand point and the customer support system which Kensa are able to offer. We feel these two elements are an integral part of a manufacturer – contractor relationship. Our customers must feel fully supported throughout their project.

Kensa Heat Pumps have been around since 1999. They partner with a number of installers – Abel Environmental Services Ltd is part of this partnership. It is this partnership that allows both companies to provide a complete design, specification and supply package.

Kensa are continually involved through the whole process of the project, from the initial design process providing expert advice – on ground array design, whether that is using slinkies, bore holes or even a pond.

Along with providing the Heat Pump system Kensa are also able to provide additional consumable items from underground manifolds, buffer vessels, cylinders etc – allowing for a smooth uninterrupted installation.

The Kensa Underground Movement Programme

As an Installer Partner we are fully on board and advocate the Kensa ground source technology

What is it?

As an Installer Partner we are fully on board and advocate the Kensa ground source technology. Kensa are the Uk’s largest supplier of gound source heat pumps with a board Underground Network spanning the length and breadth of Britain.

Kensa Partner

As an Installer Partner Abel Environmental Services have the opportunity to tap into an unlimited amount of resource information for both heat pump advice and support for all our Kensa customers.

Benefits

The partnership is a scheme that recognises Abel Environmental Services with the expertise and support mechanism to be able install a Kensa ground source heat pump professionally. This partnership encompasses many benefits to members only.

Ground Source Heat Pumps in more detail

We’ll explain some of the key features, requirements and considerations.

Heat Sources & Collectors

The Kensa ground source heat pump has been designed to extract renewable heat energy from a number of renewable energy sources. This capability allows for more flexibility and affordability covering an extended range of applications.

Source types

Ground source heat energy originates from the heat retained within the ground from depths between 1.2m – 200m, Ground source heat pumps have been designed to extract this energy via an array of collectors. These are sometimes known as ground collectors or ground arrays.

There are varying types of ground collectors, which include boreholes in rock, slinky pipes in soil or pond mats in a lake.

Considerations

There are a few facts which need to be to considered when deciding to install a ground source heat pump.

Water

As water has exceptional thermal conductivity and lower installation costs this should be your first option. If you are able to gain access to a water source within (100m) i.e lake, stream, sea etc. this would be your first consideration.

Borehole drilling

Is the most expensive array option. However, it is the quickest and least disruptive.

Geology

This is determined by the condition of the ground and the conductivity of the underlying geology which will influence the of ground array.

Location

An area of at least 40m x 12m will be required. If you have a smaller area, borehole collectors can be considered.

Surface Soil

The temperature below 1m of the soil surface remains at a relatively constant at 8-10C all year round. It is for this reason why it makes it an excellent renewable heat source for a ground source heat pumps
In order to be able to extract the heat from surface soil, a network of ground collectors is laid below ground approximately at a level of between 1m to 2m. These pipes are generally coiled pipe – these are better known as “slinkies”

Rock

The solar energy, which is stored in surface soil, will dissipate through the many rocks layers, which lay beneath our feet. This heat source is a very stable renewable heat for a ground source heat pump installation. The geology of the ground needs to be considered before embarking on this option.

Boreholes

Boreholes are another option to install a ground source heat pump. The heat energy is extracted from the rock by using borehole collectors. Boreholes are drilled into the ground allowing pipes which are straight  – to be installed to a depth of 60-100m by 150mm wide. This makes for a compact and less conspicuous solution if space saving and minimal ground disruption is key.

Water

A water source heat pump operates much like a traditional air source heat pump except that it extracts and dissipates heat by way of water instead of air. This is achieved by water cycling through a system of pipes. Water source heat pumps see higher temperatures to the heat pump than other heat resources. This further enhances the heat pumps efficiency.

Key things to remember about ground source heat pump collectors:

Collector Arrays – These are sized in order to meet the heat needs of the building (not the heat pump). Collectors in general have the same performance.

The thermal efficiency of a building affects a heat pumps performance more than the type of collector.

Enquire About a Kensa Heat Pump Today

Contact us today and we will arrange your free initial site survey to assess your property’s suitability and discuss a variety of heat pump options that will be suitable for your requirements.

ENQUIRE TODAY

Self Build Guide

Find out more about becoming self sufficient

Kensa have published a handy self-builder guide which is available here: https://www.kensaheatpumps.com/self-build-guide-to-gshp/

For more informative information about their range of products you can also visit them here: https://www.kensaheatpumps.com/knowledge-hub/

Heat Pump Maintenance

Achieving the maximum performance from your heat pump system throughout its working life

We believe that by investing in a planned preventative maintenance programme you can ensure that your heat pump equipment operates at its maximum efficiency coupled with optimum reliability and reduced running costs. Relying on a reactive strategy is a short term solution that can prove costly in the long term.

We recommend that your heat pump is serviced annually to ensure you comply with our warranty conditions and also to meet the requirements of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) Scheme should this be of interest.

AES has a range of heat pump service and maintenance packages to support your heat pump system. Whilst it is rare for our customers to experience no heating or hot water we can offer our expertise providing affordable peace of mind.

 

Benefits of our Heat Pump Service & Maintenance Plans

  • Premium service levels
  • Complements and maintains equipment warranty
  • Prolongs the life of your heat pump system
  • Ensures that the heat pump is operating at maximum efficiency
  • Offers complete reassurance

Annual Heat Pump Service – to maintain warranty on the Kensa system:

  • Check the inhibitor levels and ensure no corrosion or degredation has occurred.
  • Make sure that all pump valves and actuators on the system are functioning correctly.
  • Ensure all room stats and programmers are operating correctly and are programmed correctly.
  • If the system has filters or a MagnaClean, check that this is cleaned and/or serviced.
  • Check the pressure of the system; Kensa recommends that it is above 2 bar.
  • Perform a gas charge pressure check on the expansion vessel

 

Annual System Service – The above plus:

  • Check immersion heater function
  • Check function of unvented safety equipment
  • Charge expansion vessel
  • For slinky and borehole systems check the glycol level
  • Inspect underground manifold cambers for leaks
  • Check Ground array pressure