How does geothermal work?
Geothermal systems tap the constant temperature of the earth to provide heating, cooling, and hot water. Your home stays comfortable year-round while trimming your energy use by up to 80%.
What is Geothermal?
Geothermal is the use of constant stored temperature below the earth’s surface to provide heating, cooling and hot water.
Depending upon latitude, ground temperature range from 40 F to 75 F. Like a cave the ground temperature is warmer than the air above it in the winter and cooler that the air above in the summer. (source: energysavers.gov)
How does it Work?
Water based solution is circulated in coils buried in the earth. A geothermal heat pump extracts and concentrates the temperature from the circulating solution to provide heating and cooling and as a by-product hot water.
Only a comparatively small amount of external electricity is used to operate the heat pump, solution pump and distribution fan.
Is it energy efficient?
The energy efficiency of geothermal systems is 400 – 600% that of conventional electric or gas HVAC systems.
Geothermal systems operate at relatively constant efficiency regardless of outdoor temperature or humidity conditions.
Is it dependable?
The Geothermal heat pump is located inside, with few moving parts, are quiet and have a far greater average life than conventional heating and cooling systems. Geothermal heat pumps last 20+ years according to government statistics.
The underground piping carries a warranty of 50 years.
The basic technology of geothermal heat pumps has been around for over 50 years; however, in recent years improvements in materials, installation methods, electronic control systems and equipment improvements have resulted in greater efficiencies, durability and reliability.
Is it safe?
Geothermal is perhaps the safest heating and cooling option available. There are no flames which can result in a fire , no fumes which can result in an explosion or dangerous carbon monoxide gas emission.
NO FLAMES |
NO FUMES (CARBON MONOXIDE) |
What about environmental impact?
According to the EPA “Geothermal is the most energy efficient, environmentally safe and cost efficient space conditioning system available today.”
No greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide) are emitted from the heating and cooling that the Geothermal system provides.
The energy used for the heating and cooling is totally sustainable derived from stored energy of the sun in the earth. The energy is continually renewed by the sun.
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