Joining the Renewable Heating Hub forums is completely free and only takes a minute. By registering you’ll be able to ask questions, join discussions, follow topics you’re interested in, bookmark useful threads and receive notifications when someone replies. Non-registered members also do not have access to our AI features. When choosing your username, please note that it cannot be changed later, so we recommend avoiding brand or product names. Before registering, please take a moment to read the Forum Rules & Terms of Use so we can keep the community helpful, respectful and informative for everyone. Thanks for joining!
Air source heat pump with ground air pre heat
We have a reasonable garden but not quite big enough for ground source. Anybody ever installed underground air pipes to pre-heat an air source heat pump?
Posted by: @oxo2oxoWe have a reasonable garden but not quite big enough for ground source. Anybody ever installed underground air pipes to pre heat air sourced pump ?
Many, many years ago, I remember watching a TV program about a test house that was built, I think in Sweden, with not a heat pump, but MVHR.
The incoming fresh air was being supplied via pipework under the garden, which then went through a heat exchanger, and was being additionally heated by the warm air coming out of the building.
I suppose the same idea could be used to pre-heat the air going into an ASHP, but if you are digging up the garden to lay pipework a GSHP would probably be more efficient.
On a post within the forum, I previously proposed the idea of using stored heat energy using water heated by solar thermal, to pre-heat the air supply to an ASHP during the colder nighttime period.
@derek-m Hi garden not big enough for ground source but we could get a reasonable amount of pipe in to pre heat the air. We are doing an extension so will have digging going on. Just trying to see if any body has any experience
@oxo2oxo, have you considered drilling a borehole if you're wanting to invest in a ground source heat pump? You don't need much space at all for the boreholes and the rigs they use for drilling a the size of vans so they're quite compact. It's an option.
🔥 Britain’s Heat Pump Shitshow
How Installing a Heating System Became a National Nervous Breakdown
Free UK shipping.
📗 Heat Pumps Explained
A Jargon-Free Guide for Homeowners
Rewritten and updated for 2027
📘 From Zero to Heat Pump Hero
🛠️ Bodge Buster
New to heat pumps?
Take the Heat Pump Fundamentals course and use INTRO50 at checkout for 50% off.
Posted by: @derek-mMany, many years ago, I remember watching a TV program about a test house that was built, I think in Sweden, with not a heat pump, but MVHR.
The incoming fresh air was being supplied via pipework under the garden, which then went through a heat exchanger, and was being additionally heated by the warm air coming out of the building.
I think that did use to be a thing, but it is fraught with difficulty. Mice getting in, mould, stagnent water pools. All of these can be tackled - grills, special silvered pipes, sloping and drained. The reason to do it for MVHR is to improve the efficiency - but MVHR efficiencies are so high now there's little point.
I can sort of understand for ASHP, but you'd have to be careful that the pressure drop wasn't too great, it sounds difficult in practice.
- 27 Forums
- 2,809 Topics
- 66.4 K Posts
- 1,708 Online
- 7,215 Members
Join Us!
Installer Finder
Degrees of Separation
Latest Posts
-
RE: Octopussy cosy 6 experience
@paultheheating Unless things have changed more recentl...
By Toodles , 8 hours ago
-
RE: Boiler Upgrade Scheme funding reduced by circa £750 million in 2026 budget
Sorry I thought and meant to put 'may' in, but the diff...
By JamesPa , 10 hours ago
-
The alternative would be to move some productive energy...
By EtchedPixels , 11 hours ago
-
RE: Marvel Heating liquidation
@editor This is an important point. each winter, you...
By davidnolan22 , 12 hours ago
-
RE: Adding data centre electricity costs to domestic energy bills?
Potentially the largest data centre hub in Europe and t...
By Jeff , 16 hours ago
-
RE: Aerotherm and weather compensation
The principal cause of inefficiency if a heat pump is n...
By JamesPa , 1 day ago
-
RE: Solar Power Output – Let’s Compare Generation Figures
Very nice. we’ve been super soggy here, but rather m...
By Papahuhu , 1 day ago
-
RE: DIY powerflushing tutorial
Interesting! I toyed with the idea too. But I installed...
By bobflux , 1 day ago
-
RE: 15kw pump for 225m2 1990's house - over kill?
@seaviews Agree with the others on sequence: loft first...
By mk1234 , 1 day ago
-
RE: The Changing Jet Stream Could Challenge UK Air Source Heat Pumps
@etchedpixels Agreed, just a thought for others. I am...
By Watcher , 2 days ago
-
RE: Vaillant ecoTEC Plus - Flow Temp and Set Up
Heating been on for 4 weeks now, continuous. It's 6C o...
By trebor12345 , 3 days ago
-
Coming back on subject... A shortened version of the ...
By Transparent , 4 days ago
-
RE: Say hello and introduce yourself
Perhaps it is time for an update on ‘our’ project. We h...
By Toodles , 4 days ago
-
RE: Free app: run the immersion / heat pump from Growatt battery & solar surplus – no Home Assistant
Please bear in mind, everyone, that in order to use thi...
By Majordennisbloodnok , 6 days ago
Members Online
No online members at the moment




