Ground source heat pump costs
If you’re looking to find out how much a ground source heat pump might cost you, from installation to maintenance and running costs, we’ve gathered everything you need to know right here.
How much does a ground source heat pump cost?
Whilst exact costs can vary based on the project, you can generally expect a ground source heat pump to cost around £15,000.
Although a ground source heat pump costs more than an air source heat pump or a fossil fuel boiler, the Government offers a grant amount of £7,500 through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to help make it more affordable.
Ground source heat pump grants
To encourage the uptake of low carbon heat sources and achieve net zero targets, the government offers a ground source heat pump grant through The Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme was introduced to incentivise the switch from fossil fuel boilers to low carbon ground source heat pumps. Offering a £7,500 voucher towards the installation of a GSHP, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme helps to reduce the overall cost for homeowners.
To find out more about what’s needed to qualify for the Boiler Upgrade scheme and more, you can read our complete guide to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
How much does a ground source heat pump cost to install?
Ground source heat pump installation costs will vary according to the project, materials needed and heat collection method used.
As a rough guide, ground loop installation can cost around £5,000, whereas borehole installation can be anywhere from thousands, to tens of thousands of pounds more, due to the specialist contractors and materials needed.
Whilst ground source heat pumps are the more costly heat pump option, especially where bore hole installation is required, it is worth remembering that the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant is available and that they are a highly efficient heat source year-round.
How much does it cost to install GSHP ground loops?
Of the two heat collection methods used by a ground source heat pump, ground loops are generally the lowest cost option.
Though the exact cost of installation can vary depending on several factors unique to the project, you can generally expect the installation of ground loops to cost around £5,000.
How much does it cost to install GSHP borehole?
Alternatively, boreholes are another option for those who are looking to install a ground source heat pump, but may not have the space required for ground loops.
Due to the materials needed and the specialists required for installation, ground source heat pump boreholes are generally a more expensive option. Whilst it wouldn’t be possible to give an exact cost for installation due to several varying factors, you can generally expect borehole installation to add thousands, if not tens of thousands, to the cost of ground source heat pump installation.
However, it is important to remember that government grants, such as the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, are available to help with the installation costs of renewable heating sources.
Nu-Heat’s full design and product package is one of the main reasons their systems work so well
Dan & Nina Rowland
How much does a ground source heat pump cost to run?
A well-designed and installed ground source heat pump in the right property will deliver low running costs over its lifetime.
Which? estimates that the typical UK household would pay around £745 a year for heating and hot water when using a ground source heat pump, a saving of nearly £300 a year when compared with £1041 when using a gas boiler system.
How much does it cost to service and maintain a GSHP?
A well maintained GSHP that is serviced annually can last, and continue to be efficient, for up to 25 years.
Annual servicing will include a check of the control equipment, above ground pipes and their connection points, the compressor, water pump and anti-freeze and water mixture. You can also expect to have the GSHP ground collectors filled and flushed around every 8 years.
An annual ground source heat pump service will generally cost around £200-300.
