Geothermal energy saving?

tigerlily · 21 January 2007 at 1:01PM

gromituk wrote:

Ground source in Cornwall? Probably works from the radioactivity alone.

:rolleyes:

almacmil · 24 January 2007 at 5:42PM

I've got a Kensa GSHP in for my underfloor and electric/solar for domestic hot water in a 2000 sqft new-build. It would've cost "in excess of £20k" to bring natural gas 150m from a high pressure, stainless steel main (according to the verbal quote from Fulcrum Connections, the crew that Transco sub to). Cost was equivalent to a new boiler system once the grants came in.

We also have the gound space to put the slinkies in (vertical instalment).

We haven't had a problem with it since it was installed (DIY install by the way..... that was fun!). It is a little noisier than a boiler but it can be sited outside which would help and it has a starting draw of 85 amps so the lights dim for a split second. Nobody believed it would work when word got out what we were doing 'cos the plumber hadn't ever worked with one before

.

We can't really compare running costs because it's a new build, but our last house was a three bed semi (old tho') with electric, oil and open fire. This one is four bed bungalow with lots of 50w downlighters (23 all in, excluding exterior), dishwasher etc and is cheaper to run than the old one.

Like most of these systems it's not appropriate for everyone - situation dependant. Next time tho' I'd go for one that did DHW as well, just for the convinience.

tigerlily · 23 February 2007 at 5:34PM

Well, my GSHP system has been installed and is up and running and I have to say I am 100% impressed. I have the "big box" part of it, the bit that makes a small amount of noise, situated in my shed and the pipes trenced across to the house, this means that there is absolutely no noise inside the house and in the shed it just sounds like a fridge running. The bore hole was drilled vertically to a depth of 90m, this took just over a day to do.
I to have a split second dimming of the lights as the pump cuts in but already I dont really notice it anymore.
My electricity costs have gone up by about 40p per day since the system has been up and running so compared to the £15 I was paying out per week for coal which just heated the house in the evenings its much better. I have a lovely warm house and hot water 24/7!! Also with no mess!! I dont miss the constant layer of soot and ash dust everywhere and the emptying of the ash pan every day!!
All in all it is much much better than I was expecting and I would recommend it to anyone really.

Ken68 · 23 February 2007 at 6:32PM

Good for you Tiger, never thought they were that good, had the idea was just for background heat......does it run on Economy 7 rates. ??

Cardew · 23 February 2007 at 6:41PM

Tigerlily,

Will be interesting to get some running costs after you have had it for a while and how it copes if we have a really cold spell.

tigerlily · 23 February 2007 at 9:46PM

Ken68................the radiators get hotter than they ever did with the coal fire feeding them, I was not expecting as much heat at all!!

Cardew..............I keep having to turn the system down as it gets too hot after a while, lol, mym mum has had the same system installed in her property aswell and she is equally impressed with the heat output/cost to run ratio aswell.

aberned · 5 March 2007 at 10:11AM

Tigerlily............I've been looking into this option. Currently have storage heating on Total Heating Total Control and its obscenely expensive (£250 per month at the moment - only heating half the house). I cant really put in underfloor heating now, so will have to use radiators. Is this what you have? or do you have underfloor as well?

Assuming its only radiators, are they a special type or the same as you had previously?

Thanks

D

gromituk · 5 March 2007 at 7:54PM

Have you done the basics, like draught-proofing and cavity wall insulation (assuming you have cavities)? These will be a lot cheaper.

aberned · 6 March 2007 at 9:22PM

There are a couple of issues which I'm dealing with - but the problem is more to do with the cost of running the heaters and hot water system. Storage heating is so uncontrollable. I have them all turned down to low input/low output - but they still guzzle.

aberned · 6 March 2007 at 9:22PM

There are a couple of issues which I'm dealing with - but the problem is more to do with the cost of running the heaters and hot water system. Storage heating is so uncontrollable. I have them all turned down to low input/low output - but they still guzzle.

Geothermal energy saving?

Comments

Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

🚀 Getting Started

Categories

Is this how you want to be seen?

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free