Water Source Heat Pumps

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Water source heat pumps work by absorbing the heat from the sun which is stored in bodies of water such as lakes or rivers.

A system of flexible pipes containing fluid are laid in water. The fluid absorbs heat from the surrounding water as it passes through the pipe and carries it straight into your home.

The benefits of water source heat pumps

With water source heat pumps you benefit from:

• Energy efficient heating. You can heat a whole house, and generate temperatures up to 55 degrees comfortably.
• Cost effective energy. Heat pumps have arguably the lowest and most consistent running costs.
• Reduced carbon emissions.
• A choice of installation. Pipes can be laid horizontally or in coils depending on space available.

In addition water source heat pumps are great for new builds, highly insulated renovated houses and houses with underfloor heating.

Some points of caution:

• Installation costs are slightly higher than other types of heat pumps.
• Pipes require space and good depth and some flow of water to refresh the heat collection.
• Lake source heat pumps have lower running costs and can capture better temperatures from "refreshed" water.

The cost of water source heat pumps

A fully installed water source heat pump systems can cost anything from £7,000 to £10,000 + vat. However cost does depend on the size of the building and your heating needs. Sizes range from 6-16kw on single phase electrical supply.

Your savings

Heat pumps tackle your whole heating bill and are often twice as cheap to run versus traditional fossil fuel systems.

Heating and hot water can be around 50-60% of your energy bills and so by tackling this your payback will be much better. Whilst the investment is expensive when compared to a conventional gas boiler, the payback is relatively quick.

Your water source heat pump check list

The following information is useful to have to hand to help us size your water source heat pump:

• Drawings of the building - especially for a new house build or housing development but also for existing houses.
• The amount of water there is for loops.
• How is the building constructed, in particular the levels of insulation glazing.
• The heating system you are using or planning to use. E.g. Underfloor heating etc.
• Your reasons for using heat pumps and whether you have considered any alternatives?

Why this information is useful

Heat pumps require quality insulation to protect them from the elements outside. Heat pumps require a lower operating temperature to heat your house, in harmony with underfloor heating and require 12-24 hours to adjust temperature.

You can run heat pumps with radiators if they are fan assisted. This means they can make better use of the lower temperature heat offered by heat pumps.

If you install a heat pump in a house with poor insulation and normal radiators your heat pump may be less efficient. This will potentially cost you a lot of money to run as it will require additional mains back up power with an immersion heater. In which case heat pumps may not be a good idea.

Your next steps

We can offer cash back of up to £2,700 for certain brands of heat pumps.

Call us on 0800 023 2326 for more details.  Or run through our check list or email us for more advice. 

We can also arrange a no-obligation site visit to assess your property, provided it is suitable.

We also recommend you invest in a SAP report to assess your heating load accurately.