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Water source heat pumps work by extracting heat from a body of water and turning this into energy that can be used to heat your home and supply you with hot water. As heat transfers better in water, homeowners typically find that they are more efficient than ground and air source pumps.
They are an ideal way to reduce the environmental footprint of your home, especially compared to traditional boilers that rely on fossil fuels such as gas to operate.
Water source heat pumps come in two types: closed loop and open loop system. In general, the closed loop system is more common. The open loop system is only advisable in limited cases. Let's take a closer look at which system is more suitable for your home.
Water source heat pumps tap thermal energy stored in the groundwater by means of two wells: a suction well and a discharge well. With these, the heat pumps can heat and cool.
From the suction well, a pump transports groundwater to an evaporator inside the heat pump. The evaporator passes the groundwater heat on to a liquid refrigerant, causing it to evaporate. This vapour is now compressed and heats up further until it becomes gaseous, and the contained heat is fed into the heat exchanger.
From here, the heat is either passed on directly to radiators or underfloor heating and the domestic water production, or to a buffer storage that supplies the heating system.
The water from which heat was extracted is then led out into the discharge well. The refrigerant passes the heat onto the heating system and re-liquifies. It then reaches the expansion valve that regulates pressure inside the heat pump unit. At the expansion valve, the refrigerant cools down until it can absorb groundwater heat again and the supply loop thus closes.
Whether a water heat pump is suitable for your house depends on various factors.
The first thing to clarify is what the existing water quality is like - the water authority or a geologist can tell you about this.
The groundwater source should be at a maximum depth of 15 meters for lower construction costs and lower electricity consumption of the well pump.
Each property is unique, but it is important to understand what other measures can be done to reduce heat being lost in your home. Looking at loft insulation and whether you have double glazing windows is a good start. Consult a professional for further guidance on what is feasible for your home.
Need more help? Simply contact your local Vaillant heat pump installer who will be able to help answer any questions about water source heat pump suitability for your home.
Since water-source heat pumps are only one variation of three, there are arguments for it and arguments for the other heat pump variants.
Your house is heated in an environmentally friendly way by using thermal energy from groundwater.
Water heat pumps have low operating and maintenance costs.
A water source heat pump provides heating, cooling and the comfort of hot water.
Vaillant water heat pumps require only a small space in your home.
Compared to other heat pumps, the water heat pump has comparatively high initial costs due to intensive planning. The installation through two boreholes is time-consuming. But once the investment is completed, you will benefit from the advantages for many years.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) government grants helps homeowners in England and Wales with the cost of installing a low carbon heating technology in your home.
You can recieve up to £7,500 off the cost and installation of a ground source heat pump (includes water source).
To learn if you're eligible and how to apply for BUS, click here.
With two mandatory wells as part of the system, overall costs of water-source heat pumps are significantly higher than for ground-source and especially air-source models. Yet, about half of the expenses are due to the increased amount of development works like drillings, construction and installation of the heat pump.
Though, the higher initial costs pay off in relatively short time thanks to significant savings on running costs thanks to the high efficiency.
You’ll have to make sure that you don’t live in a water conservation area where operating a water-source heat pump is generally prohibited.
The drillings depth is ideally at around 15 metres or less and crucial to the heat pump’s efficiency. The construction of wells with less depth is much cheaper, too. The ideal diameter for the well is determined by the amount of water that must be continuously available to ensure an adequate supply to your home.
The first is a test drilling to analyse the concentration of oxygen and solids like manganese and iron in the groundwater – if results are too high, substances in the groundwater may cause deterioration of the heat pump.
Your water-source heat pump should ideally be installed in your home's utility room. This also makes for a very space-saving solution, as the heat pump doesn’t require any more space than a regular refrigerator.
Heat pumps usually have an average life span of 15 years, with some newer models lasting significantly longer (20-25 years).
Since water-source heat pumps are hermetically sealed systems, they’re basically maintenance-free. Only the level and quality of the groundwater as well as the heat pump's filters should be checked on a year-to-year basis.
Despite the relatively high robustness of the appliances, these intervals must be observed in order to maintain their warranty. Standard maintenance of a water-source heat pump is rather low-priced at around € 150.
Water-source heat pumps usually create no or – if any – barely any audible operating noise when they’re intact and have been installed correctly.
The groundwater should contain as little manganese and iron as possible. Both substances may cause damage to your system, primarily to the heat pump’s heat exchanger and the two wells. In most cases, the evaporator heat exchanger in the refrigerant circuit is protected from insufficient water quality by an additional heat exchanger.
