Is Ground Source Heating the Right Choice for Your Home?
Making the switch to a more sustainable energy source doesn’t have to be intimidating but research is essential. With a variety of options available on the market, it is important to choose a system that will work best for you and your property in order to gain a good return on your investment. Ground source heating is a great option for providing constant, renewable energy into your home. It works by extracting energy from underground via a pump and using it to successfully heat each room and provide a hot water supply.
With multiple benefits including an average of 75% free renewable energy, 24/7 heat, and added value on your property – it seems like a no brainer. However, there are a couple of factors you will need to consider when deciding if ground source heating is the right choice for your home.
Factors to consider
Do you have a suitable place to install ground source heating – inside and outside your home?
You actually need less space than you’d think to install a ground source heating system. We assist in the initial installation by drilling vertical boreholes, so the impact on your land is much less than other methods. Our drilling rigs are also custom made and designed to fit into tight spaces, minimising disruption during installation and allowing smaller houses and gardens to make the switch.
You will also need to make sure there is sufficient space inside your property to install the indoor heat pump unit – this is roughly the size of a fridge and is commonly stored in a garage.
Is your existing heating system suitable?
Ground source heating is best suited to houses that have a wet central heating system, meaning heat is distributed to radiators, showers and underfloor heating.
If your home doesn’t operate on a wet system, you may want to consider the costs of installing this on top of a new system before going ahead.
Is your home well insulated?
To fully reap the benefits of a renewable heating system, insulation is key. When a building is properly insulated, it retains heat better and you will be able to have your heating set to a lower temperature – saving even more energy.
Can you cover the financial costs of installation?
On average, installing a ground source heating system at your property costs between £20, 000 and £30, 000 depending on the size of your home and how well insulated it is. Whilst that may sound alarming, it is important to remember that this is a long-term investment and following installation, you could save up to 75% on your heating bill.
There is government funding available if you are eligible to help recover your investment quicker. The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) covers 21.17p/kWh of energy generated. This is due to end on 31st March 2022, however, will be replaced by the Clean Heat Grant in April 2022. The new grant differs slightly from the RHI as it will cover up to £6, 000 upfront installation costs as opposed to ongoing smaller payments over time.
Why now is the time to install ground source heating…
The government is working towards a goal of installing 600, 000 heat pumps every year by 2028 and has announced further £5000 grants to be awarded to households, encouraging them to switch to a lower carbon system under the Clean Heat Grant scheme. There is no better time to switch to renewable energy within your home if you have the financial ability to do so and your property fits the above requirements.
The current environmental crisis also means we should all be doing our bit to lead a more sustainable lifestyle, whether that be making small changes to make your home more green or installing a ground source heating system.
Dragon Drilling aims to make the installation of ground source heating at your property as smooth and straightforward as possible. With minimal disruption and little space needed, we can offer a reliable source of renewable energy to even more people – increasing the positive impact we can all have on the environment. If you’d like to find out more, get in touch and we’ll be happy to discuss.