[cloddopper]

Thanks Sally , I realised the seepage of cold snow melt  down to the heat exchanger coils deep in the ground would give a corresponding temperature out put drop .
 
Any idea what sort of vertical depth & diameters we might need to be thinking of for drilled bore holes . There is no way we'd be able or allowed  to rip out 3/4 of an acre of tarmacked playground for deep trenching of the pipes .

[Womble]

Just to respond to some of Sally's points:

Different pellet systems are fed differently. The one we have is fed with 10kg sacks, so the hopper needs filling by hand roughly once a week. Then the ash needs emptying maybe every six months (seriously!). The boiler does all its own cleaning automatically, and gets an annual service by the installer.

My parents' system (more like what you'd want) is fed from a bulk tank that takes about five tonnes of pellets at a time and hence lasts them ages. These are blown in from the roadside. It's no harder to keep an eye on the level in the store than it would be the level on an oil tank.

The noisy times are when it's cleaning (a sort of clanking sound for a minute or so every cycle), and when it fills its little day tank, which sounds a bit like a hoover for a minute twice a day. It's fine in an outbuilding or plant room, but I wouldn't want it in my kitchen, right enough!

One of my concerns over RHI is that some of the equipment offered may not have longevity. We deliberately went for a more expensive Austrian boiler in the hope that it would give a longer service life. My parents' system (pre RHI) has been running for 15 years now without problems.

[SallyintNorth]

I've no knowledge of vertical systems, sorry.  But if you go ahead with yours, please update us - I might put in a plea that we do that next time, rather than trash another of our remaining grazing / hay-making areas!

[bazzais]

Info on free airsource pumps in Newcastle Emlyn ? Maybe of use ?

https://www.ecofriendlypower.co.uk/

[cloddopper]

I no longer go to the place that was considering the GSHP system but kind of got the idea that they would rush in with the cheapest options of a couple of radiators & a hot tap using a self contained balanced flue combi gas boiler set up that they can get,  as gas has recently been piped to the road running by the building . ( £2.5 K ? )

Thanks for your help guys & gals .