Geothermal heat pumps, sometimes called ground-source or water-source heat pumps, have been in use since the 1940s – but the technology has continued to develop since then.
Petersheim Brothers has experience drilling the outside boreholes for both closed and open loop geothermal systems. We also excavate from the boreholes to the building, and fuse the lines.
What are geothermal heating and cooling systems?
Geothermal heat pumps are heating and cooling systems that, instead of using the variable heat found in outside air, rely on the stable, even heat of the earth to provide heating and air conditioning.
The principle behind geothermal heat pumps is that in the winter they move the heat from the earth into your house. In the summer, they pull the heat from your home and discharge it into the ground.
Why are geothermal heat pumps considered environmentally friendly?
Studies show that approximately 70 percent of the energy used in a geothermal heat pump system is renewable energy from the ground. That’s why it’s considered to be environmentally friendly. The earth’s constant temperature is what makes geothermal heat pumps one of the most efficient, comfortable, and quiet heating and cooling technologies available today.
While they may cost more to install initially (compared to regular heat pumps) geothermal heat pumps can produce much lower energy bills – 30 percent to 40 percent lower, according to estimates from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Because they are mechanically simple and outdoor parts of the system are below ground and protected from the weather, maintenance costs are often lower as well.
How do geothermal heat pumps work?
A geothermal heat pump doesn’t create heat by burning fuel, like a furnace does. Instead, in winter it collects the earth’s natural heat through a series of pipes, called a loop, installed below the surface of the ground. Fluid circulates through the loop and carries the heat to the house. The fluid in the loop is water or an environmentally safe antifreeze solution that circulates through the pipes in a closed system.
Once the gathered heat is in your home, office, or other building an electrically driven compressor and a heat exchanger concentrate the earth’s energy and release it inside the home at a higher temperature. Ductwork distributes the heat to different rooms.
In summer, the process is reversed.
Are geothermal heat pumps reliable?
Geothermal heat pumps are durable and require little maintenance. They have fewer mechanical components than other systems, and most of those components are underground, sheltered from the weather.
Usually the components installed inside the house are small – and easily accessible for maintenance.
Going geothermal!
Geothermal heat pump systems are usually not do-it-yourself projects. To ensure good results, the piping should be installed by professionals who follow procedures established by the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA).
Designing the system also calls for professional expertise. The length of the loop depends upon a number of factors, including the type of loop configuration used, your home’s heating and air conditioning load, local soil conditions and landscaping, and the severity of the climate.
For example, larger homes that require more heating or air conditioning generally need larger loops than smaller homes. Homes in climates where temperatures are extreme also generally require larger loops.
In some cases, rather than horizontal, vertical closed ground loops are used. For instance:
- where there is little yard space
- when surface rocks make digging impractical
- or when you want to disrupt the landscape as little as possible.
Vertical loops are generally more expensive to install, but require less piping than horizontal loops because the earth’s temperature is more stable farther below the surface.
Whether your home or business is large or small, Petersheim Brothers is ready to help you go geothermal!
Information Provided by Consumer Energy Center
