Geothermal heating

pat_os

Registered User
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I've done a lot of research and decided to go with a GSHP with the horizontal collector and underfloor heating in a new build. In an attempt to dispell my last doubts can anyone who has this installed just let me know if you're happy or not. Or if there's anything extra you think you should have put in at the time eg buffer tank, night saver meter, etc
Thanks
 
Extremely happy with it. Make sure you put in night saver and a towel rad or two to warm/dry towels.
 
Qwerty,

Do you mean electric towel heaters? I assume that you cant run radiator type towel heaters at the temperature that UFH requires.

I will soon be in a similar situation i.e. newbuild timber frame/GSHP/UFH.
Also what make is your heat pump?

Thank you.
 
Qwerty,

Do you mean electric towel heaters? I assume that you cant run radiator type towel heaters at the temperature that UFH requires.

We have towel rads running off the HWC. A bit unorthidox i suppose, but it worths. We have them on a timer, so put them on for half an hour or so when bathing the kids etc to warm the towel. We have a NIBE GSHP.
 
Good idea Qwerty, I got the "Oh I said we wanted towel rails" when herself discovered we did not have one, that is an idea to plumb off the hot feed!, more work for me ;)
 
Thanks for that qwerty,

I'm waiting on a quote from a local installer who deals with NIBE, I've been in his house was very impressed with his set up. He reckons all his heating and hot water for a 4000sqft costs approx €800 a year. Even allowing for a little exaggeration on his part, this sounds very good, can you give me an idea of how much yours costs to run?
 
Thanks for that qwerty,

I'm waiting on a quote from a local installer who deals with NIBE, I've been in his house was very impressed with his set up. He reckons all his heating and hot water for a 4000sqft costs approx €800 a year. Even allowing for a little exaggeration on his part, this sounds very good, can you give me an idea of how much yours costs to run?

Estimating how much the rest of Nov, Dec and Jan will cost, the total cost for 1 year is €840. I installed a meter on the GSHP, and take readings each day, so I'm not estimating these costs.
Heres the break down of average daily costings... (not including nightsaver)
January 5.00
February 4.53
March 4.02
April 4.10
May 2.67
June 1.23
July 1.01
August 1.42
September 1.53
October 2.42
November 4.00
December 5.00
 
Qwerty,

Thanks a million, its brilliant to get some input from somebody actually using UFH. Can I ask if you have individual room thermostats or does the machine control the flow or the circulating temperature based on the return temperature from the loops. Also I assume the machine runs hot water priority,do you find that the water is hot enough, and enough of it for showers etc?

Sorry if I'm annoying your head but I'm only going to get favourable answers from a guy trying to sell me a system and I appreciate your responses.

One last thing, you said that the running costs didnt include nightsaver rates, does this mean your HP is running on nightsaver and that your actual costs are lower than those quoted?
 
Qwerty,

Thanks a million, its brilliant to get some input from somebody actually using UFH. Can I ask if you have individual room thermostats or does the machine control the flow or the circulating temperature based on the return temperature from the loops. Also I assume the machine runs hot water priority,do you find that the water is hot enough, and enough of it for showers etc?

Sorry if I'm annoying your head but I'm only going to get favourable answers from a guy trying to sell me a system and I appreciate your responses.

One last thing, you said that the running costs didnt include nightsaver rates, does this mean your HP is running on nightsaver and that your actual costs are lower than those quoted?

We have individual room stats. Would have liked digital ones but due to a wiring spec cockup on the UFH companys part, we had to use analogue. (Just make sure you run he correct cable, we had twin brown and earth) Bathroom, hall and landing are open zones, with no stats.

Water is more than hot enough for showers baths etc. You will still have to add a little cold water to it to cool it down to a bit. (I'd recommend a pumped HW/CW system, becasue as you are only mainly using the hot to fill a bath, it would take twice as long to fill than a normal HW system using HW and CW on full.)

We let the system run itself, it works during the day and night as needed. The 840 yearly cost includes the nightsaver deduction, the monthly costs don't, subtract between 1/3 and 1/4 off then to get a rough daily cost.
 
qwerty, I am also considering the same system and your stats sound great. Did you go over the recommended insulation on your house? Also if you don't mind what size is your house.

Thanks very much
ktwo.
 
Last edited:
qwerty, I am also considering the same system and your stats sound great. Did you go over the recommended insulation on your house? Also if you don't mind what size is your house.

Thanks very much
ktwo.

Main place I went overboard with insulation was in the ground floor. 100mm of xtratherm insulation.

The house is 3500 sq foot.
 
I'm soon to start constructing my house and i'm currently pricing up the total construction. I'm hell bent on installing Geo-thermal and underfloor heating, i've recieved quotes from two companies Eurotech and Geothermal-Solar. The first seems to be a good system but maybe a bit pricy the second is some what cheaper but how do you compare one with the other. I want to do the job right but don't want to pay extorsinate prices for it.
I don't want a two bit system designed that will cost me money on running because it isn't able to provide heat economically.

Has anybody installed the above systems and are you happy with them, or maybe another system.
 
