A stunning period property in rural South Norfolk is now enjoying the benefits of renewable heating thanks to a ground source heat pump installation by Finn Geotherm.
The six bedroom farmhouse in Hingham was built in the 1700s and 1800s and underwent an extensive renovation in 2012. With original features such as large sash windows, heating the house was a challenge for homeowner Jon Daniels.
Jon explained: “The house had previously been heated by an oil fired boiler, topped up by an AGA and wood burning stoves, but it was a real challenge – and very expensive – to keep warm. I am a busy farmer and needed a heating system that I didn’t have to keep on top of. As part of the renovation work, I wanted better and more efficient heating and looked to Finn Geotherm for a solution. The farmhouse is off the gas grid, set in a large garden, so ground source was the ideal option.”
After completing a full site survey, Finn Geotherm specified and installed a Lämpöässä V30 ground source heat pump, which includes a 750 litre integrated thermal store, linked to a 1700m ground loop laid in the farmhouse grounds. The V30 is a monoblock unit – the same size as a big American fridge-freezer – and was located in an adjacent building attached to the rear of the house. At the same time as the heat pump installation, Jon completely refurbished the rest of his heating system by replacing 21 radiators.
“This is the sort of old house that everyone tries to tell you can’t be heated with a heat pump because the insulation isn’t the best, but this Lämpöässä ground source system proves otherwise,” sums up Jon. “I have been very pleased with my heat pump. While I have retained original features such as sash windows, the house is now always warm throughout. The heating is now just on and I don’t have to think about it. The ground loop installation made great use of the land around the property and I can’t even tell it’s there. The additional benefit of the Renewable Heat Incentive payments for this system have made it extremely cost effective. I couldn’t think of a better way to heat my home.”
For more information on ground and air source heat pumps and details on Finn Geotherm, visit www.finn-geotherm.co.uk.