Air Source & Ground Source Heating

We hear at GKE Plumbing & Heating we are fully MCS certified to carry out your heat pump installation, either its air or ground source.

As part of the process we are a member of RECC, a Renewable Energy Consumer Code, to give you complete peace of mind. 

Please find the below information for deciding what you believe would be a better choice for you? 

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If you would like to know more, fill out the below contact form and we will arrange for one of our specialists to carry out a site survey. 

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Air source heat pumps take the warmth from the air outside (even when it’s freezing) and use it to heat the home. Other types of heat pump use the warmth in the ground and in water, but air source heat pumps are suitable for a wider range of homes or buildings.

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How efficient are air source heat pumps?

To power itself, the heat pump uses electricity. But because the heat pump has taken some heat from the air, every unit (kilowatt hour or kWh) of electricity you put in will provide more than 1 usable unit of heat energy  out.

This is known as the ‘coefficient of performance’, or CoP. Typically, a heat pump has a maximum CoP of 3 to 4, meaning for 1kWh of electricity you will get 3 to 4 kWh’s of heat.

It’s important to note that the CoP rating supplied by the manufacturer describes how the heat pump performs under laboratory conditions, which is useful for comparing the efficiency of different models of heat pump.

But the actual efficiency of your installed air source heat pump system will be different to this depending on all the variables of your unique home. And the efficiency will change throughout the year too.

The overall installed efficiency of a heat pump system, averaged out over one whole year, is referred to as the ‘seasonal coefficient of performance’ or SCOP, and this figure is the most important when assessing your heat pump’s performance.

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How does an air source heat pump work?

They extract heat energy from the air in order to warm your home and provide hot water. Aside from their eco-credentials, an ASHP system is also very efficient.

For every unit of energy it uses to extract heat from the air, it typically outputs three times more as heat, meaning ASHP efficiency is around 300%!

Air source heat pump benefits include:

• Low carbon, environmentally-friendly heat source

• Highly efficient, transferring around three times more energy into a home as heat than it uses to extract it from the air

• Eligible for the government Boiler Upgrade Scheme

• Little outdoor space required, meaning an air source heat pump system is suitable for most urban properties

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Ground Source Heat Pumps from Vaillant

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Ground source heat pumps are ideal for homes which are far from the mains grid as there is minimal maintenance, and no fuel deliveries required. They also make an excellent choice for properties which are looking to lower their home carbon emissions, They are a highly economical and efficient renewable energy solution, even more so than air source heat pumps, but can be more challenging to install.

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Are ground source heat pumps more efficient than air source heat pumps?

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Yes, ground source heat pumps are more efficient than air source heat pumps. The ground temperature in the UK typically remains between 8℃ – 12℃, whereas the air temperature in winter especially during the mornings and evenings when heating is required, is often much cooler. Extracting heat from the ground is more efficient than extracting heat from the air during these times.

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