Hi Joe

I'm at a similar point of the process, i.e. trying to get as many quotes for stuff as I can and trying to sift out fact from well intention fiction. I'm interested to know roughly what quotes you got. I've only gotten one detailed quote back yet.

I'm building a 2800sqft timber frame dormer and for fully supplied, fitted and commissioned ground source heat pump, underfloor heating and a hot water system, I've been quoted €19000 + VAT for a horizontal collector or €23000+VAT for a borehole (not convinced about this option).

How does this compare to your quotes.
 
Dakar,

I've recieved two quotes so far and another yet to be recieved, there is a large difference in both. Eurotech quoted me in excess of €33,000 exclusive of VAT, Civil's & Wiring by electrician, it seems great control from each room it senses the temperature of the room and calculates how long it will take to heat the room to the desired temperature.It can also be turned on and off via text message.

The other quotation from Geothermal-Solar in excess of €18,000 seems to be similar to previous, with the text message facility and temperature calculation, I think!.

These both include Under floor heating, designed for 208m2 floor area, A one and a half storey, Hollow core flooring to 1st floor.

Hope this helps
 
Hi

Im the same, hellbent on trying to get the best geothermal system possible. Got one of ECO HEAT recommended to me by my architect. House size is 3300 dormer sq feet. Heat Pump 18kw is €7300. Underfloor piping, all thermostats, bits and pieces, including a pressurised system for the showers. All costed 17000 euro not including VAT. This does not include installation of the underfloor piping.


Still doing research on it. Also got one company yesterday for all installation and supply. Costed 23000 euro. Serious amount of money invloved. So still looking around.

Thinking of checking out foreign heatpumps with the possibility of buying them and getting the grant at the same time. Anybody any experience of this?
 
hi,am also putting in gshp in my new-build and am approved for grant.
will probably buy abroad as it is alot cheaper and will still get grant,(checked with sei).

irish suppliers are just charging above the odds for something that with a few internet clicks can be bought and shipped home and still save a few thousand euros .
i'm looking at the moment at a thermia heatpump ,10kw. from poland for under 6000 euro including shipping,
i installed the underfloor heating myself-all it is ,after all ,is laying piping in loops-no degree necessary.
the collector pipe in the garden is basically a jcb digging a narrow trench ,you lay the pipe, backfill, clap hands for job well done.
you still will need a plumber to connect the pipes to heatpump etc,
shopping around and doing your homework can save you alot of money,
oh-and a healty dose of common sense.
 
hi,am also putting in gshp in my new-build and am approved for grant.
will probably buy abroad as it is alot cheaper and will still get grant,(checked with sei).

irish suppliers are just charging above the odds for something that with a few internet clicks can be bought and shipped home and still save a few thousand euros .
i'm looking at the moment at a thermia heatpump ,10kw. from poland for under 6000 euro including shipping,
i installed the underfloor heating myself-all it is ,after all ,is laying piping in loops-no degree necessary.
the collector pipe in the garden is basically a jcb digging a narrow trench ,you lay the pipe, backfill, clap hands for job well done.
you still will need a plumber to connect the pipes to heatpump etc,
shopping around and doing your homework can save you alot of money,
oh-and a healty dose of common sense.

Absolutely agree with you, but wife is afraid i stick a hole in the piping or summat, as if that is possible..... basically just lay it down on the frame and bingo job done..... yes i would agree a plumber is required to hook up all the pipes and this can be left to when the plumber comes in to install the bathrooms. I reckon i save around 4000 euro by installing the underfloor and doing the collector area myself with a neighbours JCB. Whoever you buy the pipes off gives you a plan of where the pipes go etc. Cant make a mistake. Let me know how you get on with your heat pump, looking into buying one abroad as well.
 
Just a warning on installing the UFH Pipework I was told for GSHP the Loop have to be very close together to make it work more efficiently
I have UFH working on oil at the moment and was looking at changing to GSHP or a Wood Boiler and was told by one company that my loops may be too far apart for GSHP to work efficiently, and the wood boiler may be a better option
I Did tell the the Plumber my plans at the time but it looks like he did not listen!
Any body with similar experiance to me your comments would be welcome
 
The Fisherman,

How did you calculate the power output that you would require for the heating of your home. The square meterage of your collector. I'd love to do a little project like that and will carry out as much of the work on my house as my competence lets me, being a Civil Engineer I'll be able to carry out alot of the engineering requirements but i'd still be slightly weary of doing something wrong, when it comes to plumbing and electrical work. Not installing properly or under designing the system could result in higher electricty costs & shorter maintenance periods.

On a different note i'm going to try to pay for my Geothermal/Underfloor heating with cash from savings, I think it's pointless tying the price of heating and water into the already climbing interest levels of a mortgage. It's cancelling out any savings that come from the Geothermal.

I've also inquired as to wheter the Geothermal can be incorporated in use with Solar panels, maybe using the energy from the panels to power the heat pump, however i've got not replies, anybody got any ideas?
 
send your house plans to as many companies as you can,they wont be long working out the size you need.they will tell you the size of collector,the size of pipes for your ufh etc,these are things you can put in youself with the advice of your own plumber(you willstill need one)
 
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