Geothermal Heating Explained
Unlike the temperatures outdoors which change throughout the year, the below-ground temperatures stay about the same all year long. This energy stored below the surface of the earth is, in most cases, more than enough to provide the heating you need. Using underground piping, known as a ground loop or earth loop, this energy is brought above ground and into your home.A geothermal heating system uses the aforementioned ground loop and a heat pump to extract the Earth’s energy and pump it through your home. The ground loop is filled with circulating fluids which absorb Earth’s energy, bringing it to the surface for use in your home. During the winter, the gathered heat is compressed by the heat pump to the temperature you have called for via your thermostat. Then, your heat pump distributes the collected energy throughout your home for space heating.
Geothermal heating systems also double as cooling systems. During the summer season, your heat pump extracts heat from your home. Via the ground loop, this heat is circulated and deposited underground. Many homeowners may wish to have secondary heating and cooling systems in place in addition to geothermal systems, such as an electric furnace or air conditioner.
If you are searching for a heating system that is highly efficient, geothermal heating is one answer. A geothermal system uses just one unit of electricity for every five units of heat it moves from below ground into a structure. Therefore, these systems can offer homeowners great energy savings and a substantial reduction in energy costs.