Ground Source Heat Pump - anyone got one?

pinklady21

Hello
Hope this is the right board for this question - I have also cross posted on the green fingered energy saving board.

I am currently refurbishing a victorian farmhouse and 3 cottages.
We intend to let out the cottages, and live in the main farmhouse.

No current "proper" heating systems in any of them, only open fires or plug in heaters.
Going to be insulating as well as we can as part of refurb - underfloors, lofts and internal walls.

Question is - what is best system for heating and hot water in all of the properties either individually or as a "district" type system for all of them?

Would like to go for a renewable system if possible and feasible given the limitations of the structure and getting it as energy efficient as we can.
Thinking Ground Source, as we have a lot of land around that is fairly wet.
Main issue is expense of installing it, and whether it is worth it by offsetting cost with either the domestic or non domestic RHI.
Looks like with domestic, the RHI pays a higher rate per unit, it is not metered and lasts for 7 years.
Non-domestic will pay a lower rate per unit, has to be metered and will last for 20 years.

Questions:
1. Anyone with a GSHP - what are pros and cons?
2. What questions should we ask of any installer?
3. RHI for multiple properties - all the cottages are self contained, likely to be eligible for non-domestic RHI scheme - assuming we get a system big enough for heating and supply of hot water to all of them.
4. RHI - are we better going for domestic RHI for each property and is it possible to apply for RHI on more than one domestic property?
5. If we also decide to install a boiler stove in one room in each of the houses to supplement heating and hot water, is this going to foul up any RHI application?
6. Also thinking about a Solar Thermal system to raise water temperatures and Solar PV to generate electricity which will also power the GSH pump. Any possible snags with that?

Thanks all!

mnbvcxz

Ground source heat pumps have a historical reputation for being disappointing.

The biggest problem is they produce a steady trickle of luke warm water. It is quite hard to get the heat out of luke warm water into the air. Regular radiators work by having a high temperature difference between the radiator and the air. If you have a radiator full of medium warm water then it transfers the heat to the air slowly. So you end up needing vastly oversized radiators and fans blowing the air though them to try and get the heat out. If your house is old and draughty, as most uk houses are, then you may actually lose heat from the house faster that you can put it in...

This is less of a problem if you have a modern ultra insulated house that can be heated by a candle. But it doesn't sound like you do.

On the off chance you have mains gas then obviously go with that.

20 years ago putting in oil fired central heating proved to be the correct choice. I'm less sure today but its still a safe option.

Old houses, they want heat to keep the damp at bay but also ventilation to keep out the moisture which is rather a contradiction.

You don't want to put anything in a rental that they can't easily operate without help. I wouldn't expect many eco improvements to pay for themselves other than draught proving. A truth may be a bit sad and cynical but its why many rental properties still end up with some draught proofing and night storage heaters...

But I really do wish you luck and I hope you let us all know if you find a better way.

mnbvcxz

Though now I look I see you have had similar and much better informed responses in other threads

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5918506/ground-source-heat-pump-anyone-got-one

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5918415/ground-source-heat-pump-anyone-got-one