Geothermal Heating for Your Home - Who and Why?

Geothermal heat pumps are a relatively newfrom the earth.
technology. This technology can saveGround loops can be installed in a vertical well or a
homeowners soe energy bill money. Thesehorizontal loop. Vertical wells are usually more
ground-source heat pumps use the natural heatexpensive and used where space is limited. The
storage capacity of the earth or ground water tolength of loop pipe required will vary with soil type,
provide energy efficient heating and cooling.loop configuration, and system capacity. Loop
Geothermal heat pumps use the relativelylength can range from 100 to 300 meters per ton
constant temperature of the ground or waterof capacity.
several meters below the earth's surface asSpecial heat pump features can include variable
source of heating and cooling. Geothermal heatspeed blowers and multiple-speed compressors.
pumps are appropriate for retrofits or in newThese features can improve comfort and
homes, where both heating and cooling areefficiency in areas where heating and cooling loads
desired. In addition to heating and cooling,are quite different. Add-on features include the
geothermal heat pumps can provide domestic hotcapability to produce hot water.
water. They can be used for virtually any sizeDesuperheaters can be added to supplement the
home or lot in almost any region with theproduction of domestic hot water when there is a
existence of ground water.demand for space heating or cooling. These
A geothermal heat pump system consists ofdevices make use of excess heat during the
indoor heat pump equipment, a ground loop, and acooling cycle and use some of the heat during the
flow center to connect the indoor and outdoorheating cycle to supplement hot water production.
equipment. The heat pump equipment works likeDedicated water heaters can be added which
a reversible refrigerator by removing heat fromoperate whenever there is a demand for hot
one location and depositing it in another location.water.
The ground loop, which is invisible after installation,Geothermal heating can be more efficient than
allows the exchange of heat between the earthelectric resistance heating. These systems are
and the heat pump.also typically more efficient than gas or oil-fired
Geothermal heat pumps can either be open- orheating systems. They are more energy efficient
closed loop. Open-loop systems draw well waterthan air-source heat pumps because they draw
for use as the heat source or heat sink, and afterheat from, or release heat to, the earth, which
use, return the well water to a drainage field orhas moderate temperatures year round, rather
another well. Closed-loop or earth-coupledthan to the air (which is generally colder in winter
systems use a water and antifreeze solution,and warmer in summer than the earth, resulting in
circulated in a ground loop of pipe to extract heatless effective heat transfer